The Laughing Wolf

Hardware:
Large, heavy-duty skillet
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Boning knife
Peeler
Pepper grinder
Toothpicks or wooden skewers
Stove
Grill

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Fresh garlic
Dill
Balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Saigon cassia cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Sweet smoked paprika
Granulated garlic
Fresh asparagus
Black truffle powder or truffle oil of your choice
Jarlsberg cheese (chunk, close to a pound)
Parrarna (sp?) cheese
3-4 Portabella mushrooms
.5 lb Oyster mushrooms
.25-.5 lb French horn mushrooms
5 or so Shitake mushrooms
Other mushrooms to taste
Peppercorns for grinding
2 large onions
Butter
Pork loin
Mangos

Start by chopping one clove of garlic and putting it in heavy skillet along with butter, olive oil, and around 1-2t of fresh ground pepper. Cut burner to low/med. low and let butter melt and ingredients sweat while you clean and chop the mushrooms. Cut up the heat and add the chopped mushrooms along with a small splash of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of dill. Sautee the mushrooms until tender and almost dry, so as to concentrate the flavor. Add salt at the very end to taste. Remove from pan and set aside, and take app. .5-1 cup of mixture and cool it in the refrigerator.

Cut the cheese up into small cubes, and then add it to the cooled mushroom mixture. Mix well.

Take the pork loin and trim as needed. Cut off a section of one end between .5-.75 inches and set aside. Using boning knife, make an incision in the center of the loin so that a pocket is formed down almost the entire length of the loin, leaving about an inch at the far end intact. Stuff the mushroom and cheese mixture into the loin until about .75 inches from the open end. Cut plug of meat slightly larger than hole using the set-aside piece, and secure it in place with toothpicks or skewer(s). Coat the pork loin in olive oil (and/or some truffle oil if you have it), and then coat with several pinches of the paprika, a generous amount of fresh ground pepper, some black truffle powder, and a small amount of cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Place loin in foil, pour any oil mixture left over loin, and cover loosely. Place on grill and cook until center is 160 degrees F. We used chips to add smoke as well.

While loin is roasting, rinse asparagus, trim as needed, and brush same with olive oil. Season with salt, fresh ground pepper, and granulated garlic. Set aside.

Peel the onions and slice as thin as possible. In heavy-duty skillet (washed, of course), heat butter and olive oil, add fresh ground pepper, and then add the onion. Cook until the onions reduce and turn a medium to dark brown colour.

When loin hits 160, pull from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes. While it is resting, grill the asparagus and reheat the mushroom mixture.

Presentation is to put a mound of the caramelized onion on the center of the plate, place a .5-inch slice of the stuffed loin on top, then lean a second slice against it. Place a mound of the mushroom mixture to one side, and stand three or so asparagus spears against it.

For dessert, slice the fresh mango and serve on small plates or in bowls.

Enjoy.

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Grilled Eggplant

Hardware
Peeler (if you have not used a "Y" peeler, do so, you will never go back)
Knife
Cutting board
Oven/microwave proof measuring cup, 2 cups
Grill
Brush
Tongs
Spoon
Tray, plate, or other container with a lip

Ingredients
Fresh garlic
Fresh dill
Eggplant, white if possible
Olive oil
Bacon drippings
Fresh ground pepper
Kosher salt

Place one cup of olive oil in measuring cup and bring to a medium heat in microwave or oven. Add in a dollop or two of bacon drippings and mix until dissolved. Peel and medium chop a couple (or 3-4) of cloves of garlic, and chop about 2t of fresh dill. Place into oil and allow to steep. Keep oil warm (not hot).

Peel eggplant and slice long-ways, placing slices on tray. Brush with the warm oil mixture, flip, and brush other side as well. Be sure oil lightly covers all the surface of each slice. Salt very lightly, if at all, using Kosher salt (bacon grease is usually quite salty). Using tongs, place slices on hot grill, and turn 90 degrees to get good hashmarks. Flip, repeat, and serve. Eggplant is done when tender and flexible. Keep in mind that cooking will continue after it is off the grill, so don't go too long... Serve warm.

Grilled Portabello Mushrooms

Hardware
Knife
Cutting Board
Spoon
Tongs
Tray, plate, or other container with a lip
Grill
Oven/microwave proof measuring cup, 2 cups
Brush

Ingredients
Portabello mushrooms
Aged balsamic vinegar
Fresh garlic
Fresh dill
Olive oil
Bacon drippings

Place one cup of olive oil in measuring cup and bring to a medium heat in microwave or oven. Add in a dollop or two of bacon drippings and mix until dissolved. Peel and medium chop a couple (or 3-4) of cloves of garlic, and chop about 2t of fresh dill. Place into oil and allow to steep. Keep oil warm (not hot).

Prepare mushrooms by cleaning and removing stem. Brush top of cap with olive oil (plain or mixture) and place on tray cap side down. Brush or pour oil mixture onto gills to coat, being sure to get some of the spices in each cap. Let sit, and just before grilling, pour in small amount of balsamic vinegar (1t more or less). Place on grill cap side down using tongs, turning to get hash marks. Flip, and cook gill side, then flip back over to finish gill-side up if needed. Serve warm. Use Kosher salt if salt is needed.

HELPFUL HINT OF THE WEEK: Kosher salt is a kitchen staple because it is pure salt, no additives. Additives, and even minerals, slow down the dissolve and absorption time. This oft leads cooks astray, as they add salt, taste, and then add more when it doesn't taste right. This can happen multiple times, and the net result, a dish that is too salty. Kosher salt helps eliminate this problem by reducing the dissolve time, so that you get a true taste quickly. I use mostly Kosher salt in cooking, followed by sea salt. The only time I use standard "table" salt (iodized) is when baking.

Rubs are great for many meats, and you should consider having some for the meats you cook regularly. I have a grill mixture for beef, and am working on mixtures for chicken and pork. Figure out what works for you, and go with it. Most grill or beef seasonings are pretty simple: salt, pepper, and garlic as a base, with other things thrown in according to the individual. I usually add a small amount of chipotle to the mix, just for a dash of smoke and heat. Cinnamon is great with pork, as is nutmeg, when used in small amounts. That little dash can really bring out the flavor in a good piece of pork. I also use cinnamon, just a small pinch, with fresh blueberries and strawberries – done right, people know something is there, but they are not sure what. Now, for roasting rubs I don’t usually do salt, as they can pull moisture out during a long, slow roast. Save that for when things are done and the meat rested.

Whenever you reheat the meat, keep in mind that you are continuing the cooking process. I tend to pull mine a bit rare when cooking to freeze, so that it stays rare or at least juicy during the reheat. To be safe, I also use the trick of adding some pork stock or chicken broth either at reheat or to the package if I vacuum seal the meal. Another thing to do is some version of maitre d’butter. All this really is, is herbed butter. To make it, take some good butter and bring it up to room temperature so that it is nice and soft. Add a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar of your choice, and some dried or fresh herbs that suits both you and the meat upon which it will be used. Once all is blended and tastes good, I put it on plastic wrap and roll it up, and then re-refrigerate so that I can serve nice round slices when plating.

On this trip, I did two such butters. One was herbed with pepper, fresh dill, fresh shallots, and I forget what else went into it. I made use of what I got (this is a reference to a cooking show, BTW). The other was made with saffron, and was intended for the scallops, but that is a post for another day. To augment things, I also did up a beurre blanc with the other half of the package of saffron. That was used both with the fresh scallops and the next day with the eggs over medium. In fact, it went well with a lot of things. Alas, it does not store or travel well, so what was left had to go out. The butters I froze and brought home.

For the record, both roasts turned out very nice, very moist, and delicious.

Jim, hope you enjoyed, and hope this makes you go roast more meat.

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The river running green and all of that is fun, but what makes it so special is how for one day, everyone is Irish. People go out, celebrate, and become one. It truly is a wonderful time, and there are some very good places at which to celebrate. They have some real pubs there, portions of some of them having come from Ireland. You get good food, good drink, and a lot of fun. While not Irish per se, one of my favorite watering holes is up there, Goose Island.

While I am about it, there is a huge misunderstanding in the U.S. that a pub is a bar. No, it is not. It is far more than a bar. It is a place for gathering, for food, for entertainment, and a bit more – and it also just happens to provide a variety of liquid refreshments. One of my favorite pub memories is on a winter’s night in Scotland walking into a local pub, sitting down on what amounted to a pew near a nice fire, and stretching out. Within moments I had a tankard of water, a pint of wonderful stout ale from the Orkney’s, and shortly after that some wonderful food. I sat there, visited a bit (not many people out that night), read a book, and enjoyed a nice evening out that allowed me to thaw a bit inside and out.

You can come close to that in Chicago. Stuck in the wilds of North Alabama, I really don’t appreciate being reminded of what I am missing. Bah to you, Blackfive, Bah.

*grumble* wish I was going to be there Wednesday…

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Ales and beers. I have brewed my own, and tend to run to IPAs, bitters, and stouts. Outside of my own beers, I have few favorite brands and much prefer brewpubs and real pubs that have local or their own brands on tap.

Whisky. As in Scotch for the uninitiated. As in single malts for those that confuse blends with real whisky. For anyone interested in learning more about Scotch allow me to recommend the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society of America. Outside of private bottlings from this group and from Cadenhead's, I tend toward Highland and Speyside whisky. My favorites vary, but I recommend Highland Park (good way to start into real whisky), Balvenie and Balvenie single barrel single malt, and Glengoyne 17. Scapa is not bad, and there are a few others that can be quite tasty.

Liqueurs. Various, but when the mood strikes Amaretto, Frangelica, and Chambord.

Ports. These are fortified wines and vary. I tend to stay away from LBVs and such, but have had good luck with real vintage ports. For those that like complex and spicy wines like Zinfandels, try the newer vintage ports.

Wine. I like a variety of wines, and will not attempt to even being to list them.

UPDATE: Forgot one of my real favorites, Brandy. Since I no longer drink the product of treacherous swine, allow me to recommend some of the California alambics.

I do drink vodka, whiskey (Jack Black), and more, but not on a regular basis. More on them maybe one day soon. Hope this answers the questions.

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Hardware:
Cutting Board
Chef’s knife
Paring Knife
Kitchen String
Scissors
Deep, oven-proof pan with lid
Oven
Tongs
Measuring Cup (optional)

Ingredients:
Top round cut into slices 1/8th of an inch thick, 3x8 or close thereto
1 pound uncooked bacon
1 onion
Mushrooms, crimini or fresh wild
2 cans beef broth
1 bottle wine
2 bay leaves
1 clove minced garlic (.5T if dried)
Oil
Bacon drippings (optional)

I had the butcher cut 8 slices as described above. You can do this yourself, but it is a lot easier to have a pro do it. Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Fine dice the onion and app. 6 mushrooms. Dice the bacon. Cut two 6- to 8-inch pieces of string for each slice of beef. Quarter any remaining mushrooms. Open wine and one can of broth.

Place a slice of the beef on the cutting board, and sprinkle on onion, mushroom, and bacon. Roll up the beef and tie each end tightly with the string. Heat the pan and put in a couple of tablespoons of oil. I also add in a spoonful/dollop of bacon drippings at this point, along with a small amount of any left-over diced bacon (what is not used up can be frozen and used later). Place the rolls in the pan and sear on each side to brown. Pour in beef broth, one cup of wine, any leftover diced ingredients, bay leaves, garlic, and the quartered mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then place in the oven for three hours. At the end of three hours, add salt and pepper to taste, along with remaining can of beef broth. Let cook another hour. If your oven runs hot, or the liquid was not covering the rolls at the start, check the fluid level frequently during cooking. Serve hot, but reheats well. Knife not needed, just a fork.

I used Penfolds’ Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet as the wine. A nice wine that added a lot to the dish, and the leftover wine was quite good to drink. Not bad for a $7.99 bottle, not bad at all.

Enjoy.

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To start the day, I roasted the ancho and chipotle peppers (two hot, one mild) and started them soaking. For those interested in good peppers, you can try the Rocky Mountain Spice Company (highly recommended) or Da Gift Basket (good products, but not impressed with some of the customer service). For general spices, I am exploring The Spice House. The garlic was roasted a small amount as well, and set aside. Once back from my coffee run, I chopped the two large Spanish onions, trimmed the sirloin (got a great deal on it at Costco) into cubes (and saved what little scap there was for my beef scrap stock pile), and then began the serious task of cooking. Yes, I save the scrap for making stock.

I took the soaked peppers and put them in the blender with the peeled garlic. I had put a bit of extra water in for the soak because that was to be used. When dealing with dried anything, there is likely to be dirt and other joys that will come loose and settle to the bottom. Instead of filtering the liquid, I poured off a cup of the “stock” and added it to the blender. There was a small amount of usable liquid left, and I put it in with the beef stock. Unusable liquid, dirt, etc. went down the drain. Blender on, and a wonderful slurry was created. The beef broth and spices was simmered a bit, and then the meat browned. I removed it, added some oil to the pan, deglazed a bit, then added the slurry from the blender and continued searing/deglazing. Then, I added in the broth/spice mixture, the meat, and all the remaining ingredients.

This simmered for a few hours, then the chocolate was added. It simmered an hour or two more, than was prepared for the evening’s tasting. It had been decided to make this something of a Synectics event, so I took it over so that Stacy and our corporate pilot Paul (also serves as Stacy's husband) could join the festivities. It was decided that Fran, the german shepard, would not be allowed to taste test. Yes, Synectics has a pilot and a plane, and we will come to you.

To go with the chili, there was an jalapeno and cheese cornbread, sour cream, cheese, and various spices and sauces on an as-needed basis. To round out the meal a bit, I had prepared a blood orange balsamic and Italian-herb-infused macadamia nut oil vinaigrette to go with some sliced avocado. Key lime pie was the desert.

On the way over, however, the pot I had sworn should not be able to shift did so, with the result that some of the “juice” of the chili went flying all over the carpet on both sides of the back seat. I was not amused, though riding in the car to get my coffee this morning made me remarkably hungry.

The chili was different, but good. I enjoyed it, as did Stacy and Paul. Their comments are as follows:

Stacy’s comments: Overall, I thought it a very good chili. It had a smoky
flavor which I found satisfying, and it made me want to savor each bite. I
like chili a bit thicker, so I didn't get much of the "saucy" part of it, as
much as I did the meat of the chili. Ratings: Overall Flavor: 7, Heat:
7, Fillingness: 9.

Paul's comments: "It was one of the best chilis I ever had." Ratings:
Overall flavor: 8.5, Heat: 8, Fillingness: 9.

Now, I was not quite as kind. I will give it a 7 overall, with a 5 for heat, and a 9 for fillingness. Fillingness is how full it makes you feel, btw.

I liked the smokey flavor that came from the chipotle and how the peppers were roasted, but it needed a bit more heat for me. Not bad, mind you, because the heat that was there did bring out the flavors, but I felt it could have been better. I also would add a pinch of cinnamon doing this again, as it would have helped bring out and bring together. I am very glad I used more meat than called for, as this helped make it a hearty meal. I like my chili thick, and this was not bad in that regard.

So, there you have it. That is our take on the Aztec chili, and it made for a great evening.

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Beanies are for Weenies, Not for the Faint of Heart, No Guts No Glory, Feel
the Fear and Eat it Anyway Road Kill Grill Chili (submitted with permission)

1/4 cup Castrol GTX 10W/40
1 pound freshly flattened opossum
1 pound aged armadillo bellies
1/2 pound squashed skunk
1/4 pound pulverized jack rabbit
1/8 pound finely ground crow
1/8 pound minced little old lady (When doubling the recipe, continue to
use 1/8 of pound; little old ladies are a little tough, stringy, and gamey.
If gamey, soak in a little Jim Beam.)

OR 3 pounds sirloin or top round, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
3 large onions
5 cloves garlic
2 freshly chopped jalapenos
1 tablespoon paprika
6 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon extract of sweaty gym socks (cumin)
1 teaspoon oregano
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup rainwater
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Freshly crushed black pepper
Tabasco™ to taste

Brown meat. Add rest of
ingredients and simmer for at least 3 hours.

Laughing Wolf Road Kill Grill
2 pounds sirloin, in cubes
2 pounds pork, in cubes
3 large onions, chopped small
8 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 freshly chopped jalapeno peppers
1 freshly chopped habanero pepper
2 chipotle peppers, chopped
1 T smoked paprika (use regular hot if no smoked)
6 T chili powder
1T cumin
1 t mexican oregano
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 t chipotle powder
sea or kosher salt to taste (start with 1t, go from there)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
pinch cinnamon (use up to 1t)
1 cup water
5 T Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco™ to taste

Brown meat. Add rest of
ingredients and simmer for at least 3 hours. To increase heat, increase fresh peppers.

Carne Adobava
Hardware:
LARGE mixing bowl
Food processor or blender
Large spoon
Knife
Oven, preheat to 375 degrees

Ingredients:
1 lb dried hot NM red chili pods
1 lb dried mild NM red chili pods
20-40 peeled cloves of garlic (Go High)
2 large onions, cut into wedges
4T Mexican oregano
2t Kosher salt
Water

Working in batches, place dried pods on a half-sheet pan or cookie sheet and warm for a couple of minutes in the oven to make them pliable. Remove stems and place in food processor or blender along with a small amount of water, some garlic and onion, and a bit of the spices. Pulse until smooth, adding water as necessary to get a slurry the consistency of heavy cream. Combine all batches in a very large mixing bowl and divide into thirds for freezing. Sauce should keep for six or so months frozen. This should make 1-2 gallons of sauce.

Take one third of the sauce and place in a pot/crockpot. Add in 3-4 lbs. cubed pork, recommend loin, about .5 inch to 1 inch. Simmer for 3-8 hours.

There you go. :) Enjoy!

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First, a good chef’s knife. Unless you are going to be doing mass amounts of stuff, it does not have to be an 18-inch machete-in-waiting. Instead, go to a good store and check the feel of a few. If you can, some places offer courses that will let you try different knives, and that is the best way to find what is right for you. As for me, I have gone with a Santoku-style knife for most things, and like the Granton edge the best. Your mileage will vary.

Second, you will need a good paring knife. Cheap doesn’t cut it, often literally. You want something small enough for delicate work, but large enough to handle tough jobs as well. There are many varieties, but just a good, plain paring knife will do for most things.

Third, you will need a good boning knife. There are two types: flexible and rigid. For poultry and similar, I have liked the flexible and know chefs who swear by them. For beef and similar things, a rigid or non-flexible blade can be the best bet. I also know chefs who swear by these as well. My boning knife is a flexible, though I am thinking of getting a rigid to go with it.

Fourth, you need a good sharpening steel. Get someone to show you how to use it and use it before and after each use, and your knives will love you for it. I have one that came from my Dad that he used for many years, and I have one that stays in the cooking bag that I got on sale one time when a store was dumping Goldhamster products. They do wear out, but we are talking years or even decades here.

Fifth, you need a good vegetable peeler. I was introduced to the Y-shaped peelers at 801 Franklin, by a grinning Chef who told me that once I used them I would never go back to anything else. You can find them cheap and you can find them expensive, but I didn’t pay more than about $7.00 for mine. Have to admit that so far, he is right. BTW, you move the food more than you move the peeler, and they work very, very, well.

Sixth, I recommend getting a Microplane zester/grater. They are wonderful and come in very handy. Originally developed for woodworkers (and you might still find a nice bargain at a good woodworking/hardware store) they have become one of the must-have items for a chef. Be VERY careful with them.

Seventh, you need a good cutting board or surface. There are all types out there, but what I recommend to start with is a good plastic board that will fit in your dishwasher for sterilizing.

Eighth, you need a chemical resistant spray bottle so you can keep a 5:1 bleach solution handy. When doing anything with poultry, I use this to sterilize all surfaces and things that come in contact with it. The way to do a cutting board is to rinse, spray with solution, wash with hot soap and water, rinse, spray again with solution, and rinse again. Overkill, but it works for me.

Okay, that makes up the essentials, now here are a few nice to haves.

A pair of kitchen shears are also good to have, for cutting string, poultry, mushroom stems, and more.

A good melon baller is a handy tool to have. I use mine more for prepping tomatoes for roasting than anything else.

A good pair of needle-nose pliers is a great investment. You can find super expensive ones in cooking stores, or less expensive in a hardware store. Just make sure they can take going in a dishwasher or otherwise being cleaned and sterilized.

An instant-read thermometer is also good to keep around. I probably don’t use mine as much as I should

I also keep a more traditional zester around for doing garnish.

The final thing I keep around is one of those rubber mats for dealing with jar lids and such. For big jugs and such a pair of pliers or a wrench are required, but for most things this will do.

Yes, there are a lot more things you can get, particularly knives. But, for whatever it is worth, this is my basic kit that travels with me.

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Now, I came down on the side of All Clad and I do indeed own a set of it. The reason I got it was really two-fold. First, I asked around including chefs and other cooks, and they recommended it. Second, it appeared to be the best general-purpose set of cookware and should last a couple of lifetimes with reasonable care.

When you buy something, why do you buy it? Do you buy it simply for the name? For the quality? Or is there something else at work? The main reason that I went with All Clad for my central set of pans was ultimately the quality: it is extremely well made, comes with a good guarantee, and looks to function over style – though it is good to look upon. Should not function and quality be our prime guides in purchases, rather than style or name?

When I say my central set, that is exactly what I mean. Just as with many tools, one type or size does not fit all. There are going to be “tools” that you need for specialized cooking that are not covered in any set.

Cooking the New Year’s feast gives a good guide to some of what I mean. I used my All Clad pots for cooking the black-eyed peas and turnip greens (no roots, thank you, as that is a very different dish). For the cornbread, there is only one type of pan that works: a six-inch cast iron skillet. Cornbread, blackened foods, and certain other dishes can only be cooked properly in cast iron.

As a sort of a side note, cast iron takes years to really break in and in good families there are fights over who gets grandma’s cast iron pans. A good pan is black, a shiny black, from seasoning and use. Do NOT wash with soap and do not remove the black. Soap can and will get into the seasoning with bad results for seasoning, flavor, and food retention. When this happens, all you can do is throw the pan out and start over with a new pan. With use and care, cast iron will also last forever and will always do you right.

Rounding out my pots for now, though they were not used yesterday, are the Piazza stock pots. All Clad makes good stock pots, but only small ones. I had the chance a while back to get various large Piazza high-grade restaurant stock pots for the same or less than the All Clad small pots. Not a hard decision to make. The fact is, I will always go for the highest quality possible with the available funds. When you do so, you almost always get something that will last, something with a good warranty, and something that is truly useful. Leave fads and styles for clothes, and concentrate on quality and functionality for most everything else – especially cooking.

Now, on to the food, after a quick stop at cast iron pans. Lodge is a good brand and I have several of them. To season, heat an oven to 450, oil the pan with vegetable oil (not olive!), and place pan(s) in the oven for 30 minutes to an hour. Cut the oven off, pull out the pan, and once it is cool, clean it with water and a pad or scrubber that has no soap or chemicals in it. Most of the time, you will only need a cloth or paper towel. Dry the pan thoroughly and put it away. Repeat often, preferably with cooking involved.

Let’s start with the cornbread, as I can continue the cast iron care and use theme a bit further. Before mixing my cornbread, I pre-heated the oven and placed the skillet in to heat. Once hot, I then put in some vegetable oil and coated the bottom and sides.

The cornbread can be made several ways. You can do it from scratch, using meal such as that ground by Nora Mill, or if scared to do it that way you can cheat. Get a six-ounce package of Martha White buttermilk cornbread mix (if it was good enough for Tennessee Ernie Ford, it is good enough for us), some sour cream, some grated cheese, and an egg. Reduce the liquid from three quarters cup of water to a bit less than two thirds a cup, and you can make part of that buttermilk if you like. Add one egg to the water and beat it in with a fork. Place a handful of grated cheese into a bowl with the mix, add in a dollop or two of sour cream, then add the egg water. Mix well, pull the greased pan out of the oven, and pour the mix in. Cook for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Additional variations include putting in some grated onion, some peppers, and other delights. Play and have fun. Remember to reduce liquid or use a tray under the skillet if adding lots of stuff, just in case it spills over.

The peas are dried and are soaked overnight in water with a touch of apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Rinse the beans, pick out any stones or debris, and bring to a boil. Now, you can then pour off the water, refill, and bring back to a boil so as to remove any “muddy” flavor, or go straight to the simmer. This is where you want to add ham hock or a couple of spoons of bacon drippings (I used the latter). Some garlic is also good, and you can flavor, but wait a bit to add the kosher salt. Add the salt and wait several minutes to taste, so that you get an accurate reading. Repeat as needed. Now, I also add pepper and even a bit of chipotle or other hot pepper, but that is just me. Peas take a while to cook until tender, so I tend to start them first and am quite happy to let them simmer for hours.

Turnip greens need care, and they really need to be a hybrid Japanese turnip called “Just Right” as well. That was what Dad came to grow and they were tender, good flavor, and held up well to washing and cooking. If using fresh, wash thoroughly! If frozen, they should be okay. Place in water, add a clove of garlic (or three), add a ham hock or a couple of spoons of bacon drippings, a bit of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until nice and tender. I also add black pepper to this, and will vary the seasonings a bit to make things “taste right,” or as close to my momma’s cooking as I can remember how to do.

That is a bit on a Southern New Year’s feast, and mine was completed with ribs from Fresh Air BBQ over in Georgia, the best ribs I have had anywhere in the world. On the other, be it pots or some other tool, look at quality and functionality before all else. Fads and names will come and go, but quality will be with you and with your children’s children with reasonable care.

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Update: When buying pots or kitchen gear, don't forget to check your local restaurant supply stores. You often can get high quality at reasonable rates there. Just because you want the best possible quality on something doesn't mean you have to pay the highest possible price for it...

Hardware:
LARGE mixing bowl
Food processor or blender
Large spoon
Knife
Oven, preheat to 375 degrees

Ingredients:
1 lb dried hot NM red chili pods
1 lb dried mild NM red chili pods
20-40 peeled cloves of garlic
2 large onions, cut into wedges
4T Mexican oregano
2t Kosher salt
Water

Working in batches, place dried pods on a half-sheet pan or cookie sheet and warm for a couple of minutes in the oven to make them pliable. Remove stems and place in food processor or blender along with a small amount of water, some garlic and onion, and a bit of the spices. Pulse until smooth, adding water as necessary to get a slurry the consistency of heavy cream. Combine all batches in a very large mixing bowl and divide into thirds (or whatever works for you) for freezing. Sauce should keep for six or so months frozen. This should make 1-2 gallons of sauce.

NOTE: If you want a super smooth sauce, remove seeds from the pods. If you want something with a bit more texture, leave the seeds in.

NOTE: This sauce will stain all plastic and rubber items red. You are warned.

To make carne adovada or similar dishes, place one third of the sauce into a crock pot or stock pot. Add in 2-3 pounds of pork or beef (or lamb) cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes. Cook slowly for the day in the crock pot, or for several hours in a stock pot on low. When the meat is falling apart, it is done and should be fairly tasty.

You can get the dried chili pods at Suttons Bay Trading Company or any of the other fine purveyors of New Mexico red and green chilies. If you don't like hot, use all mild, or if you like it flaming use all hot. Experiment a bit and enjoy.

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Hardware:
Cool, dark location

Ingredients
2-4 good quality vanilla Beans
1 750ml bottle of good vodka

The secret, to my mind, is to get a good quality vodka as a base. I went with Luksusowa potato vodka, but any brand will do. Place beans in vodka, I recommend starting with 2. Reseal bottle and put in a cool dark place for at least six weeks. Check at six weeks and it should be good. It will store for at least six months, and I am finding that it does last longer. I just pulled the beans from mine this morning to keep it from going bitter, but many don’t have this problem as it gets used up long before that point. I use mine for baking and a small dash goes into my oatmeal as it cooks on Sunday morning. Enjoy.

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Hardware:
Saucepan/boiler
Plastic squeeze bottle

Ingredients:
2 bottles balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Pour balsamic vinegar into saucepan and place on medium high heat. Bring to a simmer, not a true boil, and let it reduce by 2/3. As it reduces, you will want to keep cutting down the heat to keep it at the simmer. The thicker it gets, the lower the heat. The lower the heat, the less chance of a burn. Once it gets below 1/2, check with a spoon and by tasting. When it coats the back of a spoon, and a finger passed through the coating creates a “rift” that does not fill in, it is done. If you like the taste, you can stop before this point, especially if it starts to get a scorched taste. It may not seem very thick, but it will thicken up more on standing. Let cool, and then pour into the squeeze bottle. Cover top of bottle, label bottle, and place in refrigerator. Enjoy.

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Recipe by C. Blake Powers
based on version from the Death By Chocolate TV show

Items Needed:
Mixer
cake pans
wire racks
double boiler or boiler and stainless steel bowls
whisk
spatula
fork
spoons
knife

Cake Ingredients:
4T + 1t unsalted butter
1/4 cup + 1t all purpose flour
3 whole eggs
3 oz. unsweet. choc. in pieces
2T unsweet. cocoa
1 C gran. sugar
2 oz. semisweet choc. in pieces
1t baking powder
1t vanilla
1/2t salt
1/4 cup sour cream

Optional ingredients:
Chocolate Chips
nuts

Cake Directions
Preheat oven to 325o. Coat a 9-inch cake pan (round) with
unsalted butter. Measure dry ingredients (2nd column, above) together then
sift to ensure complete mixing and uniformity.

In a double boiler, melt butter over medium to medium-low heat. Add chocolate
and allow to melt. If you are in a rush, dump it all in at once and let it melt. I've
noticed no difference in texture, etc. for doing it this way. This is called a chocolate
liqueur.

As the chocolate is melting, break the 3 eggs into a
medium to large mixing bowl and whisk until blended. Then add 1 cup of
granulated sugar. Whisk until well blended. Then add 1 teaspoon of vanilla
and whisk again. If you eyeball the vanilla and use more, it does not
matter.

Mix melted butter and chocolate together, remove top part of
double boiler being sure to wipe the bottom of the pot to prevent any
condensation/water from getting into the chocolate or the mix. Pour
chocolate liqueur into egg mixture and whisk to blend. When well mixed, add
dry ingredients - whisk slowly at first to keep from spreading dry
ingredients all over kitchen. When this is mixed, add in sour cream and
repeat whisking. Once all ingredients of basic recipe are blended, then add
optional to your taste. I find 1/3 bag of semi-sweet chips is a very good
add to the mix.

Pour final mix into greased pan. Place in oven and bake
for app. 40 minutes. If additional ingredients are used, you may need to
increase baking time by 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack and cut in half.

Filing
1 cup of toasted, crushed (food processor) hazelnuts. These are best if
toasted and peeled a day or two ahead of time and soaked in some brandy or
Frangelica hazelnut liqueur. Use at least 2T.

Icing (Chocolate Ganache)

Icing Ingredients:
1.5 cups heavy cream
3T unsalted butter
3T granulated sugar
12 oz. semisweet chocolate in .5 oz. pieces -- I find 14 is better and will
make icing darker. Up to 18 ounces can be used if desired. I also recommend
doubling the recipe to ensure enough for decorating and proper glazing of
cake.

Icing Directions
Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Bring cream, sugar, and butter to a
boil in a saucepan. Keep a ladle in the pan to prevent boiling over and the
creation of messes. Pour boiling cream mix over chocolate pieces. Whisk
together until chocolate is melted and ensemble is completely mixed.

Reserve 1 cup of mix for decorating. I strongly suggest refrigerating it
for at least 1 hour. Mix 1/2 to 1 cup of mixture with hazelnuts. Again, I
strongly suggest refrigerating it for at least 1 hour until almost firm.
Reserve remainder for icing finished cake. This can be placed on top of
sauce pan containing water. Said pan can be placed on low to keep icing
fluid while other parts are chilling/firming.

Denouement
Place bottom layer of cake on wire rack located over catch-pan.
Spread chocolate-hazelnut mixture on bottom layer of cake. Then place top
layer over hazelnut layer. Pour liquid ganache over the cake using ladle to
direct and ensure that top and sides are completely covered. Refrigerate
until ganache has set. Icing in pan can be added to that reserved for
decoration. FYI, cake does not have to be decorated as glaze is what is
presented in fine restaurants. If you want to decorate it, do what makes
you happy.

Variations
My favorite is to bake two cakes and make the final cake either two- or
four-layer depending on humor of the moment. This will require all
ingredients, especially the ganache, to be doubled.

In place of hazelnuts, use raspberries. Run a bag of frozen raspberries through the food processor. Take 1 cup of the processed raspberries and soak them in 2T to 1/4 cup (or more) of Chambord raspberry liqueur for up to 24 hours. Then
mix them with 1 to 1.5 cups of the icing mixture and refrigerate until stiff. Then use in place of hazelnuts. For decorating, rinse and drain 1 pint of fresh raspberries and soak them in Chambord. Place these around the top of the cake. You can also place a few around the bottom for effect. If you want to be really decadent, place a chocolate chip in each of the firm, fresh raspberries.

The ganache can be much improved by adding additional chocolate, of the bittersweet and bitter chocolate varieties.

Items Needed:
Mixer
Chilled mixer bowl
Measuring Cup
Spoon

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar or 1T good honey
2T single malt whisky
.5 cup rolled oats
2 cups fresh berries

Optional:
Fresh mint leaves
Additional whipped cream

Directions:

Roast the oats in a skillet or in the oven. Skillet is easiest, using medium heat and stirring/flipping the oats until they are light golden brown. Othewise, use an oven at 375 degrees and a sheet pan, shaking/stirring the pan occasionally until a light golden brown colour is obtained. Let cool completely.

Whip the cream in chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Then gradually add in the sugar and whisky and whip until the mixture thickens. Fold in the toasted oats.

Presentation is made by layering the berries and cream mixture. I recommend starting and finishing with a layer of the cream mixture. Top with a single berry and a fresh mint leaf, a dollop of whipped cream, or whatever suits your fancy. In larger servings, such as for Clan gatherings, I have gone with a nice large bowl and piped in the Clan crest. It can be as simple or as complex as you like.

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My work is prep work, and Matt has been insisting that I do some things by hand, even though it takes longer, simply so I learn and get better. Part of his philosophy appears to be that before one can "cheat" you need to know why you should cheat and not really need to cheat unless time is a serious factor. Sort of like learning basic mathematical principles so that you understand what is behind your use of the calculator.

My fingers are intact despite my lack of coordination, but the death grip I got on the knife at one point in my first day raised and popped a blister. That and a nick I got from a pan edge are healing nicely and were not serious to begin with.

The knife work is improving because of the work being done. It is not just the repetition, but the little and not-so-little hints and suggestions that make a difference. I thought I had a good cutting technique down for some things, but Matt and Paul, the Sous-Chef, both showed me how to improve that through a bit of english on the blade. I am actually looking forward to doing more chives soon so I can practice that technique some more.

As hot as the weather is here, and as hot as a kitchen gets, I love the walk-in cooler. Part of my duties include bussing, condensing, and arranging the cooler before I leave. Absolutely amazing how fast it can get disordered, and how good it feels to get it back in shape.

I will try to provide regular updates on my kitchen saga, so stay tuned.

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Last Wednesday, I went and tried out at 801 Franklin, a restaurant of note here in Huntsville that has even attracted favorable commentary from The Wine Spectator. Chef Matt Martin was kind enough to take me on despite my lack of experience, and is working to teach me the finer points of restaurant cooking.

This began a bit over a week ago, when I had a wild hair about my cooking and wanting to learn more. On a whim, I called 801 and expressed a desire to work there. That led to my going down, meeting Executive Chef Matt Martin, and telling him that I knew that I did not know much but wanted to learn. That the best way to do that was to start with scut work and move up. So, he arranged for me to come in and do a test run one night so he could observe me. I did, and it turned out to be a very busy night for them, which gave me a chance to learn even more.

Yesterday, we talked again and the net result was that I started this evening working there. I am doing prep and related work, and loving it. Despite the extra time it takes, he had me mince the shallots by hand tonight so I could work on my knife skills, which need it. Once I get over my fear of carving up my fingers with my poor coordination, I will get faster. Or fingerless.

Meantime, this is something I have always wanted to do and I thank him for this chance. There will be more posted as I go, and I will share some of my experiences. Never fear, the blog is safe and will be maintained. There will be a shifting of the schedule as things progress, but that should not be a problem for any of us.

LW

Needed:
A good jar or jars with lids or that can be corked. There used to be glass mini-jugs that were perfect, but since they are hard to find you can go with a pint or quart mason jar.
Thai, jalapeno, or other peppers. You can use a mix
Apple Cider Vinegar. Get the real stuff, not the artificial.
Saucepan

Place whole peppers in the jar or jars. I strongly recommend you do not cut them up. A mix of peppers can be good for bringing out flavor and controlling the heat factor. Try some different mixes and find out what works for you and yours.

Heat up the apple cider vinegar in the saucepan a bit, do not boil and do NOT pour boiling vinegar into the jar. Pour hot vinegar over the peppers, adjusting amount of peppers and vinegar as needed. If you have safety concerns, or no access to a stove, you can just pour room-temperature vinegar over the peppers, heating just helps things along. Let cool, cork or cover, and store in a cool dark place.

Sample a bit in two weeks, but you need to let it go closer to six weeks to start getting really good flavor. Enjoy.

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Needed:
Large covered roasting pan
Meat thermometer
Leg of Lamb
Rosemary, fresh
Garlic, fresh
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Fresh mushrooms
Fresh onion
Fresh carrots
Fresh potatoes
OPTIONAL: Fresh mint

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Get a covered roasting pan that is fairly large if you don’t have one. Measure it and go to the store and get a good fresh leg of lamb. Have the butcher cut it to fit your roasting pan, and bring it on home. Trim if necessary, but usually there is not a lot to trim off a leg of lamb.

Lard the lamb with the garlic. This means peel the individual cloves in a bulb of garlic, cut small holes in the lamb with a paring knife, and place the cloves in the small cuts. Best way to do this is simply to stab straight down with the paring knife, then slide the garlic clove on in. I vary the depth, and will put in up to 15 or so cloves depending on the size of the leg of lamb. Coat the leg of lamb with olive oil, then crush the rosemary and put it on the lamb. Do this to taste, but I find that the rosemary off 2-3 sprigs is sufficient. Some fresh mint cut or crushed is not bad to add either. Then put salt and pepper over the leg of lamb and place it in the roasting pan.

Cut the mushrooms as necessary, and place in the pan beside and over the leg of lamb. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, and place in the pan, and do the same for the onion and carrots. If you can get fresh morel mushrooms, they are delicious in this dish. Place a small amount of water (less than .25 cups) or red wine in the bottom. Insert meat thermometer in the roast, deep but not on or near the bone.

Cover and place in the oven. Cook until the center portion of the roast reaches 140 degrees, then remove from the oven. Uncover, place on cutting board, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. If needed, you can let it rest in the pan and cut it there, works quite well.

Do not cook past 140, as well done lamb tends to be gamy, chewy, and generally unappetizing. Don’t let any juices fool you, it is not raw but the center will be deliciously rare. Those who don’t like rare can eat the outer portions.

Enjoy.

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Marinated Mushrooms. Go get jars of whole button mushrooms, at least 2-3. Get 2 bottles of Ken's Country French dressing (or spicy french dressing of your choice). Open and drain mushrooms, and put into a sealable container. Pour dressing over them to cover, seal, and refrigerate overnight. This is a great snack, and a tasty and colourful dish for a party.

Vanilla. Go get a 750ml bottle of good vodka (I used Luksusowa Polish potato vodka) and two good vanilla beans. Yes, you want good beans, something like Madagascar Bourbon beans. Place beans in vodka, reseal bottle tightly, and then store in a cool dark place (wine cellar, bottom drawer of desk, closet, etc.) for at least six weeks. It will never get as dark as store-bought because there are no colours or other stuff added. Use just as you would store-bought, but because the flavor is so much better you will find you can and will use it elsewhere. I just used a small amount in my Scott's Porridge Oats this morning in place of cinnamon and it was wonderful. Should last six months or so.

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First, put the ground meat in a bowl. Add in some olive oil (I use garlic olive oil and truffle oil), some Worcestershire sauce, some Tabasco, diced fresh onion, some liquid smoke (if you can’t grill but have to cook inside), spices to suit (chipotle, pepper, salt, cinnamon, etc.), shredded cheese, diced or sliced ripe olives, and if you like them sweet peppers. Mix together well, form into patties, and cook.

The olive oil provides the fat needed for cooking, helping improve the moisture, texture, and toughness. According to some old studies, it can even replace some of the bad fat that is left in the meat. Not sure if I believe that (have not seen follow-up studies), but it is a “good” fat where you need it. The other ingredients add flavor and moisture, and make it hard to beat. Go easy with the spices: remember, what you want to do is bring out the flavor of the meat and enhance it, not mask it. If you need to mask, you need to switch butchers.

Enjoy.

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Ingredients:
1 large pork shoulder, least expensive cut
1-2 Spanish onions
12-18 cloves of garlic, peeled
1t fresh ground pepper
1T chipotle pepper
2-6 whole chipotle peppers
Water
1t salt

Equipment:
Cutting board
Knife
Stockpot/crockpot
Tongs

Directions:
Put roast in stockpot (or use a crockpot)
Peel one large Spanish onion, cut in half, cut halves into quarters, put all in stock pot
Put in 12-18 cloves of whole peeled garlic
Added a teaspoon or so of fresh ground pepper
Added almost 1T of chipotle pepper
Added several whole chipotle peppers
Cover well with water
Put on lid
Bring to a boil, then reduced to low simmer and let cook for 18+ hours (check regularly)
App. 1 hour before finishing, add salt

The meat will fall apart and all membranes, skin, bone, etc. can be easily separated in a matter of minutes. This method of cooking gives you the maximum amount of meat for minimum effort. It can then be served with BBQ sauce, mole sauce, or sauce of your choice.

I reserved about six cups of the broth, defatted it, and then reduced it until it was 1-2 cups of liquid. Once reduced, I added in bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, buerre blanc (equal parts flour and butter combined), butter (to aid incorporation of the chocolate and some more to finish the sauce), and a small amount of honey. This made something similar to a mole sauce. Tasty, with the heat from the chipotle, the bitterness of the chocolate, and the sweet of the honey combining nicely.

Enjoy.
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Best Ribs: Fresh Air BBQ, Jackson, Georgia. These are the best ribs I have ever eaten anywhere in the world. They don’t need sauce, but putting on some of their homemade can bring out a world of extra flavor. They are tender, slow cooked, and you can bite into the bone and not know it until you taste the marrow. They only do a certain amount per day, and that is it, so get there early.

Best Pulled BBQ: Bar-B-Cutie, Nashville, Tennessee. Real BBQ is like this: moist, flavorful, and needing of no sauce to give it either. The gentle smoke brings out the flavor of the meat so well, and the texture is excellent. Word of advice, don’t get a large sandwich to go and try to eat it in the car as it is pretty much impossible to pick it up one handed.

Best Hot Dog: Byron’s Hot Dog Haus, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago knows how to do hotdogs better than anywhere else in the world, and Byron’s sets the standard for Chicago. One of their deluxe dogs is like great sex: it is going to be messy, get everywhere, but taste and be oh-so-fun. Don’t be a wimp, get the one with everything including the peppers.

Best Hamburger: Goose Island Brew Pub, Chicago, Illinois. The beer is wonderful, but they do a hamburger with a bleu cheese on it, served on a pumpernickel bun, that is to die for. Get it and a good IPA or Kilgubbin and enjoy. For dessert, if they have it, get the Imperial Russian Stout served in a snifter and do not drive. I rarely find a taxi driver who knows how to get there, but fortunately it is located across from a great place known to almost every driver: Sam’s Wine and Liquor Superstore. Give them that, then it is an easy find.

Honorable Mention: County Line Bar-B-Q, Albuquerque, New Mexico. I understand that there are now two locations, but the only one I have ever gone to is at the foot of Sandia. If you want fine dining, go on up the hill, but for good BBQ, pull up at the base and enjoy this place. A different style from what I grew up on, but good portions, fairly good flavors, and a lot of fun.

Before the screams of outrage being, let me say the following: Yes, I have had Memphis ribs; yes, I have had BBQ in Texas; yes, I do know better but am using BBQ because I am lazy; yes, I have had BBQ literally around the world; and, yes, I am biased but I have tried to be fair. These are my picks, and the fun is in trying things for yourself. Go, have fun, and enjoy.

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If I can find some good scallops today, I will prepare them as follows:

In a large skillet, sauté 2-3 cups of scallops in butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and an optional touch of dill or lemon zest. Dice and set aside.

In the same large skillet, or medium sauce pan, melt .25 cups of butter (.5 stick), add in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of Madras (Hot) curry powder. I recommend making your own curry powder to suit (most Indian groceries can and will help), but you can use the pre-made if you like. If very spicy is not to your taste, use a regular or mild curry powder. Cook for one minute.

Add in 2 Tablespoons of regular (all purpose, not self-rising) flour and cook an additional minute.

Gradually add 1 cup of light cream (you can cut heavy with milk if needed), stirring to prevent lumps and scorching. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add in 2 Tablespoons minced green pepper and 2 cups (or a little more) of the diced cooked scallops.

Normally, you would then spoon this mixture into baked potatoes that you had scooped out, but that is a no-no for hypoglycemics, diabetics, or those on high-protein/low-carb diets. So, what I am thinking of doing is putting it into some red or yellow bell peppers. Whatever you choose to do, sprinkle the top with chopped fresh parsley and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until the tops are golden.

A variation is to chop up some green onion and place it along with the parsley, or you can put on some other garnishes. Be creative, and have fun with it. Enjoy.

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Go to the store and get some tortilla shells. Flour will do, but if you want the best type of carb even in this small an amount, go for corn or whole wheat. Pre-heat the oven to 450. Lay the shell out on a baking sheet, or a wooden paddle if you have a stone in your oven. Put a small amount of oil (olive, garlic, or truffle) on it and spread it over the shell. Lay down your cheese, and then put whatever toppings you want (if any) on top of the cheese. Place in the hot oven and "cook" until the cheese is melted and/or the ingredients are done. Doesn't take long, so keep a close eye on it.

Pull the pizza out of the oven, cut it up, and enjoy. A variation of this is to get the small shells, and do individual pizzas. This is also a great way to get kids involved and let them start learning about cooking while doing their own.

Enjoy.

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For a number of reasons, my going over to this region are likely to be very limited soon, so I bought up several pounds of sausage and have spent the morning since my first post cooking up all that sausage. Since they don’t do a hot version, I spiced up some of the batches myself. My batches, not theirs, since I did about three pounds per batch and had several to do.

The resulting cooked sausage is cooling now, and will be vacuum sealed and frozen. Cooked pork stores better than raw, and lasts a lot longer. Trick I learned from my father. So, I have a good bit to last me.

This will get stretched out by using some Jimmy Dean. I like that brand, though I don’t like the texture. That is easily solved, however. I get their regular and add chipotle, cinnamon, hot paprika, and sometimes some truffle powder, mix it up and then run it through the meat grinder. That takes care of the texture issue and helps ensure a good mixing of the spices. Cook and freeze.

I have been wanting to do some more cooking things here, and plan to do so soon. Stay tuned, and I will share some favorites as well as the occasional glitch.

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We all did last night, though I am going to concede the entrée to Baldingmoto. We all won with an afternoon of appetizers and civilized discourse, and a meal to feed royalty if not a royal army.

This is the first time that my former boss and I have been able to get together since I left. We have met for a quick beer or two, but that is not the same. So, the time limit and such had been chunked before we ever started. The afternoon was just relaxed, with him, his wife, and myself catching up and enjoying the day.

I kicked things off by taking the theme of pork and apples and making sausage-cheese balls, then going into rumaki. This provided an enjoyable backdrop for conversation, music, laughing at the dogs and teenagers, and other pleasantries. After loosing track of the time and delaying things a bit, I then prepared my entrée of pork tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese mixed with truffles, truffle powder, apples, green onion, fresh tarragon, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. The tenderloin was then placed on apple slices, wrapped in bacon, surrounded by shitake mushrooms, covered with apple slices and truffles, and baked. For the vegetable, I took fresh early pole beans, wrapped them in bacon, and put a mustard/brown sugar mixture on them. Because of oven and time limitations, I backed off from doing individual rustic apple tarts as planned.

Baldingmoto went with three dishes. He smoked a pork shoulder all day, grilled plantains, and provided dessert with apple-whoop-de-doo.

To anyone who wants to do a real, full-up Iron Chef battle, I say go for it. You will need to have, however, at least two ovens available, if not four; you will need to have at least two pressure cookers; and, you will need to have at least two grills. Then, and only then, can you have a proper battle.

We did pretty good without them, but in my case the beans suffered a bit for having to cook with the tenderloin at a higher temperature. Baldingmoto had his plantains get a bit overdone on the grill.

That said, the food was great. His pork shoulder was flavorful, moist, and a genuine treat to eat. The book he had that suggested it should have cooked another 8 hours was waaaay off. My tenderloin was not bad at all, even if I do say so. The beans were not quite what they should have been, but were still very tasty. The appetizers were very good, and dessert was fantastic. Net result, I am willing to call it a tie. Now I will spend the day recovering, and enjoying the bounty.

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Today, in my persona as Iron Chef Drivesubaru Pudgimoto, I take on my former boss Iron Chef Iflewthem Baldingmoto in battle. At least sort of a battle. I had wanted to do a full-up one hour battle, but circumstances dictate that we can’t do that today. Because of his schedule, my schedule and planned move, and more, this may well be the only day it can be done. Since we can’t do a proper Kitchen Stadium battle, we will do what we can.

Never heard of Iron Chef? Wow. That’s sad. It is a Japanese cooking show that puts two chefs against each other to cook as many dishes as possible featuring the theme ingredient in one hour. There is sports-style commentary, and a lot more. Great theatre, great fun, and great food. You can find out more at The Food Network
or any of the legion of sites dedicated to the show.

I must admit, I am looking forward to this. My former boss is being a very good sport about this, including the name I hung on him. A good enough sport that he is even making a special cocktail – a Socrates’ Surprise – just for me. For those interested, the main theme ingredient will be pork, though we may make apples and onions as secondary ingredients.

In my freezer are several items that need to get used up, having been in there for a year or more. There is even a whole fois gras and some truffles. We will see what comes of this, other than a pleasant afternoon in the company of friends. Enjoy your day and your weekend too, make the most of it in every way.

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