tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640608689434765692024-03-12T19:19:46.139-04:00Cooking Ad Hoc at HomeAd Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-74284949258038351632010-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:002010-02-28T08:00:04.074-05:00Braised Beef Short Ribs; Stroganoff; Catalan Beef Stew; Technology & Rage<div>These dishes were never meant to be. Either the ingredients were cursed or I was cursed from the beginning. Really, the dishes should be good, <i>really</i> good; hell, the beef braises in a "nest" for Pete's sake! But it was not meant to be - the beef was not as tender as I could have hoped after braising, the stove was hot-no-cold-no-hot when trying to brown the ribs for the stroganoff; my pasta rollers got all kinds of jacked up while making the noodles for the stroganoff. To top it off, the photos I took of the stroganoff and beef stew recipes are gone. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>GONE</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Poof. </div><div><br /></div><div>Vanished.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even Time Machine couldn't save me! The best part,<i> best</i>, is that about three weeks ago I decided to reformat all of my memory cards for my camera - there were so may different ones floating around and I though to myself:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>If I haven't backed these up - it's on me . . . reformat? . . . confirm . . . contents deleted . . . </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So it's on me. I'm sorry. I would make the braised short ribs for the stroganoff again because <i>braised meat + homemade noodles + cream + mushrooms = awesome</i> in my book. The Catalan Beef Stew? An interesting flavor combination (the orange zest against the bitterness of the olives was great) but it will not be making the rotation in the foreseeable future.</div><div><br /></div><div>What pictures I do have are of the braise itself. Check it:</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npi071WEI/AAAAAAAAAjs/I07HhtfDink/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npi071WEI/AAAAAAAAAjs/I07HhtfDink/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138409188382786" /></a><br /><div>The braise is a two step process; flavor is developed through reducing red wine and aromatics (seen above), once reduced fresh aromatics are added to the pot along with some beef stock. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npisjurcI/AAAAAAAAAjk/wXm8WfLX858/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npisjurcI/AAAAAAAAAjk/wXm8WfLX858/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138406939798978" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npYsL-9XI/AAAAAAAAAjc/VZDe8eh19xI/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npYsL-9XI/AAAAAAAAAjc/VZDe8eh19xI/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138235041510770" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npYDQX9LI/AAAAAAAAAjU/tbxvhpP1i8o/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npYDQX9LI/AAAAAAAAAjU/tbxvhpP1i8o/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138224054072498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The fresh aromatics</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, the meat is patted dry, seasoned with salt and pepper and coated in flour. I'm pretty sure I was a little zealous with the flour but after such a long braise, it was inconsequential. The two cuts of meat below are both short rib cuts - the top was from Whole Foods - they offered the whole strips while the Wegmans (bottom) cuts were in pieces. I didn't really have a preference - the pre-cut Wegmans version were already in single serving sizes which was nice for presentation in the later dishes - but ultimately either would work.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npX6IxPpI/AAAAAAAAAjM/m1U2pE1m45g/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npX6IxPpI/AAAAAAAAAjM/m1U2pE1m45g/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138221606256274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npXmzxTGI/AAAAAAAAAjE/2oedo-cytZk/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npXmzxTGI/AAAAAAAAAjE/2oedo-cytZk/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138216417905762" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Fresh aromatics added to the braise</i></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npXP4ifmI/AAAAAAAAAi8/Pkd1xgNylXU/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4npXP4ifmI/AAAAAAAAAi8/Pkd1xgNylXU/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443138210263891554" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Seasoned meat</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(look it's not a mind-blowing picture but there's a shortage - so I thought I would overload while I can)</i></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8-p-tnI/AAAAAAAAAi0/Khf_LGBz-vU/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8-p-tnI/AAAAAAAAAi0/Khf_LGBz-vU/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443137758962824818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Seasoned, Floured Meat</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(Ibid.)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The meat is seared - don't fear the oil - I know that it looks like a lot, but one thing this book has taught me for sure is that it is better to have <i>too much</i> than too little oil in a pan when sautéing. The "lightbulb moment" opposite the recipe for braised short ribs explains the rational in greater detail, but essentially, oil is present in the pan to help transfer heat into the protein (or vegetable). Having enough oil ensures quality searing and sautéing; more so than too little oil. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8r4eizI/AAAAAAAAAis/ZnG0ApYrh3U/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8r4eizI/AAAAAAAAAis/ZnG0ApYrh3U/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443137753923357490" /></a><br /></div><div>The vegetables are covered with cheesecloth to allow flavor to transfer freely without transferring vegetable matter. Does the meat turn out nice and clean? Sure. Was it completely and totally necessary? Hard to tell, but my instinct tells me no. For a rustic, no-fuss, family-style dish, it seems a bit, um, pretentious. But, Keller is no hack - so I obey.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8JO1hFI/AAAAAAAAAik/-fR0n7_8PR0/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs15.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no8JO1hFI/AAAAAAAAAik/-fR0n7_8PR0/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443137744621896786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The aforemention</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ed "nest"</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no70rFsgI/AAAAAAAAAic/Bb-59LvGPFw/s1600-h/AHAH_ShortRibs17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no70rFsgI/AAAAAAAAAic/Bb-59LvGPFw/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs17.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443137739103252994" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S4no7utrwGI/AAAAAAAAAiU/sMjhBG_qFbw/s320/AHAH_ShortRibs18.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443137737503522914" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Beef stock added - ready to braise</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(Last photo...savor it)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The meat is covered with a parchment lid (I am getting mighty good at making these little buggers) and braised for several hours. Once tender, the meat is removed, the braising liquid strained and the fat skimmed off, and the meat can rest overnight or up to three days. This is a great make-on-Sunday dish that can be reheated, added to other dishes, or transformed completely (as in Catalan beef stew) throughout the week. Additionally, there was enough braising liquid left over that I could reuse it at least once more with another batch of short ribs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tasting Notes:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Listen, the short ribs are good. They are versatile. They are time-consuming. In my case, they were cursed. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't give this a go. Hell, I'm getting back on the horse tomorrow (2.28.10) with a fresh batch of shorties (and a new pasta roller). Sure it's a little intense for a braised one-pot meal (okay two if you count the pan in which I sauteed the meat - but I could have done that in the braising pot) - but it is darn tasty and cooking is fun, so suck it up and take a few hours to braise.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Beef Stroganoff: I will make this again and post a shot photo piece. I gotta say, there are few things more satisfying than making one's own pasta, one's own sauce, and one's own protein - nothing jarred, processed or preserved. I love fresh pasta. I love beef. I love, love, love mushrooms so this dish is a winner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Catalan Beef Stew: I'm pissed I don't have the pics from this one. So pissed. This dish has a different flavor profile than my palate is used to and so it was refreshing to have braised beef in a non-traditional way (to me). I really liked the bitterness of the olives against the sweetness of the fennel, leeks and orange zest. The sofritto gave the dish a certain richness and the potatoes made for a more filling serving. As I mentioned above, I won't be remaking this dish to recreate the photos - but I will say this is a flavorful, fresh look at braised short ribs that is worth giving a try if one needs a fresh look at stew/braised meat. Need a pic? <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/_TP4zFcfNjPHGO3t2M_tfQ?select=NbaSKea5xUR-Z7eLnscQbA">Here</a> is the real deal.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sources</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Short Ribs - <a href="http://www.wegmans.com">Wegmans</a> and <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Various Veggies - <a href="http://www.wegmans.com">Wegmans</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cabernet Sauvignon - <a href="http://www.yellowtailwine.com/">Yellow Tail</a> via <a href="http://www.lcb.state.pa.us">PLCB</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I'm slowly digging out - up soon: Oxtail Tartine, Scallion <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdqbi66oNuI">Potato</a> Cake, Oven Dried Tomatoes, Pan Seared Duck Breast, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Sliced Iceburg Salad, Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing, Brioche Croutons, Sauteed Broccoli Rabe... Stay Tuned.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-16046952367506005532010-02-12T11:36:00.018-05:002010-02-27T21:34:31.968-05:00Without Further Delay... Sauteed Chicken with Tarragon, Garlic Mashed Potatoes<div>I hate excuses, so I won't bother offering any for the delay in posting. I'm trying to be better, but I can't make any guarantees over the next two months or so. I am behind in posting at least two others dishes - they are completed (oxtail and short ribs - they were good and great, in that order) but I have not found the time to post. Maybe I can make headway this weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's get back on task - I made the sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon sauce last night - check it out:</div><div><br /></div><div>The breasts are rubbed with a half curry/half paprika mixture you see on the left in the photo below and they are placed in the refrigerator to marinate for two hours.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEe3VSQmI/AAAAAAAAAiM/EJ2JLIsfxkw/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEe3VSQmI/AAAAAAAAAiM/EJ2JLIsfxkw/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397790903911010" /></a><br /><div>Keller suggests a number of side dishes with the chicken, I wanted something hearty to go along with the two feet of snow that just fell outside, so I selected the garlic mashed potatoes. </div><div><br /></div><div>A quick aside - I have to spell check <i>every </i>time<i> </i>I spell the word potatoes thanks to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdqbi66oNuI">Dan Quayle</a>. This one incident singlehandedly makes me anxious every time I spell it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The recipe calls for <i>potatoes</i> (anxiety) that are two inches in diameter - mine were about four inches in diameter, so I had to cut them in half to cook in a reasonable amount of time. Keller says to boil them gently as to disintegrate the outer layer - since I exposed the flesh by cutting them int eh fist place, I tried to monitor the boil a little more closely to keep the starch from getting too beat up. The potatoes were simmered for about 20 minutes before they were drained and allowed to dry - then peeled and pureed. Keller notes that the potatoes, once cooked and pureed, can sit at room temperature for a number of hours; thus, I was able to have the potatoes nearly complete while waiting for the chicken to finish marinating.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEa9htqYI/AAAAAAAAAiE/0hGJZqCYmOA/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEa9htqYI/AAAAAAAAAiE/0hGJZqCYmOA/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397723847174530" /></a><br /></div><div>Included in the puree is butter and garlic confit. The garlic confit is slowly simmered in oil for 40 or so minutes until the garlic is meltingly tender. You can see that in action (inaction?) <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZyvJR8TI/AAAAAAAAAOI/rjrL6asKQI0/s1600-h/MushSoup_04.jpg">here</a>.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEamLN0SI/AAAAAAAAAh8/VU9cJyfXrE0/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEamLN0SI/AAAAAAAAAh8/VU9cJyfXrE0/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397717578797346" /></a><br /></div><div>I pureed the potatoes in three batches through my food mill. You will notice that the peeled potatoes are in smaller pieces - my food mill sometimes goes on strike from working so I had to make them nice and small so my mill wouldn't complain and revolt. THe butter and garlic confit are passed through the mill as well.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEacLCDyI/AAAAAAAAAh0/a3mw5TSO7Vk/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEacLCDyI/AAAAAAAAAh0/a3mw5TSO7Vk/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397714893672226" /></a><br /></div><div>The resulting texture is uniform and quite smooth but not gluey. The mill does not overwork the potatoes and the medium-sized blade still leaves just enough texture.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEaOIfV4I/AAAAAAAAAhs/2sjjVytzr2Y/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEaOIfV4I/AAAAAAAAAhs/2sjjVytzr2Y/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397711124912002" /></a><br /></div><div><i>Two Hours Later...</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i></i>Here is the mise for the pan sauce - from the top: white wine (sauvignon blanc), chicken stock (homemade using the <a href="http://blog.ruhlman.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-th.html">Ruhlman method</a>), tarragon, minced shallot.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEZxfee3I/AAAAAAAAAhk/AZdUDS4MNZ8/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEZxfee3I/AAAAAAAAAhk/AZdUDS4MNZ8/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397703436696434" /></a><br /></div><div>Chicken is taken out of the fridge, pounded to a uniform thickness (about 1/4") and salted.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WELT6TItI/AAAAAAAAAhc/VSAMcVAr_lw/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WELT6TItI/AAAAAAAAAhc/VSAMcVAr_lw/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397454977966802" /></a><br /></div><div>Once browned, the chicken is flipped for a kiss of heat on the other side then held in a 200 deg. oven. Look at the beautiful color the spices give the chicken - and the smell at this point? Oh my.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WELMBYw5I/AAAAAAAAAhU/3-2rl3sMazM/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WELMBYw5I/AAAAAAAAAhU/3-2rl3sMazM/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397452860212114" /></a><br /></div><div>Excess oil now drained from the pan, it's sauce time. The shallots are softened with a little butter, then the wine is added and allowed to reduce followed by the stock. The fresh herbs are added at the end as are a few tablespoons of butter to enrich the sauce.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKimRNkI/AAAAAAAAAhM/HL2q51SEEbU/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKimRNkI/AAAAAAAAAhM/HL2q51SEEbU/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397441740617282" /></a><br /></div><div>The final result:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKJLwJfI/AAAAAAAAAhE/j-BDaarN89g/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKJLwJfI/AAAAAAAAAhE/j-BDaarN89g/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397434918512114" /></a><br /></div><div>The potatoes were finished by whipping in warm cream over a low flame to heat everything thoroughly. I didn't have chives (probably would have been a bit better) but I did have green onion to finish the dish:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKNN26FI/AAAAAAAAAg8/1UaSmw_DPv4/s1600-h/AHaH_ChTarragon11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S3WEKNN26FI/AAAAAAAAAg8/1UaSmw_DPv4/s320/AHaH_ChTarragon11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437397436001085522" /></a><br /><b>Tasting Notes:</b></div><div>At first thought I anticipated the curry would overpower the dish but I was wrong. The curry offers a nice aromatic spice note to the chicken that is complemented by the paprika. I was particularly impressed by the way the flavors all work so well together; I thought the curry and tarragon would be competing flavors but they were rather complementary. This is most certainly a dish that will be added to the rotation - the preparation was very, very simple; the flavors were complex and interesting and the dish was not heavy or overpowering. This dish is also versatile - depending on the side dish, this could be a great meal for any season. I might grow some tarragon in the garden this year to motivate me to make this dish again and again. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also think this dish is a nice introduction to the flavor of curry. I happen to love curry in almost any form but I have a number of friends that steer clear of the stuff. My guess is that they don't really know whether or not they like curry - they just think they won't like it and thus avoid it. The curry in this dish is a bit of a secret or surprise ingredient. The tarragon sits first chair, but the aroma and flavor of the chicken adds an additional component to the taste. I also think the spices give the dish a beautiful presentation. The chicken is strikingly beautiful against the fresh green tarragon in the sauce.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond all the flavorful reasons to make this, it is quick and easy. The chicken takes less than five minutes to cook, the sauce about five minutes and the potatoes can be pureed in advance. This may have been the easiest dish that I have made thus far and it is certainly not short on taste. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sources:</b></div><div>Chicken from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div><div>Spices from <a href="http://www.thespicehouse.com/">The Spice House</a></div><div>Potatoes, shallot, green onion from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-37027891624930072302010-01-18T19:45:00.012-05:002010-01-19T22:57:58.233-05:00Duck Confit<div>I love duck confit. I don't really know the origin of my affinity, but I do know that duck confit is one of the rare dishes that gets a pardon from the no-eating-stuff-you-make-at-home rule when I am eating out at a restaurant. How come? Because it is damn good, that's why. But it's also damn easy to make at home, so you should give it a try.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two things about this post: </div><div>1. All of the photos were taken in my iPhone - sorry if they stink</div><div>2. I'm going to leave the confit in the fridge for a while, so this post is simply about cooking the confit, I'll post on how I served it and any tasting notes another time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are two gorgeous Moulard duck leg/thigh pieces that I picked up from Hudson Valley Duck Farm a while back at the <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">NA Market</a>. The guys that run the farm are really interesting folks and while I do have local suppliers for duck in my area (<a href="http://www.joejurgielewicz.com/">Dr. Joe</a> is less than an hour away), I am planning a trip up to the Hudson Valley this spring to check out their operation...</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBvYOEjEI/AAAAAAAAAg0/LDaymthAAhM/s1600-h/Duck_confit_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBvYOEjEI/AAAAAAAAAg0/LDaymthAAhM/s320/Duck_confit_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246839331949634" /></a><br /><div>If you've never made duck confit before, the process is relatively simple. The raw duck is rubbed with a salt/herb/spice mixture and is left to cure in the refrigerator for a period of time. How much time? Keller suggests 24 hours, <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/02/how-to-make-duc.html">others</a> say no more than 12 hours - since Keller's curing mixture contains a number of herbs and sugar to balance the salt the longer cure time is ideal. The curing mixture for this recipe includes brown sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf and thyme. It also include fresh parsley which I was <i>certain </i>I had in the refrigerator. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't. </div><div><br /></div><div>The fresh parsley would have added a certain moisture to the mix making it more of a paste rather than a damp salt; it also would have added an additional herbaceous quality but, as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jPgljRvzQw">Donald Rumsfeld</a> said, "You go to war with the army you have -- not the army you might want..." so, I continued on without the parsley.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBvE8uj8I/AAAAAAAAAgs/-ver4jpJbOg/s1600-h/Duck_confit_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBvE8uj8I/AAAAAAAAAgs/-ver4jpJbOg/s320/Duck_confit_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246834158931906" /></a></div><div>I put the ingredients into the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-1SS-Mini-Prep-Processor-Stainless/dp/B00007IT2M">mini-prep</a> (I love that thing) and processed until the mixture was a uniform consistency:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBk-XrpUI/AAAAAAAAAgk/cEeh7WANl-Y/s1600-h/Duck_confit_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBk-XrpUI/AAAAAAAAAgk/cEeh7WANl-Y/s320/Duck_confit_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246660594246978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkrs8vAI/AAAAAAAAAgc/YtVlvRWoHE8/s1600-h/Duck_confit_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkrs8vAI/AAAAAAAAAgc/YtVlvRWoHE8/s320/Duck_confit_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246655583173634" /></a><br /></div><div>I did deviate from the recipe slightly; whenever I make duck confit, I always score the top of the duck leg as close to the knobby end as I can safely manage. I have made confit with and without doing this and I find the final result and final presentation to be more appealing by taking the six seconds. You'll see. By the way, I learned to do this as I was flipping channels one Saturday morning last year and I just happened to see a TV chef suggest doing so (I think it was Jacques Pepin - but I don't fully recall). You can see the score marks here:</div><div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBj3in5oI/AAAAAAAAAgE/rbUUsg48KiI/s1600-h/Duck_confit_07.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBj3in5oI/AAAAAAAAAgE/rbUUsg48KiI/s320/Duck_confit_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246641581221506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkWo6MhI/AAAAAAAAAgU/9Rm_uyavebs/s1600-h/Duck_confit_05.jpg"></a></div><div>The green salt is applied to the duck at a rate of one tablespoon of salt per pound of duck - these guys weighed in at right at a pound each:</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkWo6MhI/AAAAAAAAAgU/9Rm_uyavebs/s1600-h/Duck_confit_05.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkWo6MhI/AAAAAAAAAgU/9Rm_uyavebs/s320/Duck_confit_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246649929085458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">24 hours later:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkHgAt5I/AAAAAAAAAgM/hzPmpKv1lYE/s1600-h/Duck_confit_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBkHgAt5I/AAAAAAAAAgM/hzPmpKv1lYE/s320/Duck_confit_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246645865232274" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>The green salt is washed off, the duck legs are dried, then the magic happens. Look at this beautiful sight:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBRYoP6XI/AAAAAAAAAf8/6b7Di6FpTuU/s1600-h/Duck_confit_08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBRYoP6XI/AAAAAAAAAf8/6b7Di6FpTuU/s320/Duck_confit_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246324045670770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Is that a bucket of duck fat? Why yes, yes it is.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBROx-0xI/AAAAAAAAAf0/XxvKlpn9XJc/s1600-h/Duck_confit_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBROx-0xI/AAAAAAAAAf0/XxvKlpn9XJc/s320/Duck_confit_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246321402139410" /></a><br /></div><div>The fat is melted, the duck submerged, the lid applied and the pot placed in the oven (how's that for passive voice?!). </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQ9sHyPI/AAAAAAAAAfs/VMl1DoFPziA/s1600-h/Duck_confit_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQ9sHyPI/AAAAAAAAAfs/VMl1DoFPziA/s320/Duck_confit_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246316814158066" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQv_jT4I/AAAAAAAAAfk/elQWSXLsTtA/s1600-h/Duck_confit_11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQv_jT4I/AAAAAAAAAfk/elQWSXLsTtA/s320/Duck_confit_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246313137557378" /></a><br /></div><div>The duck is baked, <i>no</i>, braised, <i>no</i>, <b>bathed</b> at a comfortable 190 for several hours. The result? See for yourself:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQfDyUZI/AAAAAAAAAfc/8MWsPygDWQA/s1600-h/Duck_confit_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S1UBQfDyUZI/AAAAAAAAAfc/8MWsPygDWQA/s320/Duck_confit_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428246308591915410" /></a><br /></div><div>See what those cuts did for the meat sliding down the leg bone? Nice and clean, just as I wanted. For a more French approach and presentation, the knobs are cut off so just some of the leg bone is showing. I was able to sneak a little taste and this stuff is good - not substantially different than many of the duck confit I have had in the past, but very good. The main difference I notice with this recipe as compared to others I have read and tried in the past is the addition of brown sugar and the lack of more aromatic spices (e.g. star anise and clove) to the curing mix. I only tried a small piece, maybe the difference with this mixture will be more apparent in a larger quantity. The serving options for confit are endless - as part of a salad, as an appetizer with some of the <a href="http://adhocathome.blogspot.com/2009/12/lifesavers-pickled-cauliflower-pickled.html">red onion and cranberry marmalade</a>, the base for duck rillettes, and so on and so on...</div><div><br /></div><div>So let's look at active cooking time:</div><div>Making green salt: 4 minutes (to measure, take picture, process in mini prep)</div><div>Scoring duck leg and rubbing duck with green salt: 1 minute</div><div>Rinsing and drying duck: 3 minutes</div><div>Melting duck fat and putting legs in the fatbath: 3 minutes</div><div><br /></div><div>So with 11 TOTAL minutes of active cooking time you can have a classic French bistro dish that is versatile and delicious. Stop reading and make some. Right now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Possible additional time commitment:</div><div>Putting duck in long-term storage vessel and covering with fat: 5 minutes (which gets you six months of storage time - <i>six months!</i>)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sources</b></div><div>Duck Legs and Duck Fat from <a href="http://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com/index.html">Hudson Valley Duck Farm</a> via <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">NA Market</a></div></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-12205454742251973912010-01-06T19:53:00.011-05:002010-01-06T21:33:59.627-05:00Pan-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Sausage and Peppers<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VERk8dlPI/AAAAAAAAAfU/G9tQqGcAENM/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_19.jpg"></a><div>Sausage and peppers - that's a gimme - I'm not sure that I have ever <i>disliked</i> any sausage and pepper dish. But, I can honestly say that I've only had sausage and peppers slapped on a bun watching some sporting event, wishing I had extra napkins as the sausage and pepper juice is causing structural failure of the bun and I am paralyzed because I have sausage and pepper juice running down my face, hands and arms.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I'm saying is sausage and peppers with a fork and knife is not exactly part of my food vernacular.</div><div><br /></div><div>This recipe combines the pan-roasted chicken and sausage with the recipe for peperonata rustica. Let's get going with the chicken:</div><div><br /></div><div>I started with breaking down a small chicken into the eight piece cut that is very well illustrated in the book and placing the pieces in a brine. This is the famous Keller lemon chicken brine that has made many a foodie swoon over his fried chicken dish. The brine contains salt, honey, garlic, lemon, bay leaf, peppercorns and parsley and made far more than I needed for this recipe so I put the extra brine (non-chicken-y) in a freezer bag and into the chest freezer for use at a later date.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8-xrauI/AAAAAAAAAe8/vH1zhIs4Ax0/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8-xrauI/AAAAAAAAAe8/vH1zhIs4Ax0/s320/Chicken_Saus_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796249950907106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8ug_C_I/AAAAAAAAAe0/Tpo-FkDVUgc/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8ug_C_I/AAAAAAAAAe0/Tpo-FkDVUgc/s320/Chicken_Saus_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796245585923058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8SxJsQI/AAAAAAAAAes/Y9Be5yB5ifM/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8SxJsQI/AAAAAAAAAes/Y9Be5yB5ifM/s320/Chicken_Saus_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796238137536770" /></a><br /><div>While that was brining, I got to work on the peperonata rustica - a cooked pepper dish that contains several fresh peppers and some dried peppers as well. The peppers cook in a chicken stock base and since I was running low on chicken stock I made the recipe from the book.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chicken stock, for the longest time, was an ingredient that I used to never make at home (I was a Swanson low sodium box broth guy) but after discovering Michael Ruhlman's <a href="http://blog.ruhlman.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-th.html">technique</a> for making stock, I now exclusively use homemade. I keep a bag of chicken bones in the freezer and once the bag gets full, I make stock. The AHaH version is a very light (in color and flavor) stock that I would probably not replicate for my everyday stock uses. I like to make darker stock from roasted bones rather than a lighter stock like this one. Keller concedes that this is a light stock by design and he offers suggestions for making the stock stronger, but this technique is much more complicated than the Ruhlman way to which I have become accustomed.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8LgjcSI/AAAAAAAAAek/elB3pj4Rs1Q/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Ux8LgjcSI/AAAAAAAAAek/elB3pj4Rs1Q/s320/Chicken_Saus_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796236188872994" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div>Maybe complicated is the wrong word, perhaps intricate or labor intensive would be more accurate. The Keller way has one rinse the bones, simmer the stock slightly off the burner (to create a convection that naturally gathers the impurities - a great tip), pour ice into the stock to congeal the fat and make it easier to remove, add the veggies (carrots, leeks, onions), simmer, skim, skim, skim, ladle gently through a conical strainer, and chill rapidly. That's a lot different and a lot more attention than roast bones, cover with water, put in low oven for howeverlong add veggies in the last hour, strain, chill.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, all the steps in Keller's version will result in a clean, clear stock, trust me - but I'm just not that picky in general. I would use such a technique for a special recipe or occasion (or if I was having a all-you-can-cook kind of weekend) but not on a consistent basis.</div><div><br /></div><div>Onto the peppers. They are tossed with oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a 375 oven. They are removed, peeled and torn into strips.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxwku6wpI/AAAAAAAAAeU/1gXhvW2OrjU/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxwku6wpI/AAAAAAAAAeU/1gXhvW2OrjU/s320/Chicken_Saus_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796036801577618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxwRu60gI/AAAAAAAAAeM/r1C9dEAd6S0/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxwRu60gI/AAAAAAAAAeM/r1C9dEAd6S0/s320/Chicken_Saus_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796031701307906" /></a><br /></div><div>After the red and yellow peppers are roasted, peeled and torn they are combined with piquillo peppers (if you haven't had these little guys, you are missing out; they are like a jacked-up steroid injected roasted red pepper in a tiny little package), soffritto, the chicken stock from above and piment d'Espelette. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxwIA4zeI/AAAAAAAAAeE/K2gtJoP6iGg/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxwIA4zeI/AAAAAAAAAeE/K2gtJoP6iGg/s320/Chicken_Saus_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796029092318690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The piquillo peppers</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxv2u3EII/AAAAAAAAAd8/aThyzuittk8/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxv2u3EII/AAAAAAAAAd8/aThyzuittk8/s320/Chicken_Saus_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796024453304450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>Onions for soffritto</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><br /></i></span></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxghVl1VI/AAAAAAAAAds/6cWYbTncNVY/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_14.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxghVl1VI/AAAAAAAAAds/6cWYbTncNVY/s320/Chicken_Saus_14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423795761012135250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>Frying the tomato for the soffritto</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxvo_ggFI/AAAAAAAAAd0/gD6v16HBsJ0/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_13.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxvo_ggFI/AAAAAAAAAd0/gD6v16HBsJ0/s320/Chicken_Saus_13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423796020765032530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The mixture is combined and simmered for thirty minutes to soften the peppers and also to allow the flavors to meld. Back to the chicken. The chicken is patted dry and sauteed. The book suggests a saute time of between thirteen and fifteen minutes - I found this to be way too long based on the sugar content of the brine. As you can see from the picture below, I was getting some deep color on the chicken and these were turned after about seven minutes. Clearly all cook tops vary - so one can't strictly adhere to the recipe; had I done that, I would have had what looked like Kingsford briquettes for dinner. However, if a nice representative from Wolf or Viking would like to contact me about trying out their product for the next thirty years or so because I have a glass top range that I hate, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hate</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hate</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> - drop me an email and we'll chat because I </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">loathe</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> my range.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Whoooo. I feel better. Back to the chicken... Dry it:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxgR45zEI/AAAAAAAAAdk/QUjh4d7PIRU/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_15.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxgR45zEI/AAAAAAAAAdk/QUjh4d7PIRU/s320/Chicken_Saus_15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423795756865276994" /></a><br /></div><div>Saute it and add the sausages (I got some great sweet sausages without fennel seeds from <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=11530937642679097876&q=giacomo%27s+easton&hl=en&cd=1&cad=src:pplink&ei=G0JFS4uaEZa-ywTWnL3zAg">Giacomo's</a>):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxgN1t35I/AAAAAAAAAdc/m7pXjBi61Bs/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxgN1t35I/AAAAAAAAAdc/m7pXjBi61Bs/s320/Chicken_Saus_16.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423795755778170770" /></a><br /></div><div>Mix in the peppers and put in the oven to finish cooking the chicken:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxf27asLI/AAAAAAAAAdU/algwxD3E7wM/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0Uxf27asLI/AAAAAAAAAdU/algwxD3E7wM/s320/Chicken_Saus_17.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423795749628063922" /></a><br /></div><div>Plate and eat:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxfYlqHSI/AAAAAAAAAdM/IJxO5D6GqAU/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0UxfYlqHSI/AAAAAAAAAdM/IJxO5D6GqAU/s320/Chicken_Saus_18.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423795741483736354" /></a><br /></div><div>The verdict? Damn good. The porky richness goes great with the juicy, briny chicken and the peperonata rustica had it's own sweet, tart note that rounded out the dish perfectly. It was a very satisfying, almost light dish. There is no heavy sauce, nothing that sits heavy in the stomach. I would say that I was surprised that this combination worked so well - I didn't know that the chicken would work with the sausage and pepper classic combination. Hell, I didn't know if I would be able to eat sausage and peppers with a fork and knife. But I did, and it was good. I mean, look at these plates! It looks like a pack of wolves ate dinner at my house:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VERk8dlPI/AAAAAAAAAfU/G9tQqGcAENM/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_19.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VERk8dlPI/AAAAAAAAAfU/G9tQqGcAENM/s320/Chicken_Saus_19.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423816395003368690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The other nice part about this dish? Left over peperonata rustica to make Eggs Flamenco (in the book at the end of the peperonata rustic recipe).<br /><br /></div><div>Cook the eggs in the peperonata with a little extra stock to moisten the mixture and re-warm the sausages:</div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VEROUpv2I/AAAAAAAAAfM/sWs5CO8zzDY/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_21.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VEROUpv2I/AAAAAAAAAfM/sWs5CO8zzDY/s320/Chicken_Saus_21.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423816388930813794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>And serve (and eat with same pack-of-wolves voracity):<br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VEQmapVtI/AAAAAAAAAfE/bOg0CfQmbvA/s1600-h/Chicken_Saus_22.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/S0VEQmapVtI/AAAAAAAAAfE/bOg0CfQmbvA/s320/Chicken_Saus_22.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423816378218534610" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>Sources:</div><div>Air-chilled chicken from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div><div>Sweet Sausage from Giacomo's (Easton, PA)</div><div>Piment d'Espelette from <a href="http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/">Savory Spice</a> (although it is available again from <a href="http://www.markethallfoods.com/">Market Hall</a>)</div><div>Eggs from <a href="http://agmap.psu.edu/Businesses/2564">Happy Farm</a></div></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-6075919955793178992010-01-05T21:45:00.002-05:002010-01-05T21:50:31.994-05:00Get it together man!Happy New Year! It's time I get off the holiday high and get down to business. I have materials to post but I got a little behind with the whole broken-water-main-birth-of-my-first-neice-drive-2500-miles-over-the-holidays craziness. I am hoping to post tomorrow evening, again this weekend and have some fresh stuff for the following week. <div><br /></div><div>Sorry if you navigated to this page and saw the same thing for a couple of weeks. I'll try to underwhelm less frequently. </div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-43297934560554811432009-12-05T18:23:00.036-05:002009-12-06T23:45:02.587-05:00Lifesavers: Pickled Cauliflower, Pickled Carrots, Red Onion-Cranberry Marmalade, Quince PasteSorry for the delay in posting; I wanted to get a post up before Thanksgiving as my wife and I were heading to Las Vegas on Black Friday for a long weekend. I have a couple of dishes on which to report - so I should be back to a normal schedule for the next couple of weeks. Expect another delay around Christmas/New Year as I will be traipsing across the eastern half of the United States as I visit family in three states.<br /><br />These three lifesavers (as they are called in the book) were all done in one day and they were all straightforward and easy to complete. The hardest part of these recipes was finding canning jars in November. I tried Wal-Mart. No luck. The grocery store? No. Hardware store? Sorry pal, we just put out our holiday displays, no room for canning supplies. The craft store? Success! Kinda. Our local craft store only had one size and no swing-top lids whatsoever. So I was stuck with what they had. You'll notice the shortcomings later in the post. (Edit: I'll be damned! Found a full shelf of canning supplies at Wegmans today (12.6.09) right next to the shaving cream aisle. Obviously.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pickled Cauliflower and Carrots</span><br /><br />Let's start with the pickled cauliflower. Here is the mise en place:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0QZY0vYI/AAAAAAAAAW4/t1Oc_dUm2Ww/s1600-h/Cauli_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0QZY0vYI/AAAAAAAAAW4/t1Oc_dUm2Ww/s320/Cauli_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906464769162626" border="0" /></a><br />The mix is pretty simple: water, champagne vinegar, sugar and <span class="il">Piment</span> d'Espelette (a slightly smoky, slightly spicy, not-quite-paprika-not-quite-chili-pepper spice that I picked up from the <a href="http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spices/pappiment.html">Savory Spice Shop</a> in Colorado (via mail order). The ingredients for the pickling solution are combined in a saucepan and warmed until the sugar dissolves:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0QHBcYlI/AAAAAAAAAWw/0w52qCE3gXY/s1600-h/Cauli_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0QHBcYlI/AAAAAAAAAWw/0w52qCE3gXY/s320/Cauli_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906459839259218" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0ADyDz1I/AAAAAAAAAWg/negpx70Uf_E/s1600-h/Cauli_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxr0ADyDz1I/AAAAAAAAAWg/negpx70Uf_E/s320/Cauli_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906184091520850" border="0" /></a><br />I then started to break down the cauliflower looking for uniformly sized pieces that would blanch at the same rate; the book suggests pieces the size of a quarter. I perhaps got a little obsessive about this step, but I think it paid off in the end. However, my kitchen looked like a cauliflower massacre - parts and pieces everywhere. Those leftover parts and pieces make a mighty fine soup or gratin though...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_z0lWFI/AAAAAAAAAWY/E2qcOKtJUY4/s1600-h/Cauli_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_z0lWFI/AAAAAAAAAWY/E2qcOKtJUY4/s320/Cauli_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906179807139922" border="0" /></a><br />Tee uniformly sized pieces are blanched and drained, added to the jar (warm) and the pickling liquid is poured over. The jar if left to cool on the counter, then put into the fridge for up to a month of storage.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_Y1R7yI/AAAAAAAAAWI/1LBfbEUlstU/s1600-h/Cauli_7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_Y1R7yI/AAAAAAAAAWI/1LBfbEUlstU/s320/Cauli_7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906172562304802" border="0" /></a><br />This shot gives you a nice look at the <span class="il">Piment</span> d'Espelette in the solution:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_Llt6nI/AAAAAAAAAWA/icFSsoyr-XE/s1600-h/Cauli_9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxrz_Llt6nI/AAAAAAAAAWA/icFSsoyr-XE/s320/Cauli_9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411906169007368818" border="0" /></a><br />Onto the carrots. Just as easy, just as straightforward. The carrots are flavored with curry and jalapeño and the same basic pickling liquid of champagne vinegar, sugar and water. The carrots in my garden were not quite ready for picking, so I was stuck with grocery store carrots. The large carrots were a little too big and a little to not-so-fresh looking. Luckily, Wegmans has baby vegetables on a fairly regular basis - here are the baby carrots bisected, ready to be pickled:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_kZzCsNI/AAAAAAAAAXo/abg290lWZ1I/s1600-h/Carrot2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_kZzCsNI/AAAAAAAAAXo/abg290lWZ1I/s320/Carrot2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270746825306322" border="0" /></a><br />After cutting the carrots, the yellow curry powder is toasted in a dry pan before the pickling liquid is added:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UkdnnlI/AAAAAAAAAXg/3lwuOPLIHdQ/s1600-h/Carrot3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UkdnnlI/AAAAAAAAAXg/3lwuOPLIHdQ/s320/Carrot3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270474810334802" border="0" /></a><br />The 1/4 jalapeno is added to the warm liquid along with the carrots and they are simmered for a couple of minutes to soften he carrots and dissolve the sugar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UVhW8dI/AAAAAAAAAXY/KlG0q0Mq6Dw/s1600-h/Carrot4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UVhW8dI/AAAAAAAAAXY/KlG0q0Mq6Dw/s320/Carrot4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270470799487442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UFG5zHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/VDCOnaBeIhY/s1600-h/Carrot5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_UFG5zHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/VDCOnaBeIhY/s320/Carrot5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270466393558130" border="0" /></a><br />Remember when I said there was only one jar size available at the craft store. Here is that shortcoming I promised before:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_TombyaI/AAAAAAAAAXI/gjznWh3uufI/s1600-h/Carrot6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_TombyaI/AAAAAAAAAXI/gjznWh3uufI/s320/Carrot6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270458741180834" border="0" /></a><br />I guess I could have made more pickling liquid, but I didn't need a full recipe worth and I didn't want any extra curry pickling liquid around and then i would have had to add like an eighth of a jalapeno. Not difficult, but in my mind I wanted to get onto the quince paste, so I skipped it. I also figured that since these were not sitting on the shelf but rather in the refrigerator for the rest of their little lives, I didn't have to worry about mold and spoilage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_TVWW08I/AAAAAAAAAXA/_CcdCx0A5mE/s1600-h/Carrot8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxw_TVWW08I/AAAAAAAAAXA/_CcdCx0A5mE/s320/Carrot8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412270453573473218" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Red Onion-Cranberry Marmalade</span><br /><br />I was a little hesitant about this flavor combination. I have not really heard cranberry and onion as a classic taste, but knowing that red onions have a nice sweetness when they are cooked down, I thought this would be a nice lifesaver to give a try and to have in the refrigerator.<br /><br />I also wanted to cook a jam, jelly or marmalade on my marathon lifesaver cooking day. I have a very distinct food memory of making grape jelly in my grandmother's kitchen as a kid. We used to go to her farm in Missouri every summer from age 5 until age 11. We would go for a month at the end of the summer right before we had to return home to Chicago for school. When the grapes were ripe, Grandma would assemble all the cousins together to help smash the grapes (by hand), add the sugar and pectin and help jar the bounty. I have never made any sort of jam or jelly since - thus, I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to make the ones in the book.<br /><br />Onto the onions and cranberries (dried in this case):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJTMneTwI/AAAAAAAAAYo/GKkun5PDq3E/s1600-h/Onion_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJTMneTwI/AAAAAAAAAYo/GKkun5PDq3E/s320/Onion_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281446345625346" border="0" /></a><br />The red onion-cranberry marmalade starts with red onions cooked over low heat for 30 minutes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJS9jv25I/AAAAAAAAAYg/I5LzoYniUQE/s1600-h/Onion_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJS9jv25I/AAAAAAAAAYg/I5LzoYniUQE/s320/Onion_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281442303466386" border="0" /></a><br />The rest of the ingredients for this dish include apple pectin (a hard-to-find ingredient that I purchased from <a href="http://sotirosfoodsinc.com/acatalog/">Sotiros Foods</a> in Chicago via mail order), apple juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJStNx3HI/AAAAAAAAAYY/UKD5NhI8y8o/s1600-h/Onion_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJStNx3HI/AAAAAAAAAYY/UKD5NhI8y8o/s320/Onion_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281437916355698" border="0" /></a><br />The cranberries are added to the cooking onions followed by the sugars, pectin, apple juice and cider vinegar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJE_31A6I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/1r-QZj5v7AU/s1600-h/Onion_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJE_31A6I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/1r-QZj5v7AU/s320/Onion_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281202406392738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEbAW8kI/AAAAAAAAAYI/oZgWgAVKwbw/s1600-h/Onion_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEbAW8kI/AAAAAAAAAYI/oZgWgAVKwbw/s320/Onion_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281192510059074" border="0" /></a><br />The mixture was then brought up to 215 degrees and put into the one-size-fits-all crafts store jar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEFL3k9I/AAAAAAAAAYA/rISJl-BtpEY/s1600-h/Onion_6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEFL3k9I/AAAAAAAAAYA/rISJl-BtpEY/s320/Onion_6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281186652754898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEIsAIVI/AAAAAAAAAX4/pvHsxDGN1Kg/s1600-h/Onion_7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJEIsAIVI/AAAAAAAAAX4/pvHsxDGN1Kg/s320/Onion_7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281187592839506" border="0" /></a><br />I put a small amount on a plate so you could see the texture and color of this marmalade. It is a deep red color that is hard to capture in the jar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJDv17hjI/AAAAAAAAAXw/5HXlM3IQoXg/s1600-h/Onion_8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxxJDv17hjI/AAAAAAAAAXw/5HXlM3IQoXg/s320/Onion_8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412281180923594290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Quince Paste</span><br /><br />The final creation on my Lifesaver Day was quince paste. Prior to this recipe, I'm not sure I could have picked quince out of a crowd. I am not sure I have ever had them before and I'm certain that I have never cooked with them before. Luckily, the fine folks at Wegmans had several California grown in stock. I had actually been looking trying to catch them in season but had not had any success finding them locally (both locally grown and locally sourced). They magically appeared one day in November, I bought all of them, and I have not seen them since. I should say that I have kept an eye at Whole Foods as well and didn't have any luck when I was there in September and October.<br /><br />For the other quince virgins out there, take a look:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8wfuL_cI/AAAAAAAAAaI/HlSUHLAZZkg/s1600-h/Quince_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8wfuL_cI/AAAAAAAAAaI/HlSUHLAZZkg/s320/Quince_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412338024783281602" border="0" /></a>Kinda homely looking if you ask me. They look almost like a pear without a neck. I found the flesh to be more spongy rather than dense and juicy like a pear or apple. These were not juicy at all, they had a dry-ish texture that reminded me more of cutting into the kitchen sponge rather than a delicious fruit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8wYFlc5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/RWAmEXW4D0o/s1600-h/Quince_03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8wYFlc5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/RWAmEXW4D0o/s320/Quince_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412338022733935506" border="0" /></a><br />The recipe calls for a sachet (I used cheesecloth this time) of cinnamon, star anise and clove. The sachet is added to a pot of water containing the quinces and a vanilla bean.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mvulAUI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/U6lvHdw6UB4/s1600-h/Quince_04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mvulAUI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/U6lvHdw6UB4/s320/Quince_04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337857281196354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mNvVW3I/AAAAAAAAAZw/_kiKTYYKaqo/s1600-h/Quince_06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mNvVW3I/AAAAAAAAAZw/_kiKTYYKaqo/s320/Quince_06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337848157559666" border="0" /></a><br />The quinces are cooked until tender and then pureed:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mJsJqqI/AAAAAAAAAZo/C9WJGPBq8oE/s1600-h/Quince_07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8mJsJqqI/AAAAAAAAAZo/C9WJGPBq8oE/s320/Quince_07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337847070468770" border="0" /></a><br />The quince is measured after being pureed in order to measure the quantity of sugar needed for the next step.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8lqNlDoI/AAAAAAAAAZg/CQzaQ0beFx4/s1600-h/Quince_08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8lqNlDoI/AAAAAAAAAZg/CQzaQ0beFx4/s320/Quince_08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337838620741250" border="0" /></a><br />The puree, sugar and some lemon juice are added to a clean pot, brought to a simmer (simmering quince and sugar is like lava), and simmered for several hours until the quince is thick and a deep red color.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8lZIBBHI/AAAAAAAAAZY/YsqfBcA5tds/s1600-h/Quince_12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8lZIBBHI/AAAAAAAAAZY/YsqfBcA5tds/s320/Quince_12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337834034005106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8JVeog_I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/QuzuPDm3e5M/s1600-h/Quince_13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8JVeog_I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/QuzuPDm3e5M/s320/Quince_13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337352018789362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8I8xfMbI/AAAAAAAAAZI/M8NTMX0glWw/s1600-h/Quince_14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8I8xfMbI/AAAAAAAAAZI/M8NTMX0glWw/s320/Quince_14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337345386983858" border="0" /></a><br />Many hours later:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8Ig9AEeI/AAAAAAAAAZA/lG___fNgSAs/s1600-h/Quince_15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8Ig9AEeI/AAAAAAAAAZA/lG___fNgSAs/s320/Quince_15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337337919082978" border="0" /></a><br />The lava, um, quince is then put into a baking dish and placed in a low, low oven in order to dry.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8IurP-UI/AAAAAAAAAY4/atyKfRelrHs/s1600-h/Quince_16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8IurP-UI/AAAAAAAAAY4/atyKfRelrHs/s320/Quince_16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337341602724162" border="0" /></a><br />Once dry, the paste easily holds its shape and can be sliced and served with cheese, in this case, Manchego and Brie. Keller puts the shelf life on the paste at 6 months in the refrigerator.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8IDu6JbI/AAAAAAAAAYw/ga4VlFmx2kc/s1600-h/Quince1_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Sxx8IDu6JbI/AAAAAAAAAYw/ga4VlFmx2kc/s320/Quince1_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337330075346354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tasting Notes</span><br /><br />The pickles: I have never been much of a sweet pickle fan. I find both of these recipes to have more sweetness than my tastes can handle. I also thought that the flavoring agents (<span class="il">Piment</span> d'Espelette, curry, jalapeño) would have more of an impact on the final flavors than they did. I also like the combination of curry and carrot, but the flavor is lost in the vinegar and sugar. Perhaps the flavor will develop as the pickles hang out in the fridge for a while. Unfortunately, these items aren't flying out of the jar at this point.<br /><br />The red onion-cranberry marmalade: I was initially worried that I would never use such a condiment. I have made a fair share of onion confit-type sides that I have always likes, but I didn't know how the orange zest and apple juice would all work out. Not to mention that I was all but convinced that I would screw up something with the apple pectin and I would end up with something that more resembled a hard candy rather than a jam or marmalade. But, to my surprise, I didn't screw it up and the flavors really work well together. A little savory with the onion, a little sweet with the cranberry, a little tart with the cider vinegar. The first application was as a condiment to a little pork tenderloin and cauliflower gratin (told you I would use those leftovers). It kicked ass. I loved it, my wife loved it. We had to break the jar back out of the fridge mid-meal to refill our plates. This stuff really worked with pork, I could see how it would work well with duck confit and a variety of other applications. This one's a winner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxyCk575ZeI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/kZT8uLanTFw/s1600-h/Onion_marm1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SxyCk575ZeI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/kZT8uLanTFw/s320/Onion_marm1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412344422731441634" border="0" /></a><br />The quince paste: I don't care if I boiled gym socks for 45 minutes in a pot of water with a vanilla bean and three aromatic spices, they would probably be edible. However, take a fruit that is known for its floral qualities, add those same ingredients and it is bound to be a hit. As expected, this recipe is very good. In addition, this was a great way for quince and I to get to know one another. This paste goes great with all kinds of cheeses and adds a fancy touch to an otherwise pedestrian cheese board. The flavors evolve in your mouth: first sweet, then floral (with hints of vanilla), then spicy (cinnamon, clove and star anise spice, not cayenne). It is really, really nice and is something I will no doubt make again. Not to mention the darn thing lasts SIX MONTHS in the fridge (if you can stretch it that long - we ate half of ours in a month).<br /><br />Next Up: Pan Roasted Chicken with Sweet Sausage and Peppers<br /><br />Sources:<br />Champagne Vinegar from <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a><br /><span class="il">Piment</span> d'Espelette from <a href="http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spices/pappiment.html">Savory Spice Shop</a><br />Apple Pectin from <a href="http://sotirosfoodsinc.com/acatalog/">Sotiros Foods</a><br />Quince from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-37045117012698741212009-12-02T20:16:00.003-05:002009-12-02T20:18:14.690-05:00New Post Coming SoonSorry for the delay - a combination of a nasty work schedule and an extended Thanksgiving holiday has put me behind in my posting by a few days. I should have a post up this week and another next week - no more hiccups until Christmas.Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-13993415783022773272009-11-16T17:00:00.001-05:002009-11-16T17:47:30.730-05:00Grilled Asparagus with prosciutto, fried bread, poached egg, and aged balsamic vinegarLook at the title of this recipe.<br /><br />I love asparagus all by itself - but add prosciutto, crispy croutons, a poached egg and aged balsamic - you have my attention. And, as a bonus, it's as easy to make as it sounds: poach the egg, cook the asparagus, warm the croutons, assemble.<br /><br />This was actually a recipe of leftovers for me. It worked as a natural progression from the Cauliflower Soup <a href="http://adhocathome.blogspot.com/2009/11/cream-of-cauliflower-soup-with-red-beet.html">recipe</a> and the Roasted Beet Salad with soft-cooked eggs <a href="http://adhocathome.blogspot.com/2009/11/roasted-beet-and-potato-salad-with-soft.html">recipe</a> because I already had the fried bread croutons (from the soup) and I had some leftover Stone Barns eggs (from the roasted beet salad).<br /><br />Keller calls for pencil-thin asparagus - these were pretty close, perhaps a touch thicker. I snapped one of the bunch, then cut the rest of the asparagus to remove the woody ends. I also peeled the bottom half of each asparagus as directed in the recipe - I actually have made a habit out of peeling the stalks whenever I make asparagus. It makes them more tender in any preparation. It is a quick little tip that can really make a difference.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM5CnlfHI/AAAAAAAAAV4/-F_RvdHK4OM/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM5CnlfHI/AAAAAAAAAV4/-F_RvdHK4OM/s320/AHaH_Asparagus1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474464427932786" border="0" /></a><br />Next step was poaching the eggs. Keller is very specific about how he wants this done. Simmering, acidulated water is stirred TWICE (not once, not thrice) to create a small vortex and the egg is dropped in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM41D1GdI/AAAAAAAAAVw/5J9FPn_xqXg/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM41D1GdI/AAAAAAAAAVw/5J9FPn_xqXg/s320/AHaH_Asparagus2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474460788300242" border="0" /></a><br />I never make poached eggs, so I was not necessarily comfortable with just banging these eggs out - I took Keller at his word and followed the recipe <span style="font-style: italic;">exactly</span>. I will admit that the two-pot-stir technique worked very well. I will also admit that I did one of the eggs stirring the pot <span style="font-style: italic;">three times</span> and there was no substantial difference. I'm a rebel. After 90 seconds in the water, the egg is removed to an ice bath (not that icy, I know. I kinda forgot to make sure I was stocked up).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM4ksUewI/AAAAAAAAAVo/_cDOiZGq7Ao/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCM4ksUewI/AAAAAAAAAVo/_cDOiZGq7Ao/s320/AHaH_Asparagus3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474456394726146" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not telling which one was stirred three times.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMv-52BBI/AAAAAAAAAVg/VN4fIq0UhnE/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMv-52BBI/AAAAAAAAAVg/VN4fIq0UhnE/s320/AHaH_Asparagus4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474308811949074" border="0" /></a><br />With the eggs resting in the ice bath in the refrigerator, I moved onto grilling the asparagus. Except it was raining. And I don't have a grill pan (I think they are useless - guess I'm wrong). So I sauteed them.<br /><br />What?<br /><br />C'mon, it's not that big of a substitution. I put a fair amount of carmelization on them in the pan (yeah that overcrowded pan below).<br /><br />Alright. Fine.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I promise to make this again when I can grill the asparagus</span>.<br /><br />There, I said it. Happy?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvjXd-1I/AAAAAAAAAVY/DuHeGQAAIx4/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvjXd-1I/AAAAAAAAAVY/DuHeGQAAIx4/s320/AHaH_Asparagus5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474301420010322" border="0" /></a><br />Now for the assembly. The egg whites are trimmed with scissors to make them presentable and then re-warmed for thirty seconds in simmering water. I took the croutons out of the oven, arranged the prosciutto, asparagus and eggs then distributed the croutons. The eggs got a sprinkle of fleur de sel and a few cranks of pepper.<br /><br />It should be noted that I added the aged balsamic and olive oil after I photographed the plate. Do not forget this addition as the olive oil adds a nice peppery bite and the aged balsamic adds the sweet-tart note that is a nice balance to all the richness of the eggs.<br /><br />Take a look:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvaESLkI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/5ej9Z0zaJCs/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvaESLkI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/5ej9Z0zaJCs/s320/AHaH_Asparagus6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474298923626050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvfCok2I/AAAAAAAAAVI/Q9dAA8QS4uk/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvfCok2I/AAAAAAAAAVI/Q9dAA8QS4uk/s320/AHaH_Asparagus7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474300258882402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvJ1GT1I/AAAAAAAAAVA/cqbrqKGePGM/s1600-h/AHaH_Asparagus8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SwCMvJ1GT1I/AAAAAAAAAVA/cqbrqKGePGM/s320/AHaH_Asparagus8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404474294564966226" border="0" /></a><br />The sample presentation is one of my absolute favorites in the entire book; it is really hard to make this dish and not want to try to emulate Keller's plating.<br /><br />This salad is the real deal. It has everything going for it. Salty (prosciutto), sweet (asparagus and balsamic), tart (balsamic), richness (eggs and olive oil), and texture (croutons). It is also surprisingly filling - yet another example where my wife and I had every plan to have a protein along with this meal, but after eating this salad, we were satiated. No need for anything else. I am really impressed when a salad is able to satisfy my hunger. This one earns CleanPlateClub status.<br /><br />I also like this recipe because it looks elegant. I mean, it is elegant, but it really looks like something special. It is a perfect easy impress-your-friends kind of dish. It has individual components for easy plating in single-serving or family style portions and a dramatic, colorful presentation that is easy on the eyes.<br /><br />Sources:<br />Asparagus from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a><br />Prosciutto from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a><br />Eggs From <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a> via <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">NA Market</a><br />Torn Crouton leftovers<br />Balsamic Vinegar from <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a><br />Fleur de Sel from <a href="http://www.thespicehouse.com/">The Spice House</a>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-14679824420906050602009-11-12T20:40:00.005-05:002009-11-12T22:05:18.024-05:00AHaH Press, News and NotesJust a quick update as the good news keeps rolling in about Ad Hoc at Home. First, according to <a href="http://blog.ruhlman.com/">Michael Ruhlman</a>, AHaH has made it to #7 on the New York Times bestseller list. Wow. Such a distinction speaks to the widespread appeal and accessibility of this book - it tells me that the recipes/difficulty are exactly what people are looking for and that many, many people are pleased with the quality of the book and the word-of-mouth is spreading like <span style="font-style: italic;">crazy</span>.<br /><br />In addition, Ruhlman posted one of several <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/WorkmanPublishing">YouTube</a> videos released by Workman Publishing. The videos are brief anecdotes including tips for the home cook, information about the lightbulb moments included in the book as well as some of his favorite recipes. In his <a href="http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2009/11/ad-hoc-at-home.html">Ad Hoc post</a> Ruhlman also does an excellent job of recognizing the "non-Thomases" that made a contribution to the entire Ad Hoc at Home package.<br /><br />If you haven't yet seen (heard) the NPR interview with Keller, you can find the interview audio and four recipes <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120133084">here</a>. I'm actually somewhat surprised (impressed?) with the variety of recipes being released from this book. The promotional mailer for the book included <a href="http://www.foodgal.com/2009/06/tantalizing-preview-ad-hoc-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-by-thomas-keller/">recipes</a> for chocolate chip cookies and pineapple upside-down cake, caramelized sea scallops and leek bread pudding. The New York Times published <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/28keller.html?scp=3&sq=ad%20hoc&st=cse">recipes</a> for Chicken with Tarragon and Leek Bread Pudding; Helen Rosner (Grub Street) published the Mar i Mutanya <a href="http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2009/11/ad_hoc_recipe.html">recipe</a>; Today Show has the <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32543431/ns/today-today_food_and_wine/">recipe</a> for the fried chicken; NPR printed the <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120133084">recipes</a> for caramelized sea scallops, iceberg lettuce slices, rainbow chard and brownies. Edit: Just found this <a href="http://www.thedeliciouslife.com/blowtorch-prime-rib-roast-recipe-from-ad-hoc-at-home-by-thomas-keller/">recipe</a> for the Blowtorch Prime Rib.Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-74683786083519846592009-11-09T23:00:00.005-05:002009-11-10T21:40:23.732-05:00Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Red Beet Chips<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So maybe beets aren't my thing, but there is one veggie with which I have a love affair:</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI28oktBiI/AAAAAAAAAUg/al75jgqryB8/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI28oktBiI/AAAAAAAAAUg/al75jgqryB8/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439318482060834" /></a><br /><div>Cauliflower. As a kid, I couldn't stand the stuff - mainly because we were a broccoli family. Cauliflower looked like a bad impostor to my trusted (and tasty!) broccoli. It really wasn't until recently that I started to get along with cauliflower. First, we became friends, then more than friends; now, me and cauliflower, we're tight.<div><br /></div><div>Keller already has his cauliflower hooks in me from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bouchon-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579652395?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=adhoatho-20&creative=380733">Bouchon Cookbook</a>. The recipe for Cauliflower Gratin is fabulous. That dish is in a consistent rotation at my house - we are averaging twice per month right now. The secret ingredient in the gratin dish is the same secret ingredient in this cauliflower soup: yellow curry powder.</div><div><br /></div><div>Butter, leeks, onion, cauliflower (with some florets reserved for garnish), salt, and the curry powder are added to the pot and cooked over medium heat for about 20 minutes under a parchment lid.<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2us9BseI/AAAAAAAAAUY/-b4vNNIjTn8/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2us9BseI/AAAAAAAAAUY/-b4vNNIjTn8/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439079139652066" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2uc1aMPI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/4uVwZtEHNU8/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2uc1aMPI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/4uVwZtEHNU8/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439074812735730" /></a><br /></div><div>After the twenty minutes, the vegetables are starting to soften and the soup is ready for the dairy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2uLcX6vI/AAAAAAAAAUI/Y8cyIBJMt1w/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2uLcX6vI/AAAAAAAAAUI/Y8cyIBJMt1w/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439070144326386" /></a><br /></div><div>After thirty more minutes of cooking, the mixture is quite broken down and ready for a spin in the blender. The book recommends a <a href="http://www.vita-mix.com/">Vita-Mix</a> (if Santa is listening, the book recommends a <a href="http://www.vita-mix.com/">Vita-Mix</a>); I slummed it with my Kitchen-Aid and got an acceptable result.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2t8x7Y4I/AAAAAAAAAUA/cOWtDRALSqE/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2t8x7Y4I/AAAAAAAAAUA/cOWtDRALSqE/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439066208199554" /></a><br /></div><div>The book warns that the soup is thick; as you can clearly see below it is <i>very</i> thick. I needed to thin it out slightly as it was more like a pudding than a soup. A darn delicious pudding, though.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2txDZOlI/AAAAAAAAAT4/LFNbcTkFhC0/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2txDZOlI/AAAAAAAAAT4/LFNbcTkFhC0/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400439063060232786" /></a><br /></div><div>Once the soup is complete, the next step was to make the garnishes for the final presentation. The garnishes for the soup are torn croutons and red beet chips (I am getting back on the red beet horse). The torn croutons are fried in the oil from the garlic confit:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bw6kGgI/AAAAAAAAATw/FzieO6QvZn4/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bw6kGgI/AAAAAAAAATw/FzieO6QvZn4/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438753785551362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bnIoNLI/AAAAAAAAATo/EVKKIX42o9U/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bnIoNLI/AAAAAAAAATo/EVKKIX42o9U/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438751160186034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2boxCv8I/AAAAAAAAATg/X-TZO5U3WWc/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2boxCv8I/AAAAAAAAATg/X-TZO5U3WWc/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438751598133186" /></a><br /></div><div>The reserved cauliflower florets are blanched in salted and acidulated water until tender. Such a technique is similar to the technique that we have seen throughout - individually executed components combined at the last moment to make a final composed dish where each layer stands out because of the precise execution.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bMRb9rI/AAAAAAAAATY/L1Z_e78S334/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_14.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2bMRb9rI/AAAAAAAAATY/L1Z_e78S334/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438743949375154" /></a><br /></div><div>After they are drained, the florets are sauteed until golden brown:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2Pst9mEI/AAAAAAAAAS4/meFW-nPzlAk/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_18.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2Pst9mEI/AAAAAAAAAS4/meFW-nPzlAk/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_18.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438546500524098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><br /></div><div>The last step is to slice beet chips on the mandoline in preparation for frying. You'll notice the gloves which I think made mandoline slicing more treacherous. At one point, the beet went flying out of my hand, shot across the counter, onto the floor missing the dog's forehead by about three inches. While a red stain on the dog's head might sound funny, I would have been a dead man. The jury is still out on the rubber gloves.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2a_Wn6RI/AAAAAAAAATQ/w3920MVRG38/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_15.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2a_Wn6RI/AAAAAAAAATQ/w3920MVRG38/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438740481468690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2P9A8MSI/AAAAAAAAATI/VHLZQyI37dc/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2P9A8MSI/AAAAAAAAATI/VHLZQyI37dc/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_16.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438550875091234" /></a><br /></div><div>The chips were fried in hot oil until the beets are crisp and the bubbling subsides. The beet chips are drained and finished with salt.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PgrkzsI/AAAAAAAAATA/F5WebuSA-G4/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PgrkzsI/AAAAAAAAATA/F5WebuSA-G4/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_17.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438543269285570" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>The composition starts with the sauteed cauliflower, the creamy soup, torn croutons and beet chips. The soup is topped with olive oil and ground pepper. I finally got my lighting situation somewhat under control and I was able to capture some nice images:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PV2JpzI/AAAAAAAAASw/IRPEK_ad8P4/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_19.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PV2JpzI/AAAAAAAAASw/IRPEK_ad8P4/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_19.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438540360853298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PGKCvdI/AAAAAAAAASo/S-U59WPN8V0/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_20.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2PGKCvdI/AAAAAAAAASo/S-U59WPN8V0/s320/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_20.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438536149319122" /></a><br /></div><div>Verdict? Un-<i>fricking</i>-believable. Keller describes this soup as unctuous, velvety, elegant and satisfying. Yep, yep, yep and yep. The curry adds a nice savory spice note to offset some of the sweetness of the cauliflower but the curry is not overpowering. The sauteed cauliflower florets add a nice subtle texture while the crouton and beet chips add a firmer crunch to the soup. The garlic confit oil in which the croutons were fried did not overwhelm the dish - the garlic flavor is very soft.</div><div><br /></div><div>What about the beets? We've made up. The beet chips are sweet, salty, beautiful, and they add a nice texture to the soup. They don't add a flavor profile that the dish needs to be successful, but they do add to a striking presentation that would make the dish perfect for company. I am staring to run out of adjectives to describe the dishes that are coming out of this book. This particular soup is definitely going to make its way into the rotation at my house.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sources: </div><div style="text-align: left;">Locally grown cauliflower, dairy, bread for croutons from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.wegmans.com">Wegmans</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Curry Powder from <a href="http://www.thespicehouse.com/">The Spice House</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Beets from <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">NA Market</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Edit 11/10/09 to add sources)</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SvI2ACaepjI/AAAAAAAAASg/tdO3mJdd8zg/s1600-h/AHAH_Cauliflower_Soup_08.jpg"></a></div></div></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-7301931047276780562009-11-07T08:44:00.006-05:002009-11-09T21:53:55.065-05:00Behind the Curtain<div>I am jealous of Helen Rosner; really jealous. She was able to peek behind the curtain at Ad Hoc as she and chef de cuisine Dave Cruz made a dish from the cookbook.</div><div><br /></div>Rosner, from <a href="http://grubstreet.com/">Grub Street</a> fame, has posted a photo step-by-step where she and chef Cruz make Chicken Mar i Mutanya. Rosner does a nice job of letting us know when Chef Cruz deviates from the printed recipe as well as noting some of chef Cruz's useful tips along the way. There is also a link for a printable version of the recipe and another link with behind-the-scenes photos. If you are interested (as you should be), the link is below:<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2009/11/ad_hoc_recipe.html">http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2009/11/ad_hoc_recipe.html</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next Up: Cauliflower Soup</div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-52579920959345566292009-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:002009-11-02T06:00:20.696-05:00Roasted Beet and Potato Salad with soft-cooked egg, smoked salmon, and mustard vinaigrette<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't like beets.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Actually, I don't know if I like beets or not because I avoid them. I'm not sure I've ever even eaten a beet - any beet - let alone one of the three varieties needed for this recipe. But, while at the <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">New Amsterdam Market</a>, I saw these beauties - red and chioggia varieties:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsOr4GMI/AAAAAAAAAPY/ASsytVOZUaM/s1600-h/AHAH_02.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsOr4GMI/AAAAAAAAAPY/ASsytVOZUaM/s320/AHAH_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200430980765890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While at the market I also purchased a dozen eggs from <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a> and I wanted to use them in a way that would show them off - not scrambled or in a quiche. The last component I needed were marble potatoes. I was not able to find the marble variety so I substituted baby white, yukon gold and red bliss potatoes from the grocery. In reality, this recipe came together naturally because of the great ingredients available at the market. I love that.</div><div><br /></div><div>This recipe, like a lot of others in the book, requires each individual component to be cooked and seasoned separately and assembled to create the final presentation. I have mentioned before that these are not one-pot dishes; by giving each ingredient individualized attention, each ingredient is going to shine in the finished product. Such construction will be a common theme as this project progresses. I started by roasting the beets (each variety roasted separately, of course):</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsT4HHDI/AAAAAAAAAPg/_z9Qlp7xLos/s1600-h/AHAH_03.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsT4HHDI/AAAAAAAAAPg/_z9Qlp7xLos/s320/AHAH_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200432374258738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once cooked, I let the beets cool before I peeled and cut them into bite-size pieces. I don't have pictures of this process because I was trying not to stain my hands/kitchen/everything with red beet juice. I peeled them with paper towels and managed not to get too much staining on my hands. I was pretty proud of myself but, knowing my luck wouldn't last, I went to Walgreens to buy latex gloves for my next beet preparation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Step Two: Eggs. I took the huge, beautiful <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a> eggs and cooked them according to the "soft-cooked" instructions (I usually give my eggs ten minutes in the hot tub for regular hard boiled - the recipe called for seven minutes).</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsrArx2I/AAAAAAAAAPo/l_Ny1xNJYq8/s1600-h/AHAH_04.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCsrArx2I/AAAAAAAAAPo/l_Ny1xNJYq8/s320/AHAH_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200438584231778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After they spent seven minutes in the water I put them into an ice bath to cool. Once thoroughly cool, I peeled them under running water and stored them in the refrigerator:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCs-5AcuI/AAAAAAAAAPw/JEoUAPD09gE/s1600-h/AHAH_05.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCs-5AcuI/AAAAAAAAAPw/JEoUAPD09gE/s320/AHAH_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200443920741090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Step Three: Potatoes. The recipe calls for each variety of potato to be cooked separately (obviously). However, I did not have purple potatoes that could potentially discolor the other non-blue potatoes, so I cooked them all together. Also, the potato water was seasoned with salt and a sachet (a bouquet garni of sorts). The sachet is supposed to be wrapped in cheesecloth and removed after cooking. I didn't have any cheesecloth and figured that I could pick the potatoes cleanly from the sachet ingredients, so I skipped this step. In retrospect, it would have been easier if I had used the cheesecloth - but it was not totally necessary. I will tell you that I snacked on a few of the cooked potatoes before I plated the final dish and they were <i>good</i>. This treat-each-ingredient-separately idea is pretty ingenious (and delicious). </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Su35vWgCnLI/AAAAAAAAARY/McU5Ya32oks/s1600-h/AHAH_07.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/Su35vWgCnLI/AAAAAAAAARY/McU5Ya32oks/s320/AHAH_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399246120176229554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Step Four: Vinaigrette. This is a pretty straightforward mustard vinaigrette with champagne vinegar, mustard, extra virgin olive oil and it is finished with some whole grain mustard so you know what you're eating.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCs1p6mDI/AAAAAAAAAP4/lRHbkn0UU8Y/s1600-h/AHAH_06.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupCs1p6mDI/AAAAAAAAAP4/lRHbkn0UU8Y/s320/AHAH_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200441441523762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Step Five: Assembly. Lettuce, potatoes, beets, eggs and dressing. The potatoes are tossed in a little dressing before being added to the salad.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC7tktqFI/AAAAAAAAAQI/o0Mft-MH-VA/s1600-h/AHAH_08.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC7tktqFI/AAAAAAAAAQI/o0Mft-MH-VA/s320/AHAH_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200696970258514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>The recipe calls for the salad to be built in layers:<br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC77syLtI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/TPd48Ml5pNk/s1600-h/AHAH_09.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC77syLtI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/TPd48Ml5pNk/s320/AHAH_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200700762205906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The finished salad - sorry for the terrible light. I'm working on it. I promise. But look at that salad - colorful, complex, fresh, smoky (with the salmon):</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC8I7tasI/AAAAAAAAAQY/T9NMSvbx8Tg/s1600-h/AHAH_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC8I7tasI/AAAAAAAAAQY/T9NMSvbx8Tg/s320/AHAH_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200704314469058" /></a><br /></div><div>So, how was it?</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupDApHFUsI/AAAAAAAAAQo/fXtaFl2_f-4/s1600-h/AHAH_12.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupDApHFUsI/AAAAAAAAAQo/fXtaFl2_f-4/s320/AHAH_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200781671584450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Not exactly CleanPlateClub status, but close. My wife and I started eating this salad thinking that we would have another component of our dinner - I had some skirt steak marinating in the fridge - but after this dish, we were full. Not stuffed, but satisfied. It was rich enough with the smoked salmon; the potatoes were tasty and filling. But this salad was not my favorite. Not to say that it was nasty or terrible, just not get-the-defibrillator good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the problems were my creation:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC8MAbH2I/AAAAAAAAAQg/bAv26Evn2CY/s1600-h/AHAH_11.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SupC8MAbH2I/AAAAAAAAAQg/bAv26Evn2CY/s320/AHAH_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398200705139548002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div>See those nasty yolks? My fault. I should have cooked the eggs longer than the seven minutes suggested. These were very large eggs, but I didn't want to overcook them. I wimped out and second-guessed myself. Dammit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Regarding those <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a> eggs - the yolks were orange, not yellow. My always eloquent wife said, "Holy Crap! Those yolks are like, neon orange." In her defense, they really were remarkable - even more than other farmer's market free-range eggs I've gotten in the past. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, I don't think properly cooked eggs would have saved or made the salad. They would have added a certain richness and cut some of the sharpness of the mustard vinaigrette, but still, the earthiness of the beets was too overpowering for my beet-virgin palate. While I preferred the chioggias to the red beets, I would not say that I "liked" either of them. The smoked salmon was a nice touch. This salad would have been a complete pass without it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most likely, I will not be making this preparation again. But I did give it a try and now I know for sure: </div><div><br /></div><div>I do not like beets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sources:</div><div>Beets from <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">NA Market</a>: 2.89/lb.</div><div>Salad Greens from my garden</div><div>Smoked Salmon from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div><div>Potatoes from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div><div>Eggs from <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a>: 5/doz.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-16560613739296088752009-10-29T21:37:00.004-04:002009-11-07T09:16:59.599-05:00Last Meal ArticleIf you haven't read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/28keller.html?ref=dining">this article</a> in the New York Times about Keller, you are missing out. It is a nice piece about the kind of person Thomas Keller is and the powerful memories food can create.<div><br /></div><div>As an added bonus, there are two recipes from Ad Hoc at Home: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/281krex.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26refQ3Ddining&OP=2c7bb00bQ2F0Q2AQ5Ec0bq_K6qqJB0Bwwl0Q2Bw0BH0bLQ3CLQ3CQ600BHQ2BE6Q5EQ2F(Q51J9I">Sauteed Chicken Breasts With Tarragon</a> and the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/282krex.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26refQ3Ddining&OP=66e55a46Q2FKQ5BPEKYgQ5D8_ggmyKy55NKQ2B5KyLKYw-w-Q7DKyLy2_PQ26aQ51mZp">Leek Bread Pudding</a> (free registration required). I have heard from several sources that the leek bread pudding is the real deal.</div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-51013453128440794852009-10-28T19:40:00.016-04:002009-10-29T21:28:52.219-04:00Mushroom Soup with cavolo nero and yukon gold potatoes<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Recipe number one!</div><div><br /></div><div>Why this one? Cause I got awesome ingredients at the <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">New Amsterdam Market</a> that were a perfect fit for this recipe. I did it because that's what the ingredients told me to do - which is part of my goal here - to eat seasonally driven food. Look at this Hen of the Woods mushroom from <a href="http://wildgourmetfood.com/">Wild Gourmet</a>. It was very, very fresh and had <i>unbelievable</i> flavor:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDCo-waI/AAAAAAAAAOg/tYxCP1OJc0Y/s1600-h/MushSoup_07.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDCo-waI/AAAAAAAAAOg/tYxCP1OJc0Y/s320/MushSoup_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803899186758050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This recipe made use of three other embedded recipes: the sachet, the mushroom stock, and the garlic puree. I started with the mushroom stock. Remembering that I am cutting down recipes as need be, I only made a half recipe of the mushroom stock. I started by putting the leek greens, onion, carrot and button mushrooms in the food processor.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZxz5RboI/AAAAAAAAANw/-XuGEUhiqIs/s320/MushSoup_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803603170782850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div>I promise that the Fresca in the photo is not mine. But I did have some. It was a crime of opportunity. You'd take a swig if it was that close to you...</div><div><br /></div><div>I finely chopped the mushrooms and aromatics in the food processor and then added water:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujcPPSR6oI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/TjbWXpBo5lg/s1600-h/MushSoup_02.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujcPPSR6oI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/TjbWXpBo5lg/s320/MushSoup_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397806307762891394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujcPEyd48I/AAAAAAAAAPI/t8IvbuhOh24/s1600-h/MushSoup_03.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujcPEyd48I/AAAAAAAAAPI/t8IvbuhOh24/s320/MushSoup_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397806304945103810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This combination simmered for about 45 minutes while I prepared the other components like the garlic confit:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZyvJR8TI/AAAAAAAAAOI/rjrL6asKQI0/s1600-h/MushSoup_04.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZyvJR8TI/AAAAAAAAAOI/rjrL6asKQI0/s320/MushSoup_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803619075617074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once the cloves were softened and had cooled I put them through a tamis and ended up with garlic (confit) paste. Edit: The garlic puree is stirred into the mushroom broth in the final assembly. Because it is cooked slowly for a long time, there is not a lot of bite, just a nice, soft garlic note:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDuBFhBI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Mbout1frQw4/s1600-h/MushSoup_10.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDuBFhBI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Mbout1frQw4/s320/MushSoup_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803910830588946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I sauteed the Hen of the Woods mushroom in two batches:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDWuQpiI/AAAAAAAAAOo/-kB4Sxy4TJw/s1600-h/MushSoup_08.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDWuQpiI/AAAAAAAAAOo/-kB4Sxy4TJw/s320/MushSoup_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803904577611298" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I also "big pot" blanched the kale (cavolo nero) and cooking the potatoes with the sachet (you'll notice that I didn't take the time to wrap the sachet ingredients with cheesecloth - I didn't do it because the potato pieces were large enough to pick out cleanly for the finished dish). I will tell you that the potatoes cooked separately with the aromatics of the sachet were unreal on their own. So good. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZym50pAI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/BUTBYnV5Pc0/s1600-h/MushSoup_05.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujZym50pAI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/BUTBYnV5Pc0/s320/MushSoup_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803616863298562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now that the individual components were ready, it was time to assemble the finished product.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDXggNJI/AAAAAAAAAOw/frOjTbWGwnw/s1600-h/MushSoup_09.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaDXggNJI/AAAAAAAAAOw/frOjTbWGwnw/s320/MushSoup_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803904788346002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> One thing that is clear in this recipe is that each component is given the consideration necessary to be a contributing player in the final dish. The stock is layered with flavor (and gilded with the garlic puree), the final soup has leeks, onion and carrot for additional flavor (cooked under a parchment lid no less);</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaCyGw09I/AAAAAAAAAOY/0gMTUox9hF4/s1600-h/MushSoup_06.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaCyGw09I/AAAAAAAAAOY/0gMTUox9hF4/s320/MushSoup_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397803894748271570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>the potatoes are cooked separately and flavored by the sachet (additional layers of flavor), and the mushrooms are sauteed separately and seasoned separately to add even more complexity. This is not a one-pot-dish. It is a familiar dish (mushroom soup) with a complex flavor worth the extra effort. The final result? Awesome. Would I cook it again? Yes. Would I serve it to guests? You bet.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaYJlOy6I/AAAAAAAAAPA/Lrofr_nV6LM/s1600-h/MushSoup_11.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SujaYJlOy6I/AAAAAAAAAPA/Lrofr_nV6LM/s320/MushSoup_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397804261827333026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Confession: Okay, fine. I'll admit it (in the spirit of full disclosure). I forgot stuff. Rookie mistake. No need to yell. I forgot to hit my final dish with a little vinegar and olive oil. BUT, I did remember to do it for my lunch the next day and it made a HUGE difference - in a good way. The addition added to the layers of flavor - a nice bite from the vinegar and a nice richness/bite from the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I just got so excited as I finished my first dish that I wanted to eat it. Right now. So I jumped the gun. I'll try not to do it again. But I probably will. Sorry.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sources (I will provide the prices as available):</div><div>Hen of the Woods Mushroom from <a href="http://www.wildgourmetfood.com/">Wild Gourmet</a> (via NA Market) - $32/lb</div><div>Button mushrooms, spanish onion, carrot, potatoes and kale from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a></div><div>Leeks from <a href="http://www.thehealthshoppes.com/">Health Shoppe</a> (via NA Market) $2.99/bunch</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Edit 10/29/09 for clarity</div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-80493194464710009092009-10-25T20:51:00.004-04:002009-10-25T21:53:08.318-04:00New Amsterdam Market<div style="text-align: left;">As I have made very clear in my <a href="http://twitter.com/adhocathome">Twitter</a> posts, I was very much looking forward to the <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">New Amsterdam Market</a> today (10/25/09). As we approached the South Street Seaport, my wife and I could see tents, hear music and we could see TONS of people. I couldn't believe my eyes - I thought that the NAM was going to be small, not at all flashy, attended by guys and gals that were interested in sustainable farming practices and high quality ingredients, not a mass-appeal for all New Yorkers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Turns out I was wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, technically, I was right, the NAM was what I thought it would be; I just happened to stumble right into the middle of the <a href="http://stepout.diabetes.org/site/TR/StepOut/StepOut080058010?pg=entry&fr_id=6372">Step Out Walk to Fight Diabetes</a>. They had a stage, and music and booths everywhere - it was a very well-attended, worthwhile event. But they weren't selling oxtail - so I left and went looking for the NAM.</div><div><br /></div><div>The market ended up being a few blocks down the road right in front of the Fulton Fish Market near the Brooklyn Bridge and it was exactly what I was hoping for: low-key vibe, great vendors, great products. Take a look:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6x8_5h5I/AAAAAAAAANg/5YpZ5SiJvtU/s1600-h/NAM_7.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6x8_5h5I/AAAAAAAAANg/5YpZ5SiJvtU/s320/NAM_7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713989591369618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/index.html">New Amsterdam Market</a></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6x80pg2I/AAAAAAAAANY/syx1YrArbag/s1600-h/NAM_6.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6x80pg2I/AAAAAAAAANY/syx1YrArbag/s320/NAM_6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713989544182626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://queensfarm.org/">Queen County Farm</a></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mlUu3JI/AAAAAAAAANQ/XHyzw-MF7Vk/s1600-h/NAM_5.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mlUu3JI/AAAAAAAAANQ/XHyzw-MF7Vk/s320/NAM_5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713794257738898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The <a href="http://thebrooklynkitchen.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/the-meat-hook-is-open-virtually/">Meat Hook</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">(love the Brooklyn Bridge in the background)</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6maxbWgI/AAAAAAAAANI/Oiemv090sxg/s1600-h/NAM_4.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6maxbWgI/AAAAAAAAANI/Oiemv090sxg/s320/NAM_4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713791425305090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thehealthshoppes.com/">Health Shoppe</a> Leeks</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mSp7hDI/AAAAAAAAANA/mFu0YioLZA0/s1600-h/NAM_3.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mSp7hDI/AAAAAAAAANA/mFu0YioLZA0/s320/NAM_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713789246374962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.balthazarbakery.com">Balthazar</a> Bakery</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mF-KPjI/AAAAAAAAAM4/SgZKWh3v5j4/s1600-h/NAM_2.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6mF-KPjI/AAAAAAAAAM4/SgZKWh3v5j4/s320/NAM_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713785841565234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The makings of a <a href="http://porchettanyc.com/">Porchetta</a> sandwich</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6l_b6S4I/AAAAAAAAAMw/d_-52c77fpA/s1600-h/NAM_1.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6l_b6S4I/AAAAAAAAAMw/d_-52c77fpA/s320/NAM_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713784087300994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheese from <a href="http://pamperedcow.com/">Twin Maple Farm</a></div><div>Here is the take:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6yMvHL6I/AAAAAAAAANo/905uQVE5KwQ/s1600-h/NAM_8.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/SuT6yMvHL6I/AAAAAAAAANo/905uQVE5KwQ/s320/NAM_8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396713993815928738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Skirt steak and oxtail from <a href="http://grassfedmeat.net/">Fleisher's</a>; duck breasts and legs (and bucket of duck fat in the back) from <a href="http://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com/index.html">Hudson Valley Duck Farm</a>; Hen of the Woods mushroom from <a href="http://wildgourmetfood.com/">Wild Gourmet</a>; leeks and beets from <a href="http://www.thehealthshoppes.com/">Health Shoppe</a>; eggs from <a href="http://stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns</a>; pork belly from <a href="http://queensfarm.org">Queens County Farm</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The mushroom turned into soup (post later this week) and the rest of the items will be put to good use as I prepare some of the fall/winter dishes in the book. Oxtail tartine, marinated skirt steak, duck confit, pickled leeks... Stay tuned.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next up: Mushroom and Kale Soup</div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-73413621932352086072009-10-21T21:51:00.007-04:002009-10-21T22:29:14.528-04:00SourcingThe nice part about this book is that it doesn't require many specialized ingredients or equipment to complete the recipes. There are a few items that I <i>need</i> to get from mail order sources (apple pectin and piment d'Espelette, specifically) and there are a couple items that I would <i>like</i> to get because I want to try Keller's suggested brands over the ones I currently use (like this <a href="http://markethallfoods.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_mh_info&products_id=263">polenta</a>). Assuming the ingredients get here next week, I should be ready to get cooking. I will post about my mail order sources and experiences once the orders arrive. I am using some of Keller's suggestions and I am going rogue on others.<div><br /></div><div>In other news, I will be attending the <a href="http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/">New Amsterdam Market</a> in NYC on Sunday October 25. The market has a number of interesting vendors whose selections I am interested in surveying (<a href="http://grassfedmeat.net/">Fleisher's</a>, <a href="http://thebrooklynkitchen.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/the-meat-hook-is-open-virtually/">The Meat Hook</a>, Hudson Valley Duck, <a href="http://stonebarnscenter.org/">Stone Barns Center</a>, <a href="http://www.thepiggery.net/">The Piggery</a> to name a few). They also have a several cheesemongers (<a href="http://saxelbycheese.com/">Saxelby</a>, <a href="http://jasperhillfarm.com/">Jasper Hill</a>) who might have some of the selections I am looking to procure. I'll do a blog entry on Sunday evening if I have a worthwhile bounty. I'll also Twitter from the event for those of you that swing that way.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly, the book continues to get good reviews (see <a href="http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/deliberately-eating-together-thomas-kellers-ad-hoc-at-home-cookbook-review/">here</a>). People really seem to connect with the less formal Keller.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-72156079143165862472009-10-19T06:00:00.002-04:002009-10-19T06:00:00.859-04:00The Rules of Engagement<div>Why do this at all? </div><div>First, I have a great appreciation for Thomas Keller, a great appreciation for what he has done for food in America and great respect for the way that he works with farmers and other producers to get the best ingredients he can for his dishes. I also love his restaurant <a href="http://www.adhocrestaurant.com/">Ad Hoc</a>. My wife and I were there in July and had an excellent meal. So good that, from the restaurant, we called and cancelled our reservations for the next night and made a reservation for Ad Hoc. The vibe was perfect; the food was familiar but precisely executed and the staff was attentive but relaxed. It was totally our speed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Couple my enthusiasm for Ad Hoc and Thomas Keller with my love of cooking and we are one step closer to how I arrived here. Food is my hobby. Some people (like my sister) hate cooking; to them it's a chore. To me it is a pleasure. I cook to relax. As a teacher, I used to LOVE snow days because, if the weather predictions were bad enough the night before and I could reasonably predict a snow day, I could start my pre-ferment for a loaf of ciabatta or a French country loaf and spend the entire next day creating something from scratch. I loved how involved the process was, how everything was done by hand and how I was rewarded for my efforts in the end.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward to today. As an avid home cook I naturally gravitated to the internet and food blogs. Two of my favorite blogs are/were <a href="http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com/">French Laundry at Home</a> where Carol Blymire cooked her way through the entire <a href="http://www.amazon.com/French-Laundry-Cookbook-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579651267?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=adhoatho-20&creative=380733">French Laundry Cookbook</a> and <a href="http://www.ruhlman.com/">Michael Ruhlman's blog</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Carol's blog was so impressive that I was instantly hooked on cook-the-book blogs. She has a great voice and impressive tenacity resulting in a fun read. She spends her time now cooking her way through <a href="http://www.alineaathome.com/">Alinea</a> - a book focused on molecular gastronomy. Impressive.</div><div><br /></div><div>Michael Ruhlman is a prolific food writer who has contributed to each of Keller's cookbooks and has written a number of books of his own. I own his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Craft-Salting-Smoking-Curing/dp/0393058298?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=adhoatho-20&creative=380733">Charcuterie</a> cookbook which explains why I have meat hanging from my basement rafters. He writes on many food related topics and his blog is supported by his wife's beautiful photography.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I heard that Ad Hoc at Home was almost complete, I made the decision to try food blogging myself. I think this book is the perfect blogging gateway because the food is very accessible. No hard-to-find ingredients, no sous-vide, just great ingredients and excellent execution.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what do I hope to get out of it? </div><div>A sense of accomplishment for setting out a goal and seeing it all the way through to the end. I also hope to re-invigorate myself in the kitchen. You see, I took a job in administration a couple years back, so I don't get snow days anymore. That makes me sad and worse, has turned eating and cooking into (don't say it!) a, um, chore... </div><div><br /></div><div>I come home late, throw something together with crap from the pantry and the resulting food is uninspired. My wife said to me not too long ago that she thought I was "less creative" in the kitchen. I didn't like it, but she was totally correct. So, this project is hopefully a kick in the ass. I hope this project inspires me ways to work with ingredients that I hadn't thought of, I hope it inspires me to use different ingredients and try different food pairings and I hope that it inspires me to get back in the kitchen and be creative.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's my story and my inspiration for this blog. Let's talk nuts and bolts so you know what the specific parameters are:</div><div><br />1. As with all cook-the-book blogs, I will not be providing the recipes I am cooking. Some of the recipes are available online in many places. Recipes like the Fried Chicken and Chocolate Chip Cookies are easily found with a simple search.</div><div><br />2. I will be cooking every recipe in the book. Sure, some of the techniques are the same, but there is a reason Thomas Keller included them all in the book, so I will not take any shortcuts.</div><div><br />3. I will do my best not to substitute ingredients unless it is absolutely necessary. I do not have quite the access to ingredients that one in the Napa Valley might have, but I shall do my best. There are some ingredients that I have already planned to grow in my own garden for the specific use of this project. And really, isn't that what this is all about? Using the right ingredients in the right way to get the right results; I think so.</div><div><br />4. Keller puts it very simply: Great Product + Great Execution = Great Cooking. As such, I will be looking for and using great products. When possible, I will use produce from farmers markets and meats fresh from the farm. If that is not possible, I will seek out the best grocery store items available. There is not a <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a> very close, but <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a> is a fair substitute.<br /><br /></div><div>4b. I will do my best to introduce you to the farmers from whom I buy ingredients. They are great people with great products and great passion for what they do.</div><div><br />5. Most of the recipes are for six servings but there are only two of us in the house, so I will be decreasing quantities by half when possible.<br /><br /></div><div>6. At the restaurant, Keller serves a composed cheese course as one of the four courses on the menu. In the book, he lists ten of his favorite cheeses and the way he serves each. I will complete each of these ten servings as individual dishes throughout the course of the blog. The book also pictures 13 other cheeses - I will try to sample each of these as well and comment in a short post for each.<br /><br /></div><div>7. Keller mentions meal parings throughout the course of the book; for example, he suggests pairing the Garlic Mashed Potatoes with the Fried Chicken. When he makes a suggestion like this, I will obey. Not every recipe has a pair in the book, but I will do my best to make the combinations he suggests. A lot of the salads are not paired, thus, I will mix them in as the season and ingredients permit.<br /><br /></div><div>8. I will do my best to post once a week. Cooking for the blog on Saturdays seems like it will make the most sense with a post on Sunday, maybe Monday morning. If I have enough for a second post, it will come mid-week.<br /><br /></div><div>9. When I have a question about a recipe I will try to get in touch with the authors to get an answer. With their permission, I will post the responses on the blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those are the ground rules. I have almost completed planning out the entire book by meal and by season. This week I plan on getting my mail-order items ordered and shipped so that I can, hopefully, be cooking and blogging in a week or two. Until then...</div><div><br /></div>Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-22662164190051019432009-10-14T21:02:00.005-04:002009-10-15T21:30:23.619-04:00mise-en-placeKeller writes extensively about being organized. The term in the kitchen is mise-en-place, French for "put in place." It means having everything at one's hands, prepared, ready to go. To carry the kitchen analogy, I am currently prepping for service. If I intend to do this project, this book and these authors justice, I have to get organized. Big time.<br /><br />I was lucky enough to exchange emails with co-author <a href="http://www.ruhlman.com/">Michael Ruhlman</a> (one of the best out there) and Carol Blymire (of <a href="http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com/">FL@H</a> and <a href="http://www.alineaathome.com/">Alinea at Home</a> fame) about blogging in general and what a cook-the-book adventure is like. Carol was frank and honest and really put my head in the right place with what a project like this requires. But she also informed me of the extensive planning and preparation that goes into her work.<br /><br />I am not rushing into the project. I will be taking the next couple of weeks to read the entire book, cover to cover. I want to get a feel for the flow of the book, how I want to organize the dishes, what I need to make in advance, etc. I then will put each recipe into a spreadsheet organized by season - for product availability - noting any special order ingredients - to schedule mail-order time into my planning. I hope to post at least once per week but I want to post composed dishes. If the book suggests a recipe pairing (as it frequently does), I will make the pair for one post.<br /><br />I have already made a few items and they are great. I am getting more and more excited as I think about the great food I'm going to be eating throughout this project.<br /><br />Until next time.<br /><br />Next Post: The Rules of EngagementAd Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-69515590579119616262009-10-11T22:18:00.012-04:002009-10-18T21:45:26.748-04:00It's Here!Ad Hoc at Home has hit the shelves. I think. While at <a href="http://www.bn.com/">Barnes and Noble</a> on Saturday looking for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flavor-Bible-Essential-Creativity-Imaginative/dp/0316118400"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Flavor Bible</span></a> I saw something that caught my eye:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/StKaUUS-G3I/AAAAAAAAAMo/x784HpV4u3g/s1600-h/Purchase.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okE1Hx3PINg/StKaUUS-G3I/AAAAAAAAAMo/x784HpV4u3g/s320/Purchase.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391541377752243058" border="0" /></a>Look familiar?<br /><br />I immediately snagged a copy (such a description makes it sound controlled, like I wouldn't have knocked over an old lady to get my hands on the book. Let's be clear...no old lady was getting in my way). I sorta felt like I was breaking the rules; see, I have been in contact with the publishing company about receiving permission to use the artwork and book title in this blog and my <a href="http://www.twitter.com/adhocathome">AHaH Twitter</a> account - I'm actually still waiting for final approvals - and all information from the publisher was that the book would not be released until November. Even so, when I saw the book I did three things:<br />1. The aforementioned snatch-and-grab (and pay)<br />2. Emailed my contact at the publisher<br />3. Tweeted <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ruhlman">@ruhlman</a> on Twitter to see if the release was premature or legit.<br /><br />His response speaks volumes: "<span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">@<a class="tweet-url username" href="http://twitter.com/adhocathome">adhocathome</a> I haven't even seen a finished copy! if it was softcover, it was a bootlegged galley. don't think finished books have shipped"<br /><br />After a few tweets and email exchanges, I assured (convinced?) Ruhlman that I had my hands on a hardcover, legitimate copy of his book that he had not yet seen himself. I can't explain it but I am certainly not complaining.<br /></span></span><br />The book is gorgeous. It is the same size as <span style="font-style: italic;">The French Laundry </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Bouchon </span>with a lot of similarities in overall composition (i.e. intermittent essays explaining ingredients or cooking techniques). It has a lot of very user-friendly tips for the home cook. There are "light bulb moments" that provide anecdotal information about the topic being discussed. Each recipe has suggestions about pairings or substitutions if certain ingredients are not available - certainly a useful feature.<br /><br />The book has the expected Keller-esque attention to quality ingredients and proper cooking technique without any pretense or stodginess. The book is playful and very accessible, no recipe seems too daunting. Certainly some of the techniques may be prolonged or involved, but not out-of-reach for a home cook.<br /><br />I had to cook something out of the book right away, but more on that later. Needless to say that the results were outrageously good. Part technique, part quality product (local farmer's market) with a phenomenal result.<br /><br />More on the blog, the plan of attack, the rules of engagement, etc. in days and weeks to come (heck, I thought I had until November to get organized!).Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364060868943476569.post-45908192992168723712009-09-17T19:41:00.002-04:002009-10-14T21:02:39.387-04:00Cook the BookAd Hoc at Home "cook the book" blog test post. Awaiting clearance from Artisan Publishing.<br /><br />Edit 10/14/09: Artwork credit provided by Artisan. Officially starting blog.Ad Hoc at Homehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10167868788233410503noreply@blogger.com1