tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17816727599912628272024-03-13T16:10:24.264-04:00Jeremy Cooks DinnerJeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-54027632388787261712012-07-16T15:16:00.002-04:002012-07-16T15:16:50.095-04:00The Spaghetti with Pancetta, Sage, and Mushrooms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This recipe I had saved in my Epicurious recipe box for a while. Since I had fresh sage on hand from my last entry, I figured I could use it in this. As well I have a ton of spaghetti from a big sale the Key Food had a while back, so I'm making a lot of spaghetti. If you don't like spaghetti you can go to hell.<br />
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This tasted great and I pretty much <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Penne-with-Pancetta-Sage-and-Mushrooms-395064">followed the recipe</a> to the letter. However, I have to say the colour put me off a little. Not entirely sure why, but probably because I'm not used to reddish-brown pasta. Still, all the mushrooms, the wine and broth reduction, and of course the pancetta were fantastic.<br />
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Reducing the wine and beef broth actually took the most time. </div>
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Crimini and baby bellas coupled with some white mushrooms for this one. I used about half the recommended butter. You can see it and the fresh herbs in the background along with the chopped pancetta.</div>
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Everything comes together saucewise. </div>
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Finishing up the pasta in the sauce itself. </div>
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The finished product. Tasty and lovely. </div>
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/5W3Vj8F5xeSszwBEYFsaie">Cathedral - Corpsecycle</a>. </div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-8209918500250710432012-07-11T11:12:00.001-04:002012-07-11T11:12:19.433-04:00The Italy-Inspired Spaghetti, Butter, and Sage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First off, apologies for <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2012/07/grillin-it.html">the blur in my last post</a>. I admit, it was a lazy one, but then again I was busy cooking out and having a blast for the 4th of July. Must've had a pig and a half last week!<br />
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Secondly, this post contains <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2012/06/food-in-italy-it-is-bad.html">a recipe inspired by my recent trip to Italy</a>. This one is quite simple, with only a handful of ingredients and not much more than 20 minutes prep time. It's also quite flavour-full!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
- 2.5 tablespoons of unsalted butter<br />
- 2 - 3 tablespoons of fresh sage, chopped<br />
- 2 sprigs of fresh sage for garnish<br />
- 2 ounces of baby bella mushrooms, sliced<br />
- half a pound of spaghetti<br />
- 1/2 cup of spaghetti liquid reserved after draining<br />
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan<br />
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Heat up the water for the spaghetti while you're doing your other prep. You should start cooking the spaghetti before you start the sauce. Cook it about five minutes until not quite done, then drain, reserving a half cup of the liquid.<br />
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Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until bubbling. Add the sage and mushrooms. Cook in butter until tender. Now add your spaghetti and mix thoroughly. Cook another two to three minutes until al dente, adding reserved liquid if it gets dry.<br />
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Serve into bowls and garnish with shaved parmesan, fresh pepper, and a sprig of fresh sage.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/5sFDReWLrZHLFZFjHsjUTS">Alice in Chains - Would?</a></div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-38795241336893588982012-07-06T12:09:00.001-04:002012-07-06T12:09:57.145-04:00The Grillin' ItYes, this happened. <br />
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It's no secret that I don't have a grill. There's not even a courtyard in my building I could use. So when I get the opportunity to jump over to someone else's joint and use theirs, I definitely hop to it. My now former boss had a housewarming/going away party (it's complicated) this weekend. To see him off I got a pair of <a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/50259/recipes-tomahawk-chops.html">tomahawk chops</a> for the grill.<br />
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The grill I had to work with. It was fantastic. There you can see the chops front and centre, with some Argentine-marinated skirt steaks to the left, pork sausage behind, and roasting corn on top. </div>
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These are the wonderful chops. They are HUGE. This was a little over four pounds of meat, rubbed down with olive oil, and then sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper. When I want great meat of all kinds I hit up the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/international-meat-market-astoria">International Meat Market in Astoria</a>. My friend Sal always jokes that this is actually a bar down the street whenever I say I shopped at the meat market. The butcher who cut and frenched these chops was nothing if not an artist of the highest caliber.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">The final product. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Your soundtrack for this entry: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-Mrc2l1d0" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Michael Jackson - Rock with You</a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">.</span></div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-71551206127626750632012-07-01T12:43:00.001-04:002012-07-01T12:43:29.560-04:00The Food in Italy, It is Bad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As alluded to in <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2012/06/spaghetti-alle-vongole.html">an earlier post</a> (it's the one with clams), I recently traveled to Italy thanks to the Thrifty Sifter and her parents. Honestly, the food was generally so good that we didn't stop to take photographs most of the time. However, I wanted to share a few snapshots with you. </div>
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Most of our time was spent in Tuscany, however we took a side trip to Ferrara to visit childhood friends. I lived there for three years when I was a kid and the bread above is one of my fondest memories. <a href="http://www.winefoodemiliaromagna.com/specialities/coppia-ferrarese-bread.html">Coppia</a> is the characteristic bread of Ferrara, with not too strong a flavour and an incredibly interesting shape reminiscent of crabs. </div>
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Our base of operations was in a villa in Gaiole in Chianti. The first night we were there the housekeeper prepared dinner for us. Above are some pears in a balsamic reduction with a local cheese. </div>
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This are spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli cooked in butter and fresh sage. </div>
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The housekeeper called this turkey, but I'm 99% sure it's actually pheasant since it didn't quite taste like turkey and pheasants were running around the fields. It's stuffed with eggs and herbs, then roasted.<br />
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Here I am enjoying the pears, water, and a homemade chianti with the Sifters. </div>
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Our menu for the first evening with a local table wine.<br />
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Some chianti classico we had in Siena. There are some minor differences between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chianti#Chianti_Classico">chianti classico</a> and chianti. </div>
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With some local bread. Personally I found a lot of the Tuscan bread to be tasty, but somewhat bland. This is, from what I hear, on purpose so that you can add flavour with olive oil or making a bruschetta. If anyone cares to enlighten me further, please do!</div>
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwmwmsGuHJ0">Furykane - STFU</a>.</div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-8070073221511199272012-06-27T20:53:00.001-04:002012-06-27T20:54:25.235-04:00The Sicky SoupYup, I went to the bodega and got canned chicken soup. <br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: me sneezing. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O1EgZoTePrI/T-urF1aFoDI/AAAAAAAADhs/wHn_oChamUs/s640/blogger-image--1795055774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O1EgZoTePrI/T-urF1aFoDI/AAAAAAAADhs/wHn_oChamUs/s640/blogger-image--1795055774.jpg" /></a></div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-58817197812270059182012-06-27T11:50:00.000-04:002012-06-27T11:50:01.505-04:00The Za'atar Lamb Chops and Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I came so close to making fish. Then it was almost another pasta. Then I figured just because I love pasta, you dear readers would think that's all I could make. Bah! The lamb caught my eye and the lamb's what I made. My arteries probably hate me now, but who needs them?<br />
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So, what's za'atar? Until a few months ago I didn't know either, but the Thrifty Sifter made some of her own and conveniently left it at my place. Essentially it's a Middle Eastern equivalent to salt and pepper in that it's <i>the</i> spice. <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/spice-hunting-what-is-zaatar-how-to-use.html">Serious Eats has a more in-depth za'atar description</a>. It goes great on meat, as I proved to myself last night.<br />
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Overall this was an extremely simple dinner to make.<br />
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Ingredients for lamb chops:<br />
- lamb chops<br />
- fresh ground pepper<br />
- salt<br />
- za'atar<br />
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Ingredients for brussels sprouts:<br />
- brussels sprouts<br />
- olive oil<br />
- salt<br />
- pepper<br />
- shaved parmesan<br />
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To paraphrase Heidi Swanson, whose <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html">golden crusted brussels sprouts</a> entry I perused, this isn't much of a recipe. Hell I would barely consider the above a list of ingredients. You can essentially follow her directions for the brussels sprouts. The only change I really made was using shaved parmesan.<br />
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Also, you should take her advice about using small sprouts. I'm battling a cold and don't feel so hot, so I rushed through the grocery store produce section instead of hitting up my regular United Bros. Fruit Company across the street. Some of my sprouts were on the large side and, yes, they burned and didn't make it to the final plate.<br />
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The lamb chops are a simple affair, too. Sprinkle salt on both sides, grind pepper on both sides, and dust both sides with za'atar. Let sit for 15 minutes or so, then sear them in a skillet over medium heat to desired doneosity. Let them rest a few minutes and serve. </div>
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And yeah, even though I'm sick, I had to have a beer with dinner. That's a <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/peak-organic-hop-noir/142278/">Hop Noir from Peak Organic</a>, a black IPA. NOM!</div>
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/4hxd9xX8SNH0R2XSrXRATW">Ghost - Ritual</a>.</div>
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</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-63368398194571304952012-06-26T13:53:00.001-04:002012-06-26T13:53:17.435-04:00The Spaghetti Alle Vongole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Late last month the Thrifty Sifter and I took off to Tuscany for a week of fun in the hills and walking the streets of Florence. We also made a pit stop in Ferrara to see some old family friends. I'll do a feature on some of the food we had there in a future post.<br />
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Of course, I brought back about ten pounds of Tuscany near my middle and still had a hankering for pasta. It's also the case that I eat entirely too much pork and beef and wanted something non-chicken. Enter the desire for a clam sauce.<br />
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This recipe was adapted from the May 2011 issue of Bon Appetit. About the most difficult part of it is waiting for the clams to open.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
- Kosher salt<br />
- spaghetti<br />
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided<br />
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced<br />
- 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (I used <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2010/09/dried-chilies.html">my own dried chilis</a>.)<br />
- 1/4 cup of dry white wine<br />
- 2 pounds of littleneck clams, scrubbed<br />
- 2 tablespoons of flat leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped<br />
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First hint: really scrub those clams under cold running water. I worked in a seafood restaurant for several years and I can tell you this is hugely important. You want to get all the nooks and crannies so you don't end up with grit. Who likes grit? Not me!<br />
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Here you can plainly see I went and used way more than two tablespoons of parsley. I like parsley. While you're prepping this, bring about 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a 5 quart saucepan. If you don't know the measures, put enough water in a big one to cover the pasta. The cooking time will vary, but boil the pasta for about six minutes, which is a few minutes from tender. This is your second hint: really do this. Otherwise you'll overcook the pasta. Then drain and keep a half cup of the liquid in reserve. </div>
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These are my temporary scrubbed clam friends hanging out in a coffee mug. No grit. No brains, neither.</div>
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While you're boiling up the pasta, you should get started on the clam sauce. Pre-heat a large skillet on medium, add three tablespoons of the olive oil once it's piping. Add the garlic and stir until it's on the golden side of golden brown. Then add the red pepper flakes and stir for another 15 seconds or so. Add the wine, then the clams, and crank the heat up to high. Cover and cook until the clams opens to release their briny juices. That's probably about six minutes. As the clams open and give up the ghost, use some tongs to pull them out and set aside. </div>
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Here are several other <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIBHFHgTIRI">things you can do with tongs</a>. </div>
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Hello clams!</div>
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Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta liquid to the skillet, bring it to a boil, and add the pasta and continue to cook on high. Toss the pasta to coat thoroughly while it cooks until the pasta is al dente and absorbs some of the flavour of the liquid. </div>
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Put the clams back in along with any juices and the parsley. Combine thoroughly. If it seems a little dry, add some more reserved pasta liquid. Transfer to bowls and drizzle with remaining olive oil. </div>
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I'm quite pleased with this dish. </div>
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/2cIxXnLNjVaDgUdFsFL7I5">Garbage - Big Bright World</a>. </div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-25258535434957214152012-06-25T15:13:00.000-04:002012-06-25T15:13:08.711-04:00The Time I Made Breakfast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This one's actually a bit of a mistake on my part, though well-intentioned. On hand were:</div>
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- three slices of prosciutto coated in fines herbes</div>
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- two slices of rye bread</div>
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- rhubarb preserves from France (courtesy of the Thrifty Sifter)</div>
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- a fresh jalapeno</div>
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Don't give me that look. Jeremy loves hot food and the jalapeno sounded good at the time. In practice, though, it was simply overwhelming for the dish. Next time I'd probably both seed it and maybe puree it into a second layer and less toxic spread for the toast. However, without this was still quite tasty. </div>
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/702Gf3Gh3NsC1KbCFrlrpe">Teenage Fanclub - The Concept</a>.</div>
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And yes, I've made breakfast way more than once. </div>
</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-20635223174803090602011-10-12T08:15:00.000-04:002011-10-12T08:15:39.304-04:00The Next Try at Pork Chops<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After the <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2011/07/first-try-at-pork-chops.html">first try at pork chops</a>, it's taken some reading to get me on to my next try at pork chops. I got a little recipe. Wanna hear about it? Here we go!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 - one teaspoon white pepper<br />
2 - one tablespoon hot paprika<br />
3 - two tablespoons salt<br />
4 - two tablespoons fresh ground pepper<br />
5 - one teaspoon fresh sage, chopped<br />
6 - two boneless center cut pork chops<br />
7 - four tablespoons olive oil<br />
8 - half cup all purpose flour<br />
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Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Brush the pork chops with two tablespoons of olive oil total. Coat with the spice mixture. Put the flour in a large plate and dredge the chops.<br />
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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Also heat the other two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on high. Brown the pork chops two minutes per side. Transfer chops to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Remove from oven and let rest.<br />
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Am I going to fry up the chops or my fingers?<br />
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Okay, it's just the chops.<br />
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I served the chops with some scallion kimchi. In the end the chops were great, though I'm still not ready to make them for other people. I also would use scallion kimchi sparingly. It's very strong.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h2eSQcfR6A">Ghost Brigade - Clawmaster</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-83840261634650502212011-10-11T07:30:00.006-04:002011-10-11T20:04:08.746-04:00The Watermelon Eating Contest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So technically this was Labor Day and technically I didn't actually eat any watermelon. Well, it weren't technical, I just didn't participate. Vikings don't get melon pulp in their beards.<br />
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Many of my friends did, though, and technically Sal won. The winner of the contest threw up afterward, while Sal came in second place and did not. If I were judging, keeping it down would be an important factor.<br />
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Leandra begins failing after three bites.<br />
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Darren takes a break while Ethan enjoys free watermelon.<br />
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If you're down for watching a bunch of people you don't know much watermelon, here's a video. USA courtesy of George Rallis.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNTxr2NJHa0">Lamb Chop - The Song That Doesn't End</a>.</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-51180745093284702432011-10-10T22:17:00.000-04:002011-10-10T22:17:13.934-04:00The Chargrilled Steak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Toward the end of August I went out to the West Coast to visit my Mother at my Aunt's place for the former's birthday. My Aunt lives south of Portland, Oregon in some righteous farm country. Blueberries, pumpkins, corn...hops. It's beer central there. Walking into a grocery store beer section there is akin to walking into the world's greatest beer distributor.<br />
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We took a drive up to White Salmon, Washington on one of my last days in town for a family reunion of sorts. I met numerous cousins of various degrees and removals. Each and every one was impressive. Hoofing it back to Oregon in the evening, we were somewhat vexed as to what to do for dinner. I wanted steak. More importantly I wanted to take my first opportunity to cook steak on a grill and I wanted to do it in my Aunt's beautiful back yard.<br />
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Picked up a pair of fantastic chops at the grocery store.<br />
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Mom sautéed fresh jalapenos, onions, and mushrooms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xncJkSbnI7Q/TpOiDvf1KTI/AAAAAAAACZA/yjLt6gzs4iE/s1600/IMG_2340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xncJkSbnI7Q/TpOiDvf1KTI/AAAAAAAACZA/yjLt6gzs4iE/s640/IMG_2340.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
One of the wickedest beers I've ever had I picked up at the grocery store. The <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/hop-dark">Deschutes Hop in the Dark</a> was a taste bud tap dance inducing ambrosia of sensation. Looks like a porter because it's dark, but hoppy like a double IPA. Please bring this to Astoria! I can't get it here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kjMPckwtQVk/TpOigzOrpdI/AAAAAAAACZI/7aNKtsFO92s/s1600/IMG_2341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kjMPckwtQVk/TpOigzOrpdI/AAAAAAAACZI/7aNKtsFO92s/s640/IMG_2341.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Here's the final table set. That's the Hop in the Dark in the foreground, the sautée in the mid-ground, and our steaks in the centre of the table. Overall my first steak grilling experience worked out well. I got one steak to a medium rare and one to a medium. Rare is what I prefer, but I had no experience cooking steak over charcoal, so I wasn't too fussed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLC3IK7Dse0/TpOiyfai4nI/AAAAAAAACZQ/MUobJWFk0mQ/s1600/IMG_2342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLC3IK7Dse0/TpOiyfai4nI/AAAAAAAACZQ/MUobJWFk0mQ/s640/IMG_2342.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHgHrJ17XkE">Dot Allison - Colour Me</a>.</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-16572420163936697542011-08-22T23:54:00.000-04:002011-08-22T23:54:49.326-04:00The Basil Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Bacon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one was delicious, but unfortunately the photo series is marked incomplete. Jessica and Mike came over, as did the Thrifty Sifter, and eventually upstairs neighbour Michael, everyone got to talking, and I forgot to take pictures. Hey, I can talk with the best of them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still, these did come out extremely well, pan fried in the skillet until the bacon was brown, then baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. I sliced the chicken crosswise for the plates and had trouble not drooling into the food. Served with black quinoa mixed with a dollop of bacon fat and a fantastic romaine salad, this meal was a winner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (tender removed and breasts butterflied)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- 20 basil leaves (washed thoroughly, blanched and shocked)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- 12 uncured, hickory smoked slices of bacon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- fresh ground pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I already went over the cooking above. To prepare the breasts first season with the salt and pepper. Next cut off the tender (the strip of meat along the side that attaches to the rib cage). Wrap the tender in basil leaves (5 - 7). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z03RJ3wH8b4/TlMgZ7pT4KI/AAAAAAAABwA/L1SUIH6tHss/s1600/IMG_2281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z03RJ3wH8b4/TlMgZ7pT4KI/AAAAAAAABwA/L1SUIH6tHss/s640/IMG_2281.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Some breasts are large enough that you wouldn't need to butterfly them to accomplish the stuffing, but not most of the ones in my local grocery. Once you have the tenders wrapped, place them in the center of the butterflied breast, then wrap the breast in 3 - 4 slices of bacon, taking care to tuck in your loose ends. Spiral patterns help here, but we'll also accept Möbius strips.<br />
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You're all set to cook and enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M7GZJ1dDOW0/TlMgQQvoa9I/AAAAAAAABv8/mlLUdFEH6WA/s1600/IMG_2280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M7GZJ1dDOW0/TlMgQQvoa9I/AAAAAAAABv8/mlLUdFEH6WA/s640/IMG_2280.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toBc8Zo72Q8">Van Halen - Jamie's Cryin</a>.</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-4460678548853951102011-08-17T07:30:00.004-04:002011-08-17T07:30:03.688-04:00The Bison Ragu Try Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I want to perfect <a href="http://www.jeremycooksdinner.com/2011/08/bison-ragu.html">bison ragu</a>. Perfection is the theme of the next several entries because in the past I've made entries that needed work and not put in that work to show you. The bison ragu shows so much promise that it's the first recipe to go through the refining wringer. <br />
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Preparing for this version involved some research into a traditional ragu. Many different meats show up in ragu, but they almost always involve a pork product and beef. Apart from cheese they usually take dairy in the form of milk. Of course wine gets involved in many recipes as well.<br />
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Bison ragu is not new, but most recipes I've found take off from a <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/05/classic-ragu-bolognese">Classic Ragù recipe in Bon Appétit</a>. This takes the Italian version of a mirepoix, a soffritto, as a base, adds the meats and other ingredients, and allows to stew.<br />
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Essentially I feel a ragu is a stew over pasta and I'm trying to find my way to a recipe that emphasizes the meat, melds it with the pasta, and gives it a chunky (yet soft) texture. Think of a hearty stroganoff.<br />
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Interestingly enough the two bison ragu recipes I found seem to take off directly from Bon Appétit's. It might be a consequence of most ragu being made that way, but still interesting. The most-direct contributor to this recipe was from <a href="http://foodiereflections.com/?p=1329">Foodie Reflections</a>. I found that recipe through <a href="http://whippedtheblog.com/2011/01/10/bison-ragu/">Whipped the Blog</a>, whose recipe helped me find my way through what I wanted to do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-vWW44WGzA/TksP4qG6PwI/AAAAAAAABv4/7pLAA7Pk7zQ/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-vWW44WGzA/TksP4qG6PwI/AAAAAAAABv4/7pLAA7Pk7zQ/s400/IMG_2260.jpg" width="298" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here I cooked the soffritto next to the ground bison. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HS6wo-Swl80/TksPnZZrQwI/AAAAAAAABv0/xcDG5IUg1pg/s1600/IMG_2261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HS6wo-Swl80/TksPnZZrQwI/AAAAAAAABv0/xcDG5IUg1pg/s400/IMG_2261.jpg" width="298" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see the payoff when mixing the bison and soffritto. It looks inviting, I'm sure you can guess it smells great through the picture, and onions and garlic obviously can help make anything taste great. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzwFLiBttK8/TksPLXIbW9I/AAAAAAAABvw/R6i8csPiKj4/s1600/IMG_2262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzwFLiBttK8/TksPLXIbW9I/AAAAAAAABvw/R6i8csPiKj4/s400/IMG_2262.jpg" width="298" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here we've added the fresh tomatoes, some beef stock, and some peppers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcmsAUiUW4k/TksO5MxrhaI/AAAAAAAABvs/2U5t-a9KwJE/s1600/IMG_2263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcmsAUiUW4k/TksO5MxrhaI/AAAAAAAABvs/2U5t-a9KwJE/s400/IMG_2263.jpg" width="298" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The final product found great success with my guests, who brought me <a href="http://www.toastedhead.com/">the fantastic cabernet sauvignon below</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olCdVCRwj6Y/TksOozD98mI/AAAAAAAABvo/l3u2OFGFvjU/s1600/IMG_2264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olCdVCRwj6Y/TksOozD98mI/AAAAAAAABvo/l3u2OFGFvjU/s400/IMG_2264.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>For the next iteration of the bison ragu I do think I need to add some creaminess and a more reduced texture. For that I think I'll need cheese and time. Hope you stick with me!<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl4dEAtxo0M">Van Halen - Running with the Devil</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-29438858788356507902011-08-16T07:30:00.000-04:002011-08-16T07:30:02.842-04:00The Spiced Tuna with Fresh Avocado and Mango<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For a while now I've had an idea in my head about seared strips of tuna. This isn't that idea, but it's the first experiment toward it. Right up front I'll say the accompaniments were improvised, but in the right direction and the tuna should be of a higher, sushi quality seared at a higher temperature for less time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkTbZudPbP4/TkMs068MnuI/AAAAAAAABu0/GdTulofUNl8/s1600/IMG_2254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkTbZudPbP4/TkMs068MnuI/AAAAAAAABu0/GdTulofUNl8/s640/IMG_2254.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Here I trimmed down a tuna steak to the best parts. This definitely requires a higher-grade of tuna, preferably something that wasn't still frozen this morning. That way the strips won't be quite so rough in places.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avHX7SLy8Eo/TkMtb2wkYqI/AAAAAAAABvI/DFae5rfJypk/s1600/IMG_2255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avHX7SLy8Eo/TkMtb2wkYqI/AAAAAAAABvI/DFae5rfJypk/s640/IMG_2255.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
This is a mixture of extra hot Indian chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. The chili powder overwhelmed the other spices, so I can cut back on that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcI3hWdc1Tg/TkMttaRfv1I/AAAAAAAABvQ/TI5t1VFKe5g/s1600/IMG_2256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcI3hWdc1Tg/TkMttaRfv1I/AAAAAAAABvQ/TI5t1VFKe5g/s640/IMG_2256.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Here's one shot of the final dish. The avocado was perfect, but I really need a better-quality mango as this wasn't the sweetest it could be.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lllqStjs5xY/TkMuFFz4f-I/AAAAAAAABvc/uDm05U6QdJA/s1600/IMG_2257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lllqStjs5xY/TkMuFFz4f-I/AAAAAAAABvc/uDm05U6QdJA/s640/IMG_2257.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
The tuna came out tasty, but not quite how I want. The sear really ended up cooking it through. In itself not bad, but not what I was going for with this dish. As well the coating of sesame seeds didn't stick evenly, though I didn't want to cook them on the tuna as they'd get burnt.<br />
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Next time I'm going to try halving the extra hot chili powder, better tuna, and a little more sesame oil. I also think an acid needs to be in this dish to break down and cut through some flavours.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd_W_x3nclY">Aesop Rock - Save Yourself</a>.</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-71069963938647454492011-08-15T07:30:00.000-04:002011-08-15T07:30:01.119-04:00The Bison Burgers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While he hasn't posted any of his banked entries yet, my friend Sal has just started <a href="http://saleatsjeremysdinner.blogspot.com/">Sal Eats Jeremy's Dinner</a>. This blog will chronicle Sal's eating of my dinner, in case you didn't catch that from its name. Sal runs an independent IT business, <a href="http://hellgatesocial.com/">bartends at one of my favourite local haunts</a>, and between the two of us we basically know everyone in Astoria. He's also a frequent guest at dinner and probably my best friend.<br />
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Praise being done, I had Sal over for some bison burgers and hand-cut fries the other night.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyfHXfFhHFQ/TkMsn90e0-I/AAAAAAAABuw/O1L45sidLW0/s1600/IMG_2234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyfHXfFhHFQ/TkMsn90e0-I/AAAAAAAABuw/O1L45sidLW0/s640/IMG_2234.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Two potatoes met their end to my sharp chef's knife.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4XR5K8j_ggc/TkMtKLxaW2I/AAAAAAAABvA/aizRMFQ_eXc/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4XR5K8j_ggc/TkMtKLxaW2I/AAAAAAAABvA/aizRMFQ_eXc/s640/IMG_2235.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Bison patties mixed with diced jalapenos and salt and pepper cooking with some sliced onion.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jEEVGasU-xQ/TkMtop8i6AI/AAAAAAAABvM/Zyp3s__y-LM/s1600/IMG_2236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jEEVGasU-xQ/TkMtop8i6AI/AAAAAAAABvM/Zyp3s__y-LM/s640/IMG_2236.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
The final juicy product topped with fried onions, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, dijon mustard, and ketchup on a <a href="http://www.potatoroll.com/pages/products.asp#">sesame seed bun</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAURzeCU5hE/TkMuAXoQ7kI/AAAAAAAABvU/5VzgppNHneU/s1600/IMG_2237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAURzeCU5hE/TkMuAXoQ7kI/AAAAAAAABvU/5VzgppNHneU/s640/IMG_2237.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Sal and I were trading songs on <a href="http://spotify.com/">Spotify</a> afterward and enjoying some <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/torpedo.html">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA</a>. If it wouldn't kill me I'd drink that all day every day.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFRWk2mldrg">Metric - Collect Call</a>.<br />
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</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-84934686881539689712011-08-12T07:30:00.000-04:002011-08-12T07:30:01.869-04:00The Yeah It's Another Steak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Steak is what's for dinner. I have always loved steak and have posted plenty here. Here's another simple favourite served with a baked potato and pickled jalapenos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mfsxugqqI0/TkMsN02j9dI/AAAAAAAABuo/GjF6QE0SIxw/s1600/IMG_2231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mfsxugqqI0/TkMsN02j9dI/AAAAAAAABuo/GjF6QE0SIxw/s640/IMG_2231.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Giving it a nice quick sear in the cast iron skillet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c8gEsZnXU4w/TkMtB1MeGxI/AAAAAAAABu8/VLnHQh9Np7E/s1600/IMG_2232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c8gEsZnXU4w/TkMtB1MeGxI/AAAAAAAABu8/VLnHQh9Np7E/s640/IMG_2232.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
The final product, as always when I make steak, was perfect. I probably don't serve it cooked well enough for restaurant work, but it's got a great sear and very cool, very red centre.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wTxqHbJOzg&ob=av2n">Queens of the Stone Age - Make It Witchu</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-65960271857165223712011-08-11T07:30:00.000-04:002011-08-11T07:30:02.049-04:00The Bison Ragu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This entry, like the previous ones and the next three or so, were all off-the-cuff recipes I came up with while standing in the grocery store or riding the subway or into my empty fridge. This one came to me at work while eating lunch.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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- olive oil<br />
- four cloves garlic (minced)<br />
- half a yellow onion (chopped)<br />
- salt<br />
- pepper<br />
- one pound ground bison meat<br />
- 12 ounces diced tomatoes with basil (opened)<br />
- 4 dried chilies with seeds removed and roughly chopped<br />
- spaghetti (enough for however many people decide to show up)<br />
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First make sure you set up the water to cook the pasta. I'll assume you can time this right alongside the sauce because you're not a dunderhead.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIX0Whjs_z4/TkMsB0pv4ZI/AAAAAAAABuk/qXGCTroXr48/s1600/IMG_2227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIX0Whjs_z4/TkMsB0pv4ZI/AAAAAAAABuk/qXGCTroXr48/s640/IMG_2227.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Heat the olive oil at medium-high. Add garlic and onions and cook about five minutes or until the onions are translucent and the garlic is slightly brown. Then add the ground bison, season with salt and pepper, and brown. If there's a lot of liquid left over when the meat is browned, drain some of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8SjO1PC1-U/TkMs9fqYcrI/AAAAAAAABu4/dmLYZDbr230/s1600/IMG_2228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8SjO1PC1-U/TkMs9fqYcrI/AAAAAAAABu4/dmLYZDbr230/s640/IMG_2228.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Next you're going to add the tomatoes and chilis. Mix thoroughly and simmer for ten minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a63vbnLiABY/TkMtWDDrx9I/AAAAAAAABvE/HJtdX6lGs9g/s1600/IMG_2229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a63vbnLiABY/TkMtWDDrx9I/AAAAAAAABvE/HJtdX6lGs9g/s640/IMG_2229.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Add the sauce to the pot with your drained pasta and mix. Whatever you do, do not let the cat get in the pot!<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHiHZ35TPfM">Björk - Play Dead</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-48848389023466695082011-08-10T21:27:00.000-04:002011-08-10T21:27:17.829-04:00The Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Braised Endive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Something I've been thinking about a lot is how I could eat less bacon. Since I gave up keeping kosher I've probably single-handedly kept <a href="http://www.applegatefarms.com/">Applegate Farms</a> in business some weeks. I've been fairly good about that this week, but have been thinking about these bacon wrapped chicken thighs for quite some time.<br />
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Now, presentation-wise I wasn't really thinking here. The final dish was face-punchingly good, but probably could have used some more panache. Maybe a little basting for the thighs and perhaps some creative cutting up of the endive with some garnish.<br />
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But I mentioned it was very tasty, right?<br />
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For the chicken I simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme, then wrapped in bacon. Pre-heat the oven to 400. While it's heating up sear the thighs over medium high heat on both sides for about three minutes each side. Then place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.<br />
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The endives I simply <a href="http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/braising.htm">braised</a> in butter.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HOnBJy6RuOc/TkMriQbGd8I/AAAAAAAABuc/O4lbNZwXof8/s1600/IMG_2220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HOnBJy6RuOc/TkMriQbGd8I/AAAAAAAABuc/O4lbNZwXof8/s640/IMG_2220.jpg" width="475" /></a></div><br />
Cooking in my trusty skillet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9wXCQw6zE8/TkMr1f-CPAI/AAAAAAAABug/3ssKzoU0GwQ/s1600/IMG_2221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9wXCQw6zE8/TkMr1f-CPAI/AAAAAAAABug/3ssKzoU0GwQ/s640/IMG_2221.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Oh laws yes the tasty bacon fat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8QijjYXZreI/TkMslXhkj8I/AAAAAAAABus/iWtw6s1wJ1Q/s1600/IMG_2222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8QijjYXZreI/TkMslXhkj8I/AAAAAAAABus/iWtw6s1wJ1Q/s640/IMG_2222.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
As you can see the final product looks bit barren (and poorly shot), but the bacon did not overpower the taste of the thighs and the endive was buttery goodness.<br />
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Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLzaZ_HXmjw">Zedd - The Legend of Zelda (Original Mix)</a>.</div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-19877358754776683132011-07-28T20:37:00.000-04:002011-07-28T20:37:53.486-04:00The Tuna a Poivre and Brussels Sprouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is a rarity: I'm posting this almost immediately after eating. Tonight called for a rather quick meal and here it was. A tuna steak au poivre and spicy brussels sprouts with parmesan were called for; easy to make in a half hour.<br />
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I'd recommend a spice grinder for the tuna spices, but other than that this came out fantastic!<br />
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You can <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tuna-Steak-au-Poivre-350243">find the tuna recipe here</a> and the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brussels-Sprouts-for-People-Who-Think-They-Hate-Brussels-Sprouts-358275">brussels sprouts</a> one here. Note that I love brussels sprouts, but I know that one is a bomb.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jnkf5tS11Uo/TjH_sWnIn3I/AAAAAAAABuI/q7RTTObmrW4/s1600/IMG_2218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jnkf5tS11Uo/TjH_sWnIn3I/AAAAAAAABuI/q7RTTObmrW4/s400/IMG_2218.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xfvk028Kv0">Trivium - In Waves</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-73527131341642941912011-07-26T09:30:00.025-04:002011-07-26T09:30:02.019-04:00The Ciambotta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciambotta">Ciambotta (or giambotta) is an Italian vegetable stew</a>. Most of my personal Italian knowledge is of Northern Italian fare, so I've explored a lot of Southern Italian food in the last few years.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 1/3 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 2 medium onions, chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 1 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 1/2 cup water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved and tomatoes chopped, or 1 3/4 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 3/4 pound boiling potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until tender (about ten minutes).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The eggplant comes next. Mix it in and cook for an additional ten minutes until tender. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the tomatoes and bell peppers, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for fifteen minutes. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Finally, add the rest of the vegetables and simmer uncovered for thirty minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GcMcuOQonbc/TitLkeHlxfI/AAAAAAAABuE/m_JIEtkv2oI/s1600/IMG_2199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GcMcuOQonbc/TitLkeHlxfI/AAAAAAAABuE/m_JIEtkv2oI/s640/IMG_2199.jpg" width="475" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bXfOOHcoLo">The Soviettes - Ten</a>. </span></div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-62425295978073234072011-07-25T09:30:00.000-04:002011-07-25T09:30:01.755-04:00The Diced Tomato and Chili Marinated Steak with Black Quinoa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This recipe was improvised using ingredients with which I wasn't that familiar. The result was tasty, but not as good as it could be, so my recipe below is adjusted from what I used to create what you see in the photo.<br />
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Diced Tomato and Chili Marinated Steak<br />
- 1 12 ounce can of <a href="http://www.ro-tel.com/product-original.jsp">Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies</a><br />
- 1 8 ounce shell steak<br />
- 1 cup black quinoa<br />
- 1 teaspoon salt<br />
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Drain most of the liquid from the diced tomatoes. Put steak in a bowl and cover entirely in diced tomatoes and chilis. Let marinate for 45 minutes.<br />
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Meanwhile, prepare black quinoa according to instructions on the box. Ensure that the liquid is completely absorbed!<br />
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When the steak is done marinating, remove from tomatoes and place in a pre-heated skillet over high heat. Prepare rare or you're an uncouth lowlife.<br />
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Sautée the diced tomatoes and chilis in a separate pan until hot.<br />
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Serve with a swagger.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pq3Xt7D2GSA/TitIDTEMzQI/AAAAAAAABuA/FjxD2iHpJEg/s1600/IMG_2198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pq3Xt7D2GSA/TitIDTEMzQI/AAAAAAAABuA/FjxD2iHpJEg/s400/IMG_2198.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJ3_1oU7Uo">The Birthday Massacre - Always</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-61905865958509058792011-07-24T10:00:00.000-04:002011-07-24T10:00:00.860-04:00The Seafood Dinner with Turnips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, yeah, I've been eating too much bacon since I gave up keeping kosher. Something like three times a week worth of bacon. When I wandered into the Thrifty Sifter's <a href="http://ctownsupermarkets.com/">C-Town Grocery Store</a> and discovered that they have an excellent fish selection (even grouper!) I decided to make an all-fish dinner.<br />
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Appetizer - Spicy Garlic Shrimp<br />
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped<br />
- 2 dried chilis, but in half lengthwise and seeded<br />
- 12 to 16 jumbo shrimp or large prawns<br />
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil<br />
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At the outset, I'm going to recommend leaving some of the seeds in as we could barely taste the spicy. Also, I know I made a no-no below with the garlic as it wasn't all the same size. I keep forgetting to bring my whet stone over to the Thrifty Sifter's house to sharpen up her cutlery.<br />
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At any rate, pre-heat your pan, then add the oil. When it's shimmering, add the chilis and garlic. Cook until just before the garlic starts to turn brown.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U2CuKRrZlVY/TitCaccDmGI/AAAAAAAABtg/YOpG7Kd-dzQ/s1600/IMG_2190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U2CuKRrZlVY/TitCaccDmGI/AAAAAAAABtg/YOpG7Kd-dzQ/s640/IMG_2190.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Add the shrimp or prawns. Stir-fry for 8 - 10 minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zlGa4mRBK4M/TitCkZNPcFI/AAAAAAAABtk/PbH9dLIUrHQ/s1600/IMG_2191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zlGa4mRBK4M/TitCkZNPcFI/AAAAAAAABtk/PbH9dLIUrHQ/s640/IMG_2191.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Serve and eat! We ate this while I was cooking up the swordfish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VV8AY-bsxQ/TitCw7CpzgI/AAAAAAAABto/qcX8hJuzv0I/s1600/IMG_2192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VV8AY-bsxQ/TitCw7CpzgI/AAAAAAAABto/qcX8hJuzv0I/s640/IMG_2192.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
This swordfish. I bought all the main ingredients without consulting a recipe, so we had to figure them out on the fly. Having worked in a fish restaurant for nearly five years, I can cook most any seafood without a recipe, but prefer to try new things. Here we hit up <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pan-Roasted-Swordfish-Steaks-with-Mixed-Peppercorn-Butter-232695">Epicurious for pan-roasted swordfish steaks with mixed peppercorn butter</a>. The Thrifty Sifter made up that butter for me while I was making the shrimp. She's a great chef de partie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llNjlUyOE-8/TitC8SiOtII/AAAAAAAABts/qA-7PXJ0s4o/s1600/IMG_2193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llNjlUyOE-8/TitC8SiOtII/AAAAAAAABts/qA-7PXJ0s4o/s640/IMG_2193.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Cooking them up top of the stove in hot oil for three minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ryhzIpgacsY/TitDHVnIXOI/AAAAAAAABtw/nx90wFPPdyY/s1600/IMG_2194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ryhzIpgacsY/TitDHVnIXOI/AAAAAAAABtw/nx90wFPPdyY/s640/IMG_2194.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
And after they come out of the oven, they are fantastic! Wouldn't change a thing about these.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wC1FXCUL8Ck/TitDWF4L7UI/AAAAAAAABt0/xPARO9PjXps/s1600/IMG_2195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wC1FXCUL8Ck/TitDWF4L7UI/AAAAAAAABt0/xPARO9PjXps/s640/IMG_2195.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The side here is <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Turnips-with-Poppy-Seed-Bread-Crumbs-241507">braised turnips with poppy seed bread crumbs</a>. I would cut the lemon juice in half here as I found them to be too lemony. The Thrifty Sifter felt they were just right. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQOGbYuij7U/TitDr19PEhI/AAAAAAAABt8/lQxBxHHk57s/s1600/IMG_2197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQOGbYuij7U/TitDr19PEhI/AAAAAAAABt8/lQxBxHHk57s/s640/IMG_2197.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psTUiQzNoxw">Judas Priest - Breaking the Law</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-73063844195212145362011-07-23T17:48:00.000-04:002011-07-23T17:48:34.925-04:00Jeremy Eats Dinner: The Hill Country Barbecue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As far as I recall I have yet to post an entry about eating somewhere, but when I saw this snapshot I sent to the Thrifty Sifter in my phone, I figured I HAD to post about it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hillcountryny.com/">Hill Country Barbecue</a> is my favourite barbecue joint in New York City. They have their own pit, they do all their own meat, and from experience it is absolutely authentic hill country fare. My mother lived in New Braunfels, TX for years and this is the real deal.<br />
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Some nights I dream about those babyback ribs (now that I can eat them). If you want a meat hangover, Hill Country Barbecue is your place.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0kDiN73Z4o/TitAJQoy0fI/AAAAAAAABtc/DMLpMY10wU0/s1600/IMG_2188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0kDiN73Z4o/TitAJQoy0fI/AAAAAAAABtc/DMLpMY10wU0/s640/IMG_2188.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LL5t8ohscY">Nuclear Whales - Casbah Shuffle</a>. </div>Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781672759991262827.post-16223649397696844892011-07-13T09:30:00.000-04:002011-07-13T09:30:02.137-04:00The PomodoroSunday is the day to get shit done around the house. In the summer, who wants to spend a long time over a hot stove? Well, I do, but on this particular day I didn't. After all, I spent the whole afternoon doing a deep clean of the apartment and it's heartbreaking to end up having to clean that kitchen twice in one day.<br />
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Here I minced three cloves of garlic and diced an onion. Then I cooked them in two tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt, and a half a teaspoon of pepper over medium-high for about 5 minutes (until they were translucent, but not brown). Then I added some <a href="http://www.pennmac.com/items/95//">Pomi Chopped Tomatoes</a> and brought to a simmer. Finally I added four tablespoons of roughly-chopped fresh basil and let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.<br />
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If you don't know how to cook pasta by now, you probably drool on yourself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8NA1eaAQb8/ThpfEd_Bh0I/AAAAAAAAAgA/twUsjznALUQ/s1600/IMG_2181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8NA1eaAQb8/ThpfEd_Bh0I/AAAAAAAAAgA/twUsjznALUQ/s640/IMG_2181.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Your soundtrack for this entry: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNfYvNtQqss">Coheed and Cambria - Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial)</a>.Jeremy Rosenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424263558149010481noreply@blogger.com0