The Epicurean Pig

Bacon Jam BLTs from the Bacon Station

2010-05-24T17:04:00.001-07:00

So here is the recipe that whooped some ass, pleased some palettes and hopefully inspired a few smiles at the annual Guys Can Cook Competition. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, voted and provided the kind words. And thank you to the vegetarians who were willing to try a little bacon jam. It was a great event and we were lucky enough to walk away with the Popular Choice Award and the Critics Award for our category. I'm already plotting what I can feed people next year. In the meantime, make yourself some jam.

Bacon Jam

2 cups bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
1/2 cup yellow onions, julienned
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

1. Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy.

2. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden.

3. Add brown sugar and stir to coat.

4. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn.

5. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick.

6. Add all of the remaining stock, reduce and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Pour contents into a blender, add bacon back in and puree until fairly smooth (leave some bacon chunks though)

8. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine.

9. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached.

10. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

Fettucine with Asparagus, Peas and Bacon Salt (Magically Meat Free)

2010-04-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

So my latest experiment has officially begun- 30 days of eating vegetarian. Now, those that know me are all well aware of my enthusiasm towards meat, bacon and other tasty, fatty bits. That being said, I'll be turning 30 in one month, so the prospect of spending the last 30 days of my twenties eating as healthy as humanly possible is not a bad one, especially consider the abuse I've doled out on this body over my relatively short lifetime (broken back, stingray attack and the list goes on).

My game plan- document how a serious carnivore, who loves to cook, can find a way to skip the meat for a month. My creativity has already been challenged a bit and watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations last night didn't help. Anyways, here is the first of many recipes to come. And it was actually pretty tasty. And if you don't have Tofurkey around (who the hell would unless you're an aspiring vegetarian with meat withdraws), don't worry about it. You're not missing anything. Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 ounces fettuccine or penne
2 Italian tofurkey sausages (optional), sliced into rounds, then halved
1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 cups frozen peas (do not thaw)
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts
5 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or 1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
Bacon salt (optional and meat free)- worried about withdraws I stocked up

Preparation

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile, cook sliced sausages in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Add asparagus to oil in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Add bacon salt and pepper.
Add remaining vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta in the skillet. Toss, adding more cooking liquid if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Add sausages, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and another squirt of lemon juice.

I'm giving risotto another chance- Leek and cauliflower risotto with shrooms & truffle oil

2010-02-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah... risotto. Boring. So 2002. I'm over it.

That's how I've been feeling lately about this much ballyhooed dish. I over did it years ago, when the risotto craze seemed to hit hard. When you could find it on every menu. I bet you even Applebees, Olive Garden and Dennys probably had a risotto that they could throw in the microwave, slop on a plate and call it food. The fact is, when I first started cooking that was one of the first dishes I started playing around with. And I made it a lot. Like "Bubba Gump talking about shrimp," a lot.

So needless to say, I OD on the creamy rice dish from the boot shaped country. Thinking about risotto for me was like thinking about a bad drinking experience- the smell, the site, the mere mention of it had lost any appeal or luster. It's like when you download a new song, then you listen to it, every waking minute for a week. After that... nothing. Don't want to hear it, hum it or Rock Band it.

So that was how I've been feeling about risotto... Up until this week. I was looking through my barren fridge (it's rarely this empty) and found some leeks, mushrooms and a head of cauliflower. And of course, I had some Carnaroli rice and chicken broth. Destiny I guess. But I wasn't excited about it.

The end result though reminded me of what I had been neglecting for so long- a rich, creamy dish wit ha variety of textures and tastes. The perfect one pan dinner. And with this dish and the load of vegetables, you don't get that overly full, starchy feeling that occurs after consuming a big bowl of rice. So here it is and enjoy.

Leek and cauliflower risotto with mushrooms, peas and truffle oil
- 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped
- 1 medium head cauliflower (2 pounds), cut into 1-inch-wide florets
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth (28 ounces)
- 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Carnaroli rice* (6 3/4 ounces)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- black truffle oil (optional, but worth it)
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring stock to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and keep stock at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat 1 tablespoons butter, along with a little olive oil in a heavy pot or large pan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cauliflower and leek, stirring, 3 minutes. Add rice and mushrooms, stirring, 2 minute. Add 1 cup wine, let rice absorb it, then add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy looking, 20 to 25 minutes. Add truffle oil and peas and cook for another minute.(There may be leftover broth.)

Remove from heat and stir in cheese, remaining 2 tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Thin with a little remaining stock as desired and serve immediately.

Monthly Dinner Party- Valentines Day Special- Tongue in Cheek

2010-02-18T11:10:00.001-08:00

So in an effort to see my friends more than a paltry once or twice a year, I thought I could put together a monthly dinner party. The idea would be: the host would make an entree or two, while the guests would show up early and work together to make an appetizer or two. And then there would be wine... Having a friend who is a winemaker at Wattle Creek doesn't suck. Normally, when everyone shows up with a two bottles, he walks through the door with four. I'm not sure what's more impressive, the quality and selection of wine or the fact that all the bottles are finished by the end of the night. Anyways, I digress.

So with it being Valentine's Day weekend, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to feed my friends some thing they normally wouldn't eat- a fun play on Tongue in Cheek. In this case, it would be braised beef cheeks and veal tongue. Now with this being the first of these dinners, I was well aware that if I scared everyone off at the first party, attendance might suffer the next time around. Most of my friends consider themselves "adventurous eaters", but this might have been too ambitious. So I eliminated the tongue in hopes of gaining a little "palette trust." Unfortunately, the night before the dinner party, my trusty source for beef cheeks failed me miserably. I went to pick them up and the guy behind the counter pulls out a greyish, frost covered block of meat. "Beef cheeks and lips" he said in his best English. I said "no thanks" in my best Spanish and left.

So the adventurous eating party had gone awry (much to the delight of some diners). The new game plan was a focus on Italian. It was a cold weekend and it had been rainy on and off for almost a week. I needed a dish that would warm the bodies and the souls of my diners. I figured a melt in your mouth, braised short rib pasta dish would do the trick and it would pair nicely with some of the wine Brian would be bringing. I'd add some mushrooms and sage oil at the end for that rich, earthiness.

The morning of the dinner party I began the short ribs. First searing them off, then adding the mirepoix and red wine. As they slowly melted away in the oven, I assembled the prep stations for the appetizers that my guests would be creating. The guys would make some homemade pizzas and the girls would be put together beet and goat cheese raviolis. The beets I picked up locally from the Tierra Vegetable Farm stand and I boiled them until they were just fork tender and could be sliced on a mandolin. At that point in time, the girls would simply have to slice the beet rounds, place a little goat cheese and lavender salt in the middle, seal with another beet round and then off into the pan with some brown butter, sage and chives.

My friends arrived, wine in tow and I put them to work creating their appetizers, while I removed the short ribs and strained the sauce so I could further reduce it. While the sauce reduced, I sauteed the mushrooms with some shallots, pulled apart the short ribs, added some wine to the mushroom mixture and then added in the short ribs and the reduced braising liquid. While that slowly cooked, I sauteed up some jumbo prawns, to serve with a pepper jack polenta and pesto for our seafood starter. During this whole time, crossing my fingers that no one would loose theirs on my mandolin.

With appetizers being cranked out with assembly line precision and all my guests still sporting all 10 digits it was time to sit down, drink some more wine and dig in. We plated the pasta, grated some Parmesan over top and drizzled the sage oil. With everyone gathered around the table, rain quietly tapping on the windows, we all hoisted our glasses, made a cheer about friends and food and then let the quite of eating settle in.

Recipe for Pasta with Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Mushrooms and Sage Oil

· 2 bottles dry red wine

· 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

· 4-5lbs boneless short ribs, trimmed of excess fat

· Salt and crushed black peppercorns

· 8 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, split, rinsed and dried

· 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

· 2 ribs of celery, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

· 1 medium-sized leek (white and light-green parts), coarsely chopped, washed and dried

· 10 cloves of garlic, peeled

· 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

· 2 bay leaves and 2 thyme sprigs

· 2 tablespoons tomato paste

· 2 quarts unsalted beef broth

· 1 lb crimini or mixed mushrooms

· 2 yellow onions

· a handfull of sage leaves

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F.

2. Warm the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Then, when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Repeat with remaining ribs, lower the heat under the pot to medium and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the wine (1 and a half of the bottles) and reduce, then add ribs and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the ribs are very tender. (It's best to make the recipe to this point, cool and chill the ribs and broth in the pan overnight; scrape off the fat the next day. Rewarm before continuing.)

4. Carefully transfer the meat to a platter; keep warm. Boil the pan liquid until it has reduced to 1 quart. Season with salt and white pepper and pass through a fine strainer; discard the solids. (The ribs and sauce can be combined and kept covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently, basting frequently, on top of the stove or in a 350°F oven.)

5. While the sauce is reducing, in large stockpot or pan, heat olive oil on medium heat, add sliced yellow onions and mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. Add in the remaining red wine. Using two forks, pull the short ribs apart and add to the mushroom mixture, then add in the reduced braising liquid.

6. Boil fresh pappardelle pasta in salted water. While pasta cooks, fill a saute pan with 1 cup olive oil, heat over medium flame, add in handfull of sage leaves and crushed red pepper flakes (if desired). Fry sage leaves until brown, remove from heat and set on paper towel to drain.

7. Serve pasta with short rib sauce. Grate some fresh Parmesan on top, sprinkle sage oil and crumbled sage leaves on top of pasta. Serve with a good load of bread.

Master Chef casting call shenanigans

2010-02-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

Casting call for new Fox reality TV show. Qualifications:

Amateur chef or home cook= check
Never worked in a restaurant= check
Never attended culinary school= check
Must be passionate about food= check
Can handle being yelled at by Gordon Ramsay= sure thing

So seeing as I qualified for all the obvious items, I began assembling the pieces for my future TV star role: a completed 12 page application, a picture of yours truly and a photo of my dish plated.

A week before the San Francisco casting call was to take place, my aunt forwarded me a link to the production companies website. There it was... a show designed with me in mind. The first year of production, so crowds would be minimal and only home chefs can apply. Perfect.

Friends and family occasionally see a cooking show on TV like Top Chef and they throw out the idea that I should try out for it. The fact is, I'd get my culinary ass kicked in a show like that. Even trying out for a show of that caliber might damage my cooking self esteem to the point of only preparing Top Ramen for the next year or so. No thanks. I'll take my chances against other novices.

Prior to the casting call, I sent an e-mail into the production company who was hosting the event, inquiring about the setup. The premise is that you show up to the Sur La Table in SF with prepared dish and completed application in tow. Sounds easy. Only issue was I lived 90 minutes away and I'd be waiting in line for hours. At that point, I knew mussels, steak, seafood and just about 90% of everything else in my repertoire was off limits.

So I meticulously filled out my application and began planning for the dish I would present to the judges and producers. I'd do a braised dish that would handle the down time in the car and the lines. And if nothing else, it would only getting better as I patiently waited for my chance to plate.

With my braised short ribs finished, my sauce strained and reduced and my mise en place prepped and ready to roll, I grab my app, photos, backpack (filled with every imaginable plating necessity) and hit the road for cloudy SF. I had a good feeling about this. Hell, the last time I made this dish I won an award. It was fail proof.

It was smooth sailing and I had crossed the brick red Golden Gate in good time. I parked a few blocks from Union Square, sprinted to the nearest Starbucks to pee and then grabbed a cup of joe for some much needed pep. The Sur La Table was easy to find, despite being tucked away in an alley. I just followed the throngs of ice chest toting, TV star hopefuls.

The birds were chirping, no rain yet despite the week of storms and I didn't have to wait in line (I spoke with the producer the night before who put me on a pre-screened list- straight to the front). I felt like Charlie with the Golden Ticket. Except my ticket consisted of short ribs braised in sake, pear juice, mirin and soy sauce served with baby carrots and brussel sprout leaves.

After checking in, I headed inside and down the stairs to a massive room, where a horseshoe shaped table sat with amateur chefs sweating nervously and the judges and producers buzzing around like mosquitoes. My time had come and I was ushered to a two foot by two foot section of the table that was taped off.

I snapped on the sanitary gloves and began plating my dishes. I carefully spooned the reduced sauce on the rectangular plate and with a swift motion, I smeared it into a nice tear drop pattern. Then the braised short rib was gently placed on top and painted with some more sauce. Brussel sprout leaves and roasted baby carrots were neatly arranged next to the beef and the dish was garnished with some crushed, roasted pistachios. After that I plated my miniature caramel apple coated in candied bacon and poured a sake shot for the judge (a little booze bribe never hurt).

Judgment time...

The bearded bastard who claimed to be a judge strolled over to my section and asked what I had made. Explaining the dish and it's ingredients, I pointed out the local, organic produce and meat used, making note of the difference in marbling with grass fed beef versus corn fed... blah, blah, blah. He dove in with his plastic utensils. I could tell he liked it.

"So where did you get the verjus?" the Bearded Bastard (who I'll refer to as BB from now on) asked. I told him I made it by reducing down the braising liquids, straining it and then skimming the fat off. I asked if it was maybe to salty because it over reduced a little.

"Nope, it's perfect... But what restaurant do you work in?"asked BB.

"Never worked in a restaurant." I said.

"So where'd you go to culinary school?"

"I went to Chico State, where I ate a lot of Top Ramen and taco truck burritos. I've never gone to culinary school, but I've driven by CIA Greystone quite a few times. Looks nice." I explained, trying to hide my mounting frustration with BB's questions.

"Bullshit," he said with a half-hearted smile. "Sorry man, I just don't buy it."

He then asked me how many teaspoons were in a table spoon and what a meir benet is (I failed both questions). At this point, I could tell my chance where slipping down hill. I offered him my social security number, a DNA swab to trace my origins, whatever the hell he wanted, just so he could see I've never been there and done that. I asked what he thought of the dish and he said it was in the top 3 he's tasted and seen all day. And that was it. He thanked me for a great dish, saying it was perfect and how he even appreciated the sake from Berkley and the mini caramel apple.

"A producer will be over soon to chat." And BB was gone at that point. As were any remaining hopes of being yelled at by Gordon Ramsay. The producer came over, picked up the application with the judges notes, chatted with me for 30 seconds and then said "thanks for your time".

Evidently they were looking for mediocre cooks. Or they needed an Asian dude to fill a certain role. Hell, it was the last casting call out of 8 cities, so maybe they had 9 out of ten contestants picked already. Maybe they just needed one gay guy from San Fran to fill the necessary, token homosexual role that all reality TV shows are required to have.

I drove home slightly pissed off and feeling very cheated. For some reason, I actually thought the best cooks would have a chance. But what fun would it be to have a group of semi-normal, halfway decent cooks on a TV show. I mean, have you seen the ratings for Jersey Shores? And let's not forget that the host is the same guy who has a Jerry Springer-esque cooking show called Hells Kitchen. The experience was a mixed bag. It went smoothly and I was really positive going into it, even confident, but the end result was a let down. But that's life and the chances are... I won't be cooking short ribs for a long, long time. It's back to Top Ramen and the taco truck for me.

The Wonders of Smoked Paprika

2009-12-02T11:14:00.001-08:00

Lately, I've been on a bit of a paprika kick (hot, sweet, smoky, etc). And not the relatively bland red powder that is passed off in your average grocery store as "paprika". Instead I've been using smoked paprika (pimenton), made in Spain from smoked, ground pimiento peppers. The deep, smoky flavors pair perfectly with pork or shrimp dishes and they lend a level of authenticity to a good paella. And when a good smoked paprika is mixed in with a dry rub for a BBQ... out of this world. The color is a deep red that spreads through any dish it is added to and when paired with a good wine, the wine takes on a nuance not seen with other seasonings. Hot paprika is also a great substitute for adding a fruity level of heat that you won't find with a pepper like cayenne. In this dish, I simply combined some chorizo, onions, sweet peppers, asparagus, garlic, smoked parika and a little chicken broth, then added some sauted, diced potatoes, tomatoes and topped with cilantro and sour cream. You'll rarely find yourself with a bland dish if you incorporate some good paprika into what you're cooking.

Thanksgiving 2009 Recipes, Menu and Timelines

2009-11-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

Honoring my commitment to keeping this blog current has presented me with some interesting challenges. For one thing, in order to write these blogs I actually have to have something to say or something food related that is halfway interesting. The problem: honestly, some times I really don’t have anything interesting going on in my head. I think I go through these mental hills and valleys where I’m thinking about a million different things all day long, and then I’ll go through a day or two where I don’t want to think about anything.

It’s like I take these little mini mental vacations. Every few weeks or so I’ll take a few days where I just watch dumb shit on TV, aimlessly surf the web, work out, eat and sleep. On those days I try not to think about anything important. No recession, no swine flu, no war in Iraq, no midget shows on TV or families of 15 – I just sort of shut off. But I’ll be damned if I don’t write anything on a food blog with Thanksgiving around the corner. So for those of you who have been slacking on putting a menu together or are still surfing the interwebs for recipes, this single post might be your salvation. Now, for the sake of time and space, I’ve omitted some recipes that everyone should know (yes, by now, you should know how to make mashed potatoes… if not, read no farther and head to Boston Market dumbass). Hopefully this will help make Thanksgiving a little easier. The trick here is prep in advance and enjoy your friends and family (and throw bacon in just about everything).

Thanksgiving 2009

Nibbles

Butternut Squash Soup Shots with Candied Bacon, Cranberries and Fried Sage

BLTs (Bacon Jam, Lettuce, Tomato)

Baguettes with Goat Cheese, Truffle Oil and Lavender Salt

Mini Carmel Apples with Bacon Crumbs

Apple Blossoms with Booze

The Real Deal

Herb-Butter Roasted Turkey

Riesling Gravy

Italian Sausage and Sage Bread Pudding

Mushroom, Herb and Leek Stuffing

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Blue Cheese

Sweet Potato Streusel

Parmesan, Chive & Truffle Mashed Potatoes

Jenny’s Soon to be Famous Cheesy Potatoes

Peas with Bacon Vinaigrette

Cranberry Chutney

Recipes:

Butternut Squash Soup with Candied Bacon and Fried Sage

Ingredients Candied Bacon:

1 pound sliced bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While the oven heats, cook bacon in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. You'll need to do this in two batches to keep from crowding the bacon. Cook until lightly browned but not crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. While bacon is cooking, combine sugar, cayenne and black pepper. 2. Lay partially cooked bacon on a baking sheet lined with brown paper or parchment. Thoroughly coat bacon strips with sugar-pepper mixture. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until sugar is caramelized and bacon is crisp. Transfer to clean brown paper to cool. (Don't use paper towels - the candied bacon will stick to them.) 3. Break slices of bacon in half and serve half a slice in each "shot" or cup of soup. (This will hold for a few hours, but if you make it the day before, it will go limp).
Soup Ingredients:

3 pounds (about 3 medium) butternut squash
2 large leeks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Candied bacon, as garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and place face down in a baking dish with edges. Pour about 1/2 inch of water into the pan. Bake 40 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool enough to handle.

2. While squash is baking, trim leeks, slit lengthwise and wash thoroughly to remove all grit. Chop roughly. (Save the top, tough green part for making stock, if you wish.) Heat olive oil in a soup kettle and add leeks. Sauté for a few minutes, tossing with a wooden spoon. Add curry powder and cook another minute.

3. Scoop out squash flesh. Add to the pot with the leeks and curry. Add chicken stock, ginger, maple syrup and salt. Cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes, to cook leeks and marry the flavors. Using an immersion blender, a blender or a food processor, working in batches if need be, puree the soup. (Except for the bacon, this can be made a day ahead and gently reheated.)

4. Serve with a half slice of bacon in each small cup. Makes 12 small servings with leftovers for the cook.

BLTs (Bacon Jam, Lettuce, Tomato)- Double Recipe

1 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
¼ cup yellow onions, julienned
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

For Bacon Jam:

1. Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy.

2. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden.

3. Add brown sugar and stir to coat.

4. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn.

5. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick.

6. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and espelette to taste.

7. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth.

8. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine.

9. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached.

10. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Slice tomato, put thin square of romaine on top, then top with bacon jam.

Mini Carmel Apples with Candied Bacon Crumbs

With melon baller, scoop our balls from apples. Put in a bowl with some lemon juice.
Place a stick or skewer in each apple, dip in caramel and then in bacon bits
Place on Silpat mat or parchment paper, then in fridge to set

Apple Blossoms with Booze

Ingredients 1 dash Vodka 1 oz Brandy 1 tsp Lemon Juice 2 oz Apple Juice
Directions
Pour ingredients into a mixing glass almost-filled with ice. Stir, and strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice. Garnish with fruit, and serve.

Herb-Butter Roasted Turkey

Gravy base

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds turkey necks and/or wings
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced peeled carrots
1 cup diced celery
6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth

Turkey

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme plus 15 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon plus 5 large fresh tarragon sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary plus 5 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage plus 5 fresh sage sprigs

1 14- to 16-pound turkey

4 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided

1/4 cup all purpose flour

For gravy base:
Melt butter in heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add turkey necks and/or wings and sauté until deep brown, about 15 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until vegetables are deep brown, about 15 minutes. Add 6 cups chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour gravy base through strainer set over 4-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract liquid. If necessary, add enough chicken broth to gravy base to measure 4 cups. (Gravy base can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before using.)

For turkey:
Mix 1/2 cup butter and all minced herbs in small bowl; season herb butter with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 generous tablespoons to another small bowl and reserve for gravy; let stand at room temperature.

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 425°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Rub 4 tablespoons herb butter over breast meat under skin. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Sprinkle main cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place 4 tablespoons plain butter and all fresh herb sprigs in main cavity. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely. Rub remaining herb butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle turkey generously with salt and pepper.

Place turkey in oven and roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast turkey 30 minutes; pour 1 cup broth over and add 1 tablespoon plain butter to roasting pan. Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with pan juices, then pour 1 cup broth over and add 1 tablespoon butter to pan. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting with pan juices and adding 1 cup broth and 1 tablespoon butter to pan every 45 minutes, about 1 hour 45 minutes longer. Transfer turkey to platter; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

Strain pan juices into bowl; whisk in gravy base. Melt reserved 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat; add flour and whisk constantly until roux is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Gradually add pan juice-gravy base mixture; increase heat and whisk constantly until gravy thickens, boils, and is smooth. Reduce heat to medium; boil gently until gravy is reduced to 4 1/2 cups, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Italian Sausage and Sage Bread Pudding

1 (3/4- to 1-pound) round Italian loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes (8 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, divided
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 medium onions, chopped
4 large celery ribs, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
2 tsp fresh time and sage
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup turkey giblet stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Equipment: a 4-qt shallow ceramic or glass baking dish (14 by 10 by 2 3/4 inches)

For Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter baking dish.

Put bread in 2 shallow baking pans and bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until just dried out, about 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook half of sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Brown remaining sausage in remaining tablespoon oil, transferring to bowl.

Pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean. Heat butter over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Add vegetables and bread to sausage.

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup cream, turkey stock, cheese, and parsley, then stir into stuffing and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reserve 5 cups stuffing to stuff turkey and spoon remainder into baking dish, then drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup cream. Cover stuffing and chill.

About 1 hour before stuffed turkey is finished roasting, bring dish of stuffing to room temperature. When turkey is done, increase oven temperature to 425°F and bake stuffing, covered tightly with foil, until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes more.

Cooks' notes:

· Bread can be toasted 3 days ahead and kept (once cool) in a sealed bag at room temperature.
· Stuffing can be prepared (but not baked) 4 hours before roasting turkey.
· If baking stuffing at the same time as potatoes, put stuffing in upper third of oven and potatoes in bottom third (allow extra time).

Mushroom, Herb and Leek Stuffing

1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 8-ounce French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 large egg, beaten to blend

For Stuffing

Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl.

Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

To bake stuffing in dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.

Sweet Potato Streusel (recipe from Aunt for Jenny)

Parmesan, Chive & Truffle Mashed Potatoes

Jenny’s Soon to be Famous Cheesy Potatoes (recipe from Chris Z for Jenny)

Peas with Bacon Vinaigrette

Cranberry Chutney

5 shallots (6 oz), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook shallots in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries just pop, 10 to 12 minutes, then cool.

Timeline

Thursday

Make bacon jam and bacon bits for apples
Make cranberry chutney
Make mini caramel apples
Make herb butter for turkey

Friday

Saute up ingredients for stuffing
Prep stuffing- dry out bread, get everything ready for assembly
Make gravy base for giblet wine gravy

Saturday

9am- Pull turkey out of fridge, rub with herb butter, stuff and tie, salt
10am- Peel potatoes, halve brussel sprouts
11am- Prep candied bacon sugar mix, begin work on sweet potato streusel
Noon- Preheat oven for turkey, get table from Matt
12:30- Turkey in oven
1pm- Begin to make cheesy potatoes and sweet potatoes
2pm- Have a drink
3pm- Make mashed potatoes
4pm- Get stuffing ready for oven, get peas ready
5pm- Cook up brussel sprouts, putout appetizers – heat up soup, finish candied bacon, make apple blossoms, heat up baguettes, etc
6pm- Pull turkey out of oven, put in two stuffings and potato dishes, make/ finish gravy
6:30 – Carve turkey, pull out stuffings and potatoes,
7pm- Dinner

Bacon Jam Recipe

2009-11-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

It might sound slightly disturbing to some... It might sound oddly wonderfully to others. Where ever you sit on that fence, it is a recipe worth trying. Spread it on a tomato with a piece of lettuce (BLT), put it on toast with a fried egg on top or serve it with a scallop. Either way, it's great on just about everything and with the holidays coming up could be the perfect stocking stuffer.

For Bacon Jam:

2 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
1/2 cup yellow onions, julienned
7 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon honey
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

Direction

1. Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy.

2. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden.

3. Add brown sugar and stir to coat.

4. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn.

5. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick.

6. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper to taste.

7. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth.

8. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine.

9. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached.

10. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

Fall Food- Roasted Pork Loan with Sage and "Apple Sauce"

2009-10-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Between the recent downpours and the leaves hopping off their branches to a death of decomposition, it's becoming quite apparent- Fall is definitely here. Which means the days of garden caprese salads are over. Instead it's time to usher in the changing of the seasons with some serious, warming comfort food. When I think of fall flavors I think of brussel sprouts, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon and the list goes on (aside from the brussel sprouts it sounds like a potpourri basket huh)... Anyways, here is a good recipe to bring in the new season. Serve w/ saute swiss chard, roasted brussel sprouts and polenta.

Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with an "Apple Sauce"

For pork

* 1 4- to 4 1/3-pound center-cut pork loin
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
* 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (only if you want a little kick)
* fresh sage leaves and rosemary sprigs

For chutney

* 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 4 red apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 5 fresh sage leaves, julienne

For the Pork
Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper, cinnamon, cayenne and brown sugar. Melt butter with oil in large wide ovenproof pan over medium-high heat until butter begins to brown. Add pork and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to oven and roast until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 140°F, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, add sage and rosemary and baste pork with butter from pan until temp reads 150°F. Transfer pork to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.

For the "Apple Sauce"
In the same pan used to prepare the pork, return to medium-high heat and add the onions and apples and additional oil if needed. Saute for 4-5 minutes.Add the spices and dry ingredients and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the broth,cider, sage leaves then reduce for 10-15 minutes until you get a sauce like consistency. Add salt and pepper to your liking, taste and then spoon over sliced pork. Enjoy with your favorite wine.

Soyrizo (not a misspelling) tacos.

2009-09-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Soyrizo and Potato tacos... Why soyrizo you might ask? Because evidently pork products are bad for you (at least that is what my wife thinks). So in an effort to cook healthy and semi-meat free (trust me, this is only temporary) I figured I would throw together some tasty tacos. The Soyrizo actually works surprisingly well and considering the lack of pork product the mixture seems to have a meaty presence. Perfect for a quicky taco fix. Recipe below:

* 5 Red or Yukon Potatoes
* 2 T Olive or Canola Oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 package Soyrizo
* 2 t ground cumin
* 1 t oregano
* Salt & Pepper, to taste
* Tostada Shells or tortillas
* Garnishes:
* Grated Monterey Cheese
* Avocado, sliced
* Sour Cream

Wash and cube potatoes. In a large pan, bring to a low boil and cook until just tender (about 30 minutes). Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat oil and add onions, cook until translucent. Add Soyrizo, cumin and oregano. Cook, breaking up with the back of your spoon, until brown. Add potatoes and toss well.Serve on a tosada shell or tortilla, garnish and serve.

The Sampler Platter of San Fran

2009-09-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Ferry Building-This is a foodie's wet dream here. I went on a Saturday when the farmers market was going on outside. Every type of vendor imaginable. You could make a meal of just sampling all the unique offerings. Inside the building, you have a diverse selection of food options. I started with a meat cone (3 types of Salami in a cone), followed by a burger and sweet potato fries from Taylors, followed by some impressive gelato. If you've only got one day in SF, this place provides "the sampler platter" experience. Well worth a visit.

Skin on Snapper

2009-07-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure what it is that makes skin taste so good. Crispy chicken skin, charred, scored snapper skin, or even a nicely caramelized duck skin- it doesn't get any better that that. It's fatty and yet crispy. It's like a potato chip and bacon had sex. That ethereal crunch that contrasts with whatever protein lay beneath the skin has been the highlight of many meals. What I think is sad, and yet funny at the same time, is the fact that so many people are skin adverse. Maybe that layer of skin reminds them that they are eating something that use to be living and breathing. Maybe they'd prefer to just have their shrink wrapped, protein appear complete devoid of any trace of previous life. Maybe it's guilt. Maybe they are so use to pulling their skinless, flavorless chicken breasts out of the freezer bag that the sight of skin on chicken is so foreign a concept that they freeze with fear like a deer in the headlights. Whatever it is that keeps you from trying your food with skin on, I implore you to get over your mental speed bump and live a little. Why waste such a tasty bit. That animal gave it's life to wind up on your plate. You might as well enjoy every last, crispy morsel of it.

Summer is here, time for some salmon.

2009-06-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

There is something about summer time and eating salmon. It's like Mike Tyson and earlobes or Bush and wars. They go together hand in hand. This time it's salmon topped with peach chipotle salsa, sitting on some olive oil, green onion mashed potatoes, some green beans and bacon salt with a little cilantro vinaigrette on the side. It's an easy, quick recipe and the salsa is incredibly refreshing, especially when served with a cold beer.
Salmon with Peach Chipotle Salsa
- 4 salmon fillets
- salt & pepper
- olive oil

1. Pat salmon dry, season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in non-stick pan until hot. Add salmon and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
For salsa:

3 ripe but firm peaches, unpeeled, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced (about 1/2 small onion)
2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. Top salmon fillets with peach salsa. Served with some sage oil, green onion smashed potatoes.

Guys Can Cook Too competition! Winner in the Apps Category.

2009-06-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

It was a long weekend... Within a 16 hour time frame, 60 lbs of short ribs were cooked in my not-so-large kitchen, over 600 servings were plated and dished out in only a few hours (sous chef Matt to thank for that) and a trophy was taken home that says "Guys Can Cook Too Winners- Appetizer Category."

Gusy Can Cook Too is an event put on by the Sebastapol Rotary in which, amateur chefs (about 50 of them) compete and serve food to over 500 attendees. They are judged on taste, presentation and originality. Attendees place their votes and then professional chefs judge the food as well.

The cooking shenanigans started Friday afternoon when I picked up 60 lbs of massive short ribs from Joe at the Green Grocer. He was nice enough to hook me up with a deal on them and they looked beautiful. It was the equivalent of a local Kobe short rib. The marbling worked wonders for the taste and texture of the meat, but the high fat content proved to be problematic when it came to our sauces (more on that later).

All of Friday, and late into the night/ early a.m. was spent searing meat, sweating vegetables and making braising liquid. And then repeating. It felt like a never ending cycle and to make matters worse I was going to bed at 3am knowing that I'd have to wake up in 4 hours and do it all over again. I was going to have nightmares about dinosaur sized short ribs.

The initial plan at the competition had been to make a braised short rib topped with a little pear reduction. A few days prior to the event I realized that the dish needed some kind of textural contrast. Normally, when I braise short ribs I throw them under a broiler for a minute to develop a nice crust. This wasn't an option at this event. I contemplated bringing my creme brulee torch, but that just didn't seem practical. While shopping for short ribs at Safeway for a test run, I had an epiphany in the cereal isle... rice krispies with some Chinese five spice. These would provide the much needed crunch (and originality) to the dish. The Thursday before the event we did a test run with the krispies and pear reduction. The tasters seemed to approve but I felt it was missing something.

Fast forward to Saturday morning and I'm putting in the last batch of short ribs in the oven to braise. While putting the canola oil back up into the cabinet, I saw what turned out to be the possible saving grace for the dish... balsamic vinegar. I reduced a squeeze bottles worth, Matt (my friend/ sous chef for the day) came over, we packed up everything and we were off.

After getting our booth setup and our prep area worked out, we did a taste test- braised short rib bite, pear and balsamic reduction, Chinese five spice krispies and some of the reduced braising liquid... I didn't like it... At all. There was an overwhelming taste and mouth feel of grease and fat. I had botched it and added some of the non-skimmed pan juices into my braising liquid reduction from that morning. So the already skimmed sauce that was reducing on the stove, got a fresh injection of fatty fluids and what was left in my tasting cup and now in my mouth was a yellowish, fatty liquid. Not good. We decided right then and there to ditch the braising liquid and go with just the pear and balsamic reduction. This worked out perfectly in the end and we wound up with a crapload of votes for our dish, garnering us the Popular Vote winner in the apps category.

Matt, my sous chef was kicking tail with the prep work and pumping out portions like their was no tomorrow. It wouldn't have worked without him. Below is a modified version of the recipe we cooked. If you want to add the rice kripsies, simply cook a few cups in some canola oil and add a teaspoon or two of Chinese five spice and a sprinkle of sugar. Wait for them to almost caramelize. For the sauces you can reduce some pear juice and balsamic vinegar, or try without. Either way, have fun cooking it and pair it with some sake.

Enjoy.

Pear & Sake Braised Short Ribs

Serves 4-6

2 cups pear or apple juice
1 cup sake
1 cup mirin
½ cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
10 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed
4 to 5 pounds short ribs
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup chopped scallions
4 cups cooked white rice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, combine juice, sake, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, about 20 grinds of pepper, both forms of garlic, sesame oil and 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer.
Put corn or grapeseed oil in a large ovenproof braising pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add ribs, seasoning them liberally with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides, moving them around to promote even browning. Remove from pan and add onions and the carrots, stirring vegetables occasionally.
Ad ribs back to pan. Carefully pour braising liquid over meat and bake, bone-side up and submerged in liquid (add water or juice if necessary), covered, for 3 to 4 hours, until meat falls from bones. Cool ribs in liquid for 1 hour, then remove; strain liquid. At this point, ribs and liquid can be covered and refrigerated overnight.
Remove bones from ribs. In a pot, combine meat with braising liquid; heat to a boil then simmer, reducing liquid until syrupy. If it seems too thick, thin with a bit of water. While this is reducing make the white rice.
Taste mixture and adjust seasonings if necessary, then garnish with scallions and serve on rice

Beet Raviolis with Goat Cheese

2009-05-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

Not an ounce of pasta inhabits these crimson creatures. And the recipe couldn't be more simple. Take a bunch of beets, trim tops and bottoms off, place in pot and fill with water. Cover and boil for about an hour until tender.

While beets boil, take out 6-10 ounces of softened goat cheese and place in bowl. Mix goat cheese with some finely chopped chives and mint. Add a little salt and peeper to the mixture as well.

Once beets are fork tender, remove from water and peel using a paper towel to remove outer skin. Let beets cool down. As beets cool, take out a mandolin or sharp knife and a cutting board. Slice beets into thin circles. Place goat cheese mixture into middle and then place another beet disk on top and press to seal along edges.

Once you've assembled your beet raviolis, put a pan on the stove on turn heat to medium high. Throw 2/3 of a stick of butter in pan and brown. Add a few sage leaves. Once you have your brown butter add raviolis and toss to coat. Serve raviolis with brown butter, fried sage leaves, candied walnuts and micro greens or an arugula salad. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Japanese Knives- A cut above the rest.

2009-04-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

No really, they are that much better.

A few years ago I found myself wondering through a Bed, Bath and Beyond and Macys late at night. Meandering through the cutlery aisles I was looking for the best knife set possible. I was getting married in a few months and I was like a kid in a candy store. Let loose with a zapper, I scanned away at all the tempting cookware. Knowing what I know- many cuts later, warped pans and withering Teflon pans I realized that I was missing out on something. At that point in time, Japanese knives were not widely available. Global had just come on to the cutlery scene and were quite the rage with endorsements from Giada (look at my pasta not my cleavage) De Laurentiis and other celeb "chefs".

Looking to get the best knife set possible (and since I wasn't footing the bill, why not) I went for a known brand- a Henckel 12 piece block set. It performed admirable for the last few years until I considered a chef knife upgrade. After numerous reviews I ended up with Forshner 8 inch knife. From there the 10 inch version. Then I discovered knifeforums, which raved about the cutlery from the country of the rising sun. Some research later I found myself with a Togiharu 9.5 inch gyuto. I felt like Luke Skywalker (sans the bad hair) cutting into that first scallion. From there, that Togiharu turned into a gateway drug. Which lead to a couple other knife purchases, much to my wife's chagrin.

What I've learned over the course of the last few years: 1.) A sharp knife is your best friend in the kitchen. 2.) That sharp knife will save you from a lot of bloody, messy wounds. 3.) That sharp knife doesn't stay sharp forever. 4.) Just as important as a good knife is a good stone to sharpen it on, along with the proper skills and a honing rod. It makes cooking more fun and you'll find yourself using less band aids year after year.

Salsa verde- the green goddess of sauciness.

2009-04-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

No, that's not pesto... Tomatillo Salsa.

Great with chips, perfect sitting on top of just about any pork taco or burrito and even works with a braised leg of lamb.

Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1-2 jalapeno, stemmed
1 small Spanish onion, quartered
5 to 6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
2 lime, juiced

Preperation

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatillos are soft but have not burst. Add the vegetables to a blender with the cilantro leaves, salt and lime juice. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, puree - be careful when you process the hot liquid as it will expand - so make sure you hold the lid down firmly or remove center of lid and partially cover with towl to let heat escape. Taste, adjust seasoning with more cilantro, lime juice, or salt according to preference. Enjoy.

Tacos al pastor- a little bit of heaven.

2009-04-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Born and bred to sit in between a folded corn tortilla, topped with some diced onions and cilantro, al pastor is the ruler of the taco kingdom. There are a variety of recipes out there- some call for dehydrating dried chilies, then blending the mixture with pineapple, garlic and onions. This recipe below simplifies that proceed by simply using dried chili powder and instead of using the oven or pan to cook it, you can simply throw the pork and pineapple on the bbq. Perfect summer bliss. And don't forget the cerveza and tequila.

Ingredients

1 large white onion, halved
1 pineapple, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup guajillo chile powder
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large or 2 small chipotle chiles and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 2 1/2-to 3-pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Corn tortillas
3 beers
lime wedges

Prepration

Open beer and insert lime wedge. Drink at least half before beginning. Then coarsely chop 1 onion half. Coarsely chop 2 pineapple rounds, discarding core; cover and chill remaining pineapple. Place chopped onion and chopped pineapple in blender. Add orange juice and next 7 ingredients; blend until smooth. Place pork in large ziplock. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill remaining pineapple until warm and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Grill pork with some marinade still clinging until slightly charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer pineapple and pork to work surface; chop pineapple into 1/2-inch cubes, discarding cores. Chop pork. Transfer to platter; toss to combine.

Meanwhile, finely chop remaining onion half and place in medium bowl. Add cilantro; toss to combine. Grill tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

Serve pork-pineapple mixture with onion-cilantro relish, salsa (recipe to follow), and lime wedges.

Eggs are good... on pretty much everything.

2009-04-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

So I've been doing this thing lately- I'm putting eggs in or on a lot of foods I normally wouldn't. Yeah, I realize an egg on a salad isn't exactly revolutionary, but how about an egg in a spicy cup of noodles? Or in a taco with al pastor? Or sitting on a scoop of mint chip ice cream?

Ok, I lied about that last one. But the moral of the story is that eggs tend to be relegated to the lonely depths in the back of the fridge, only to be brought out on those rare Saturday morning breakfasts. The fact is a properly cooked egg is a thing of beauty and worthy of admiration.

Sausage & Brocollini Spaghetti

2009-03-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

A little spicy, a little sweet... and definitely garlicky.

One of my favorite pasta combinations- Italian sausage, brocollini from the farmers market and a little swiss chard thrown in for good measure. It's an easy week night dinner and a nice departure from your standard tomato sauce and pasta shenanigans...

Simplified recipe:

5 hot Italian sausages (casings removed)
8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 bunch of brocollini
1 bunch swiss chard
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp rosemary, thyme, sage,parsley- finely chopped
16 oz spaghetti
parmesean

1. Heat olive oil in 12 inch pan. Add sausage and brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add tomato paste.

2. Deglaze pan with white wine. Reduce. Add chicken broth and herbs. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add brocollini. Cook until just tender. Add swiss chard and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Finish with parmesean and olive oil.

3. While sausage mixture is cooking, bring pot of water to boil, add a handful of salt, boil pasta for 8-9 minutes. Drain. Add to pan with sausage and brocollini and toss. If mixture is dry add a little pasta water.

Piggy Wear Clothing Line

2009-03-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'm under the assumption that I'm not the only one that love bacon... That being said, after a few surgeries and some down time I took it upon myself to create some clothes to honor this noble and tasty animal. All hail the pig! If you are interested, check out the new clothing line here- www.cafepress.com/EpicureanPig

Carnitas anyone? For breakfast...

2009-03-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah. A nicely piled stack of crunchy carnitas bits on a tortilla, topped with cilantro, salsa verde and a poached egg. Not that anything can replace bacon in the morning, but when pork belly is no where to be found in your fridge, this is a prime substitute.

Cochinta Pibil- otherwise known as a mouth orgasm...

2009-03-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do while traveling: eating. The best way to get to know a culture in my opinion is to dive head first into their food and cuisine. On a recent trip to P.V., Mexico I set about finding two of my all time favorite foods- Carnitas & cochinita pibil. The latter proved much harder to find than the first (fantastic taco stand off the main drag, specializing in pescado, took care of the carnitas craving, along with any fish taco cravings I might have had).

Cochinata pibil (or puerco pibil, depending on if your watching Once Upon a Time in Mexico) is a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from Yucatán (unfortunately we were in Puerto Vallarta making this dish harder to find). Preparation of traditional cochinita or puerco pibil involves marinating the meat in strongly acidic citrus juice, coloring it with annatto seed, and roasting the meat while it is wrapped in banana leaf.

In order to find the pibil I so desired, it required a 90 minute boat ride from our hotel to the remote area of Yalapa. The boat ride was worth it despite the serious drenching and ass bruising that occurred on the way back. Below is the receipt I've used in the past for Cochinita Pibil. It may seem like a pain in the ass to make, but I assure you, it's well worth it. And the pineapple adds a nice brightness to the dish that I think is needed.

2 1/2 tablespoons annatto seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
5 whole allspice berries
5 whole cloves
1 (2-3 inch) stick cinnamon
1 habanero pepper, seeded
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
4 garlic cloves
1/2 of a pineapple, cubed into 1 inch chunks
Dash tequilla
3 pounds boneless pork butt, cut in 2-inch squares
Banana leaves

Grind the annatto seeds to a fine powder using an electric spice grinder. Repeat with the cumin seeds, peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.

Place the liquids, salt, garlic, habanero and powdered spices into a blender and blend well. Combine the marinade with pork chunks in a large ziplock bag. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.

Line a baking dish with banana leaves that have been softened over a flame or hot burner. Pour the pork and marinade into the dish, add chunks of pineapple and wrap with the leaves. Cover the pan with foil and roast in a preheated, 325 degree oven for 4 hours.