Summer Party dishes, the right way!

Summer is rapidly approaching and with it comes all of my favorite things:  bbq's, swimming pool parties, summer thunderstorms, and 100+ temperatures.  The trick to making all of these events as epic as possible, is of course, THE FOOD!!!!  I will refer to all of those events from here on out as bbq's because it's easier than typing "pool party".  Bbq's tend to feature chips and dip, baked beans, macaroni salad, potato salad, fruit of some kind, hot dogs, hamburgers, and maybe if your lucky some grilled vegetables.  This is unacceptable.  Everyone buys these items from their local grocery store which means you are eating this same meal several times of the course of the summer...ouch.  In order to stop this madness I will be doing a series of posts featuring all of these dishes done in new and interesting variations.  So the next time you show up to a bbq you won't have to bring a tub of overcooked potatoes smothered in mayonnaise and mustard and not much else!!!  The following potato salad is a delightful curried salad which is served cold.  It has a little kick, but not enough to burn any beards off! 

Curried Potato Salad
2-2.5 lbs. potatoes (small potatoes, golf ball size. If you use a different potato that's o.k., it just changes your cooking time)
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Masala powder (also known by Sambar powder.  Its a curry powder used to make curry dishes at home. I used MTR brand.  You can find this or a different version at any ethnic food store, or your bigger chains, like whole foods)
Splash of veggie stock
3 dashes of Louisiana hot sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add in your potatoes and cook for 12 minutes, you should be able to pierce the potato with a fork easily, drain the potatoes.  Mix all of your other ingredients together in a mixing bowl, except your veggie stock.  Mix in potatoes after you have cut them into bite size pieces. I like to cut mine into different sizes because i think it makes a more homogeneous mixture.  Fold the potatoes into the sauce until fully incorporated.  The mayo mixture once you added the potatoes may become too thick, that is what the stock is for.  Add a little stock at a time until your happy with the consistency.  Refrigerate.   

Artisan Bread and it's best friend...Crawfish Bisque!

Today has been a very fun day for me and the wifey!  We had the opportunity to meet with a very talented baker, discuss the benefits of fresh milled grains, and take a delicious loaf home!  The difference between the bread I took home and the bread you take home from the grocery store is vast.  The bread from Hey Lolly Bakery is spectacular!  It possesses a light, chewy texture, is full of complex flavors, and has a crust on it that just won't quit!!!  Not only does this bread taste much better, it is MUCH better for you.  I am not sure on all the specifics of how much better, but if you contact the bakery I am sure someone will be happy to explain it to you :).  The trick to having a bread like this in your possession is that you often times are not sure of what to do with it...Have no fear, I got you covered!  I recommend contacting the fine people at Hey Lolly Bakery and placing an order as quickly as you can manage.  The bakery is located in McKinney, Texas and can be contacted through their website www.heylolly.com you can also look them up on facebook under hey lolly. 

 

Ok.  Back to what I do...cooking great food to go along with this bread.  You are left with several different options here, panini's, panzanella (bread salad), bruschetta, or my personal favorite...soup!!!

This quality of bread screams out to me to be paired with a rich, creamy, luscious bisque, so that is exactly what I am going to do.  I should warn you all that I have a secret...I am OBSESSED with crawfish.  It is almost unnatural.  The reason is that crawfish is buttery and sweet just like crab or lobster, but much cheaper.  It is the poor man's lobster...except that its just the smart way to impart that flavor into soups, sauces, or sandwiches without breaking the bank! 

A traditional bisque will be all blended together, with that immersion blender I have been talking about, so that it is smooth.  I, however, prefer a little chunk and bite to my soups, so I will not be doing that.  This is a "bisque", meaning that it is cream based, but it is not your traditional bisque.  I feel it tastes even better, and will fill you up much better.  This ability to fill you up is what makes this soup a meal as opposed to an appetizer.  Without further ado...

Crawfish Bisque 

4 strips of peppered bacon
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 yellow onions finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
5 sprigs of fresh thyme, tie together with a long piece of twine then attach twine to the pot handles so you can remove the thyme after cooking
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, skinned and cut into a medium dice (think bite sized cubes) after cutting, store in cold water to stop browning.
2 lbs frozen crawfish tails, defrosted
chicken stock, as needed
20 ounces heavy cream
Louisiana hot sauce 6-10 shakes
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper


Here we go kids...

Take a large pot, the biggest you have, and place on a burner set to medium heat and allow the pot to heat up.  Add in your butter and melt it down, then place your bacon in the pot.  Crisp up the bacon and remove for later.  Do not remove any of the bacon fat from the pot!!! DO NOT DO IT!!!!!  Add in your garlic and stir for about a minute, then add in your onion, celery, bell peppers.  Add in your red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper.  Turn heat up to medium high and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Add in your potatoes.  Pour in the stock just to cover the potatoes by about two inches.  Turn up to high heat to bring the liquid to a boil and cover.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potato is fork tender.  At this point your burner should be on low or medium low.  This is a good thing.  Add in your heavy cream and your hot sauce, stir in completely.  Add in your crawfish.  Cook for 5 more minutes to allow crawfish to come to temperature and all the flavors to marry together.  If you would like your soup thicker, all you need to do is add in a slurry of flour and water (1 tablespoon flour and enough water to make into a runny paste).  If your soup is too thick, you may add water/stock a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Taste before serving to check on the seasoning, it may need more salt/pepper or maybe even more hot sauce! 

Take your loaf of bread and cut 1/2 inch slices.  Brush the pieces with melted butter and grill to get those great marks and crispy toasty bread deliciousness!!!

Pour your soup into your bowl and top with the chopped bacon from earlier in the day.  The bread is served on the side...I recommend dunking. I am a fan of the dunk.

You could also serve the soup in the bread like a bread bowl,  however, I worry the bread will lose some of its intense deliciousness if you do this....up to you my friends.  I used a loaf of Jalapeno and Cheddar Sourdough and it did not disappoint!!!!

Go on then, check out the bakery and get to making some delicious soup!!!! Eat Up!!!

BRAISED BEEF!!!

Braised dishes are often times a chef's most prized possession, meaning, if you see a braised "anything" on a menu (not including your chain restaurants) you should order it.  It will be more expensive, but well worth the added price.  My favorite things to braise are beef shanks, sometimes called osso bucco in Italian restaurants and beef short ribs.  However, they are pretty expensive and since I'm not making a killing off of being a college student who writes a food blog, I will not be using those ingredients.  The ideal braising beef is any of your less desirable cuts, for example the round is excellent.  Today however, I am breaking my own rule.  I braised this dish with the remainder of the beef loin used to make beef wellingtons for Xmas (if I get enough requests I'll do a post on it).  Nothing changes for you if you are using the round or another cut of beef.  Mashed potatoes and sauteed asparagus are the perfect sides for this dish!

Braised Beef

2 lbs beef round (cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch steaks)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups red wine (not your finest vintage, but it should be good enough to drink from a glass)
1 cup beef stock (not broth)
1 yellow onion, large dice
1/2 cup carrot, large dice
1/2 cup celery, large dice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter

Place a large skillet with high vertical sides on your burner set to medium high heat.  Allow the pan to become hot, then add in your olive oil.  Dust your steaks with all purpose flour and place into the skillet.  Cook each side for 2-3 minutes to create a crust.  If after 3 minutes you do not have a crust yet, continue cooking until you do.  You do not want to cook the meat all the way, so be sure not to over do it!  Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside.  Add in another tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter, heat for 1 minute.  Add in the carrots, garlic, onion, and celery.  Cook the veggies for five minutes, or until softened. Sprinkle in your 2 tablespoons flour and stir into a paste (a roux).  Reduce your heat to medium low, and cook for ten minutes.  At this point add in your red wine and beef stock.  Mix together quickly and thoroughly then add in your thyme.  Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The sauce should not be too thick, but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (dip a spoon in the sauce, the sauce should coat the spoon without it dripping off).  Add the steaks into the sauce, the steaks should be mostly covered by the sauce, if not, add more beef stock.  Cover the skillet with tin foil and place into a preheated oven set at 200.  Cook for 5 hours!!! I know it, I know it....FIVE hours!! Yes, five hours.  Its how the meat will be fall apart tender and super delicious!!!  It is very important to check it every hour or so and flip the steaks over.  Make sure the liquid level never falls below covering half of the steaks, 3/4 would be best. 

After the five hours is over remove the skillet from the oven, and remove the steaks from the skillet.  Remove the thyme sprigs and throw away.  Now ladle the sauce and veggies into your blender and mix well.  Your could skip this step if you have an immersion blender and just blend in the skillet( I highly recommend this piece of kitchen equipment, it is a lifesaver!)  Return sauce to skillet, turn heat to high.  Allow the sauce to boil, then add in 2 tablespoons butter, stirring while the butter melts.  Place steaks into sauce to heat.  Then place a steak onto of a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes, and ladle sauce onto the steak...don't be shy with the sauce!!!

Spicy Asian Pork Sandwich

I have always been a huge fan of the flavors used in Asian cuisine.  They utilize the salty, sweet, and spicy flavors with great variety.  I woke up this morning craving a spicy pork sandwich, also rich in Umami.  Umami is the fifth flavor, it is earthy, rich, and utterly delightful!  I could have gone to a restaurant and ordered one, but that would have made for a really lame blog post.  By the way, this is not a quick meal to make, because you have to roast the pork loin.  However, that can be done in advance, or just have a PB&J for lunch and know that you are now making dinner :).  I use a pork loin whenever I plan on a longer cook time because it has more fat and will remain juicy in the oven.

Pork Loin Marinade
1 lb pork loin
2 cups low sodium soy sauce
1 cup natural apple juice (not from concentrate)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Thai chili's chopped (you can sub in 2 tablespoons sriracha if you can't find Thai chili's)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (not the pork loin, it doesn't mix well).  Take a paring knife and stab the pork loin all over to allow the marinade access to the insides (don't attack the thing like Michael Myers, you will want to eat it later...) Place pork loin into Ziploc bag, cover with marinade. Place bag into a dish that allows the pork to lie flat.  Place in refrigerator.  Marinate for 4-5 hours, flipping the pork loin every hour or so.  Rinse the marinade off the loin and pat dry. 

Roasting Pork Loin
black pepper, as needed
dried thyme, as needed
olive oil

Drizzle loin with olive oil and coat with your hands.  sprinkle a liberal coating of the black pepper and thyme (2 parts pepper to 1 part thyme) over the loin.  Rub spices/herbs into the meat.  Drizzle with olive oil one more time, do NOT rub in the oil this time or you will remove the seasoning.  Place loin in a roasting pan, cover, and roast in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.  Check the temperature of the loin with a meat thermometer.  It is finished cooking at 155 degrees (if your nervous about pork and know that it is fully cooked at 165 degrees, I congratulate your knowledge of pork products!! However, the temperature will continue to rise ten degrees after you remove it from the oven due to residual heat!! So HA! You learned something new today!!  Let the loin rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing as thin as you can manage.

Asian Mayonnaise Deliciousness
Left over pork loin marinade
2 cups Mayo (I recommend low fat, but hey...do whatever feels right)

Take the remaining marinade from the Ziploc bag and place in a sauce pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce the mixture by half.  After reducing, the mixture should be thick and syrup-like, if it is not you will need to add a mixture of cornstarch and water (2 tablespoons water, 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch).  Whisk in the cornstarch slowly. Cook the marinade an additional 5 minutes.  Cool Marinade in refrigerator.  Place the mayo in a bowl and add the cooled marinade in a little at a time.  Taste the sauce every time you add more to have it meet your personal preference on strength.  I use a lot in mine, but I'm just that awesome.  After the mixture tastes rich and earthy, you will need to check the heat level,  I love spicy foods so I will be adding sriracha to make it hotter.  If its too hot....add honey.

Sandwich Assembly
Thinly sliced pork
carrot shavings, peel outer layer off carrot and discard.  Keep peeling to get thin strips of carrot
Micro Greens
Tomato slices, thin
Grilled Pita Bread (the flat bread, not pita pockets)
Mayo mixture

Grill your pita on both sides until softened and pliable.  Spread mayo onto the entire top of the pita bread.  In the center of the pita place three tomato slice, edge to edge.  Top tomatoes with the pork, then micro greens, and finally your carrot shavings.  Roll the pita up in tin foil, peel back the top part of tin foil and dive in!! The pita should be very full, if it isn't you might as well be eating a piece of bread!  I like to put the remaining mayo mix into a squirt bottle and drizzle onto the sandwich as I eat it, but again, you do what you think is best.  Eat UP!!

Not your mothers Meatloaf!!!!

I have to admit, I grew up under the culinary tutelage of my mother, an exceptional cook.  Therefore, her meatloaf was actually pretty good, moist, flavorful, and not over-ketchup'ed (I believe I may copyright that term...) but unfortunately it lacked creativity!!!  Everyone views meatloaf as the solution to the ground beef that has been sitting in the fridge a little too long.  FOR SHAME!!!!!  For me, meatloaf is just like any other dish...it is as good as you choose to make it!  Try different gravy, ethnic seasonings, etc. and for the love of food, please keep the ketchup in the bottle (or as an ingredient in a much better sauce).  This version combines some of my favorite items, it works very well as meatloaf with mashed potatoes, or in a meatloaf sandwich.

Southwestern Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef 85/15
1 poblano pepper, grilled
1 ear of sweet corn, grilled
1 garlic bulb, roasted
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 egg lightly beaten
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs as needed

Gravy

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup ketchup
1 cup black cherry preserves/jelly
1/4 cup hot sauce, or more as needed
salt and pepper to taste
(the gravy should be sweet and spicy)

Your first step is to roast your garlic.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Cut the garlic head in half lengthwise and place on a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Wrap the garlic up in the foil and bake for 40-60 minutes.  Check garlic, it should be soft to the touch.  If it's done, squeeze garlic into a bowl and set it aside.
Next grill your poblano pepper and your corn.  Both should be charred and blackened.  Remove corn from ear and set aside in bowl.  Cut top from pepper and then dice into medium pieces, set aside.
Slice your onion into thin strips. Add olive oil to a hot pan (set to medium hot heat) then add the onion and mix to coat onions in the oil.  Cook until caramelized and set aside.
Once all of the ingredients have cooled we can begin assembling out meatloaf!!! I know that the prep for this dish takes a little longer than usual but it is definitely worth it!!!  In a large bowl combine your beef, corn, peppers, roasted garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and your beaten egg.  Mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Add your bread crumbs a little of a time until the meat mixture no longer feels wet (there will always be a little moisture, but you don't want it wet or it will not hold together).  If your loaf pan is smaller than mine, not everything will fit,  thats ok.  You can use any left over to make burgers or meatballs. 

Take your loaf pan and fill a 1/3 of the way with the meat mixture.  Add in 1/2 of your onion mix and 1/2 of your cheese.  Add another layer of the meat mixture, then another of your onion and cheese.  Finish  putting the meat in.  Pack down tightly.  Then turn meat pan over onto a greased sheet pan.  Check the loaf and make sure all you see is the meat mixture.  If any of the cheese or onion is visible, you will need to cover it or it will leak out and burn.  Place tray in 350F oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove loaf from oven and brush with the gravy.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes, brushing with the gravy every ten minutes.  45 minutes into the cooking, take a temperature of the center of the meatloaf, it is finished cooking when the temperature reaches 150F. 

 To make the gravy, you add your oil, onion and garlic to small sauce pan on medium heat.  Cook for five minutes, then add remaining ingredients, mix well.  Cook until sauce has reduced and thickened. 

Pan Seared Scallops with Sweet Potato Puree

Sea Scallops are a light, sweet, and delicious shellfish. Unfortunately, most people are intimidated by them, but you shouldn't be!!  They are not difficult to cook and can be paired with almost any side dish.  I am taking the dish in a Caribbean/ tropical island route today, with sweet and spicy notes to the dish.  If you have never had a scallop, I hope you give this recipe a try, I promise you won't regret it!!!

Pan Seared Scallops

6 Scallops (U12,  thats the size...ask the fishmonger at your store, although any size will work as long as they are not the mini-sized scallops. If you get smaller ones make sure you buy more...
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Strawberry Relish

1 cup diced strawberries
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons diced shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Sweet Potato Puree

3 sweet potatoes, skin removed, large dice (think 1inch by 1 inch cubes)\
1 can coconut milk
milk, enough to cover potatoes
1 tablespoon garlic, diced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Honey, to taste

The first thing your going to do is make the relish.  This is pretty easy, just add all the ingredients in a bowl, mix together.  Taste the relish and then add salt and pepper to your liking.

Next step is to begin the puree.  Put your liquid in a small to medium pot, then add your potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes.  Now add the garlic, and the remaining ingredients to your liking.  If you don't want it overly sweet, add more salt and pepper and less honey.

The scallops will take about 7 minutes, give or take, so keep that in mind and get them started about 8 minutes into the cook time of the potatoes.  Place a saute pan over medium high heat, add oil and butter.  Once the butter has melted, season the scallops with salt and pepper, then add to the pan.  Cook for about four minutes, the scallop should have browned.  Flip and cook for another three minutes, until the scallop is firm and browned on both sides.  If the top of the scallop is split, do not freak out, that is completely normal and to be expected. 

For plate assembly, take a spoonful of the puree and spread it down the middle of the plate.  Place half the scallops on top of the puree, then spoon the relish over the scallops. 

All items in this dish should be eaten together.  You want a little bit of every item in each bite...Eat Up!!!