NOLA Wins, Bitches!

Superbowl XLIV(44) has come and gone and the day after I am still shocked, elated and stuffed.  Though I had big dreams, in what was going to be a NOLA-centric menu, work caught up with me and I only made one Louisianna food--though, to be honest, I did cheat and pick up some premade pralines from Whole Foods for our dessert.
The easiest thing I could come up with, using Donald Link's Muffuletta recipe, was actually started three days prior when I made the Giardiniera--olive and veg relish--for the topping.

         

1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
1 small carrot, chopped into 1/8-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, chopped into 1/8-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/ 2 cup Pimento-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Pepperoncini
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
5 teaspoons black peppercorns

Toast bay leaf and peppercorns. Combine vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, pepper flakes, and oregano in a pot and bring to a simmer. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. Steep 5 minutes.
Strain bay leaves and peppercorns. Reserve liquid. Place vegetables in a 1 gallon container. Pour liquid over vegetables and let sit for two days before using. Strain liquid and puree vegetables.

I used Salame Rosa instead of Mortadella and a large round Focaccia bread that a friend made. Truly, had I made the whole 12" round into one massive sandwich--this one weighed 1 1/4lbs per slice--we wouldn't have eaten anything else that night. Because my partner had requested wings, it gave me the opportunity to take this:


I took some Franks Red Hot, garlic and butter..Added 2Tbspn of:



tossed it over these:


And ate a full plate of this:


And my gf drank a glass of a Heffeweizen, whose name eludes me, but made for a pretty picture:


Way too much food...Way too much yelling..Way too much fucking fun. Whether or not the Saints can do the same next year will be determined next season, but I don't think I'll be waiting that long to make another Muffuletta sandwich.

The Woman I Now Want to Marry

1 Cookbook
98 recipes
More than enough pork to stop your heart
A very attractive cook
Momofuku for 2

One more reason to visit Vancouver.

Saints v. Colts Menu

Bon Appetit online has posted a New Orleans/Indiana themed menu of "Must Have" dishes for this coming Sunday. The highlight: A Muffuletta recipe from Cochon's Donald Link.

How to Quit Smoking and Gain 300 lbs.

A few months ago I wrote about having to quit smoking because flavored cigarettes, including Cloves, were being banned in the US. Seven cartons,$560, and 4 months later I have officially smoked my last cigarette. For the most part it's been manageable and I have yet to punch anyone in the throat, so that's a good thing. Overall, I just feel a bit like a junkie--scratching at my skin when the creepy crawlies of of withdrawal kick in...thinking about wanting a smoke so bad when I'm not doing anything else. So, my goal has been to just keep busy and, for me, that means spending 90% of my free time in the kitchen.
And this past week it was Bon Appetit's latest issue that kept me occupied. I needed time consuming, so I chose their Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwiches with Pickled Caramelized Onions and Milk Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Hazelnuts and Espresso. Decadent, gooey and comforting they were truly a deterrent to me becoming a full blown bitch.

Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwiches with Pickled Caramelized Onions and Arugula

Short Ribs

* 5 pounds beef short ribs
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
* 3 celery stalks, chopped
* 2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
* 1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
* 1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 large fresh thyme sprig

Pickled Caramelized Onions

* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
* 4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Assembly

* Butter, room temperature
* 16 slices country-style crusty white bread
* 12 ounces Petit Basque or Monterey
* Jack cheese, sliced
* 4 cups baby arugula

Preparation
short ribs



Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook beef until browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme sprig; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Season with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot, propping up on sides and arranging in single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.

Using tongs, turn ribs over in pot. Cover and simmer until ribs are tender and sauce is very thick, occasionally rearranging ribs in pot to prevent sticking, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Uncover and cool 30 minutes.

Transfer ribs to work surface. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig. Spoon off fat from sauce in pot. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces, trimming any fat. Return meat to pot. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm just until lukewarm before using.


pickled Caramelized Onions


Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and cook until almost all vinegar is absorbed, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl; cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Microwave in 15-second intervals until lukewarm before using.




Assembly


Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with waxed paper. Butter 8 bread slices; place 4 slices, buttered side down, on each prepared sheet. Divide short rib mixture among bread slices, about 1/2 cup for each. Divide cheese among sandwiches. Spoon about 1/4 cup onions over each sandwich. Place large handful of arugula atop onions. Top with remaining 8 bread slices. Spread bread with butter. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Heat griddle or 2 large skillets over medium heat. Working in batches, cook sandwiches until bread is golden brown and cheese melts, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface. Cut each in half on diagonal. Transfer to plates and serve.



****I omitted the Arugula and used Red Dragon(an Ale and Mustard seed) for my cheese.


Milk Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Hazelnuts and Espresso


Ingredients
Crust

* 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
* 1/3 cup powdered sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 1 tablespoon (or more) ice water

Filling

* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped

Topping

* 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
* 4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt, Perugina, or Valrhona), chopped
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Special Equipment

* 1 13 3/4x4 1/2-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom

Preparation
Crust

*
Blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tablespoon ice water; process just until dough begins to clump together, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Transfer dough to 13 3/4x4 1/2-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze crust 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack.

Filling

Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is medium amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble up). Place saucepan over medium heat; stir until caramel bits dissolve. Add butter, vinegar, and salt; stir until butter melts. Stir in hazelnuts. Spoon filling into crust. Chill until cold and set, about 30 minutes.


Topping


Combine cream and espresso powder in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until espresso powder is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over caramel. Sprinkle with cacao nibs. Chill tart until topping is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.



Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter; cut crosswise into 8 bars and serve.





***I used Pecans instead of Hazelnuts, a round springform pan instead of the one suggested and used 33% Sirius Icelandic Milk Chocolate.


I know the next few weeks and months are going to suck with this quitting thing but, apparently, it will not suck food wise. And I think I can deal with that.

El Bulli Takes a Nap

Ferran Adrià, of the much acclaimed and lauded, El Bulli, announced he will be shutting down the restaurant from 2012-2013, according to the New York Times:

“With a format like the current one it is impossible to keep creating,” Mr. Adrià, 47, told reporters at the gastronomic fair Madrid Fusion. “In 2014, we will serve food somehow. I don’t know if it will be for one guest or 1,000.”

Does this signal an end to "Molecular Gastronomy"---though, I felt it's popularity was waning over the past two year--or is he just pushing the restart button?

Either way, it gives me exactly four years to save up and get a passport.

Satay

Showing up a week late to the Daring Kitchen's monthly 'Daring Cooks Challenge' I decided to follow through on this months challenge: Satay.
This is a dish I order as often as I can when we go out to eat. Sure, it's fun to eat things that come on sticks, but it's really the peanut sauce, served on the side for dipping, that tends to draw me in.
Because I fell outside the time frame, therefore not contributing, I made modifications to the recipe that was given, which follows:

Satay Marinade (longer version)

Ingredients:

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T ginger root, chopped (optional) (2 cm cubed)
2 T lemon juice (1 oz or 30 mls)
1 T soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp ground coriander (5 mls)
1 tsp ground cumin (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (2-2.5 mls)
2 T vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil) (30 mls)
1 lb Chicken (16 oz or 450g)

1. Mix well.
2. Cut pork into 1 inch thick strips (2-2.5 cm thick), any length.
3. Cover pork with marinade. You can place the pork into a bowl, cover/seal and chill, or place the whole lot of it into a ziplock bag, seal and chill.


Cooking Directions (continued):

1. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak your skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes before preparing skewers.
2. Gently and slowly slide meat strips onto skewers. Discard leftover marinade.*


3. Broil or grill at 290°C/550° F (or pan fry on medium-high) for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to char. Flip and cook another 8-10 minutes.


**I added 1cp greek yogurt and doubled the amounts above. I also, to make it more Thai, added 2TBS Fish Sauce.

I marinated the chicken for 8 hours

and now for my favorite:

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut milk (6 oz or 180 mls)
4 Tbsp peanut butter (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp brown sugar (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (2.5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (2.5 mls)
1-2 dried red chilies, chopped (keep the seeds for heat)

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add soy sauce and lemon, mix well.
2. Over low heat, combine coconut milk, peanut butter and your soy-lemon-seasoning mix. Mix well, stir often.
3. All you’re doing is melting the peanut butter, so make your peanut sauce after you’ve made everything else in your meal, or make ahead of time and reheat.

The recipe came out as well as any I've ordered in restaurants. After making many peanut sauces, I realize now that they were missing the acid of the lemon juice to cut through the weight of the peanut butter. The chicken was phenomenal, slightly tart and spicy with a good bit of char. Definitely a recipe to be made again.

Po Boys and Pickles

I met up with Kate this afternoon for a bite to eat at one of Portland's newest eateries, Po' Boys and Pickles. To say that I got giddy when I first read this place was opening is a severe understatement.

As you may have gathered from a few recent posts I fell hard for New Orleans when I was there over a year ago. And for all of the food that we had, there was only one Po Boy eaten and, truthfully, it was part of a very disappointing meal. Originally, the Mrs. and I had reservations at Stella!, for what was going to be a late anniversary celebration. But, as our luck would have it, she came down with a sinus infection on the way to NOLA and the airline lost--and thankfully found--our luggage. Because we had arrived in shorts and t-shirts, and didn't have the money to buy new clothes, we were greatly outside of the dress code. So, with a miserable girlfriend at my side, we wandered around Bourbon Street for dinner and found our way into Desire Oyster Bar.

The food was horrible, especially the Turtle Soup that was so salty it was rendered inedible. My Po' Boy was picked apart and left mostly uneaten, the breading bland and the sandwich came sans dressing making it a gummy mess. This could have been taken care of if our waiter ever reappeared after dropping the food off, but he didn't, until he brought the check an hour later, and his non-existant tip reflected that. Everything we ate in NOLA was amazing, except this meal and I left feeling that, while we had eaten like kings, I had missed having a bit of true New Orleans food.


But, getting back to the here and now and the Po' boy at hand. From the first bite of the Oyster Po' Boy($6.95 for the regular or 'shortie,' as it's called in Louisiana) I knew this is what I had missed out on. Packed with fat, spicy fried oysters, dressed with roasted red pepper mayo, lettuce and tomato, this was a perfect sandwich. I don't believe it was served on the traditional Leidenheimer bread, instead this seemed more like Italian, but it didn't matter. I inquired later, as I ordered another for myself and a shrimp for my gf at home, as to why the mayo instead of a remoulade and was told that the owner preferred this dressing and, as I reflect on it, I think the remoulade would have drowned out the oysters.


I also ordered my Prailine Bacon ($1.50) on the side. It was sweet and crunchy and wonderful, but would have been a bit odd on the sandwich. I recommend, for your first time there, get it on the side and treat it like a candied snack.


The Sweet Potato Fries ($3.00) were good, but definitely were underwhelming compared to everything else had. The spicy vinegar (see below), that was noticed after our meal, would have really given a bit more life to the fries.


For a brand new place this meal was flawless and quite filling. The only bad part about it is that it's so far up Forest Ave., directly across from Susan's Fish and Chips. But, I'll be making the trek again and quite soon.