tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62646644020996021682024-03-13T21:17:00.898-04:00GastroMetricsa review of food, wine, restaurants and cooking gadgetsKris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-15398817362573439082010-10-02T10:09:00.007-04:002010-10-02T11:37:10.418-04:00Peppers...grow many varieties yourself!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0DeIkRq9gTGap12d-Sj3Yy6q4Ht1uQRRcrr5bCFlK6F5izBhhqRGpkAThJvms1plm0rFqjpNLuJgEOGQ-Ko-ZJUL9pG4u3FWV0ghQ0TfiVOQQeEFzZYXjA26k60MSQvxR5cOoHrfMt8/s1600/DSC01392.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0DeIkRq9gTGap12d-Sj3Yy6q4Ht1uQRRcrr5bCFlK6F5izBhhqRGpkAThJvms1plm0rFqjpNLuJgEOGQ-Ko-ZJUL9pG4u3FWV0ghQ0TfiVOQQeEFzZYXjA26k60MSQvxR5cOoHrfMt8/s320/DSC01392.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523451019338614434" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I grew up eating out of a vegetable garden the size of a football field. My father grew about 35 different things, including ten different varieties of tomatoes, five different varieties potatoes, and five different varieties of squash. We did not, however, grow a large variety of hot peppers, only the sweet variations. Therefore, thing I never appreciated until later in my cooking life is the hot pepper varieties that are out there. So, I took it upon myself to search out different peppers to add to different dishes to get different flavors. Yes, I like different. Here are a few of the peppers I grew this year (some pictured and some not.)<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This is a good opportunity to explain how hot peppers are rated for heat. The <a href="http://www.chilliworld.com/FactFile/Scoville_Scale.asp">Scoville scale</a> is a tool that measures the capsaicin in a pepper. It ranges from 0-15,000,000, with 0 being a bell pepper, and 15,000,000 being pure capsaicin, or weapons-grade pepper spray. Capsaicin lives most potently in the white part of the pepper that holds the seeds, not in the flesh of the pepper like you may imagine. So, if you have a very hot pepper, but want the flavor instead of the heat, you can cut out that white portion and the seeds to dull some of the heat. Again, the pepper will still have heat, but not as much.<br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Here we go into the peppers I grow and enjoy. In the picture above, you see five of the seven peppers growing at the Kachline residence this year. I will go from mild to hot (and super hot.) The round red peppers you see above are a variation of a bell pepper. They are not hot, but rather quite sweet. They grow to about the size of an egg, and are great for stuffing with sharp provolone and prosciutto. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqYMGEwnaehEG0kkpTvCsJTnHq91xNVqhNCvjVxGgG4ZTnXDIkFKfuHkdfKXTN6UpOBwVnlhCN5908U-qNhjFsQs2IhGbx8EtqjgAtvLy-pouArg7JtURt03pJmWY08GvZwYEItdVTnw/s320/DSC01397.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523473174694816786" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>The second type, and a hotter pepper, is the Hungarian Wax pepper. It grows green, turns yellow and then to red when it is ripest. You can pick it yellow, but it is not really hot until red. I would give it about a 3,000-5,000 range on the scale. The Hungarian Wax is the pepper most commonly know for paprika, the dried, ground spicy. It is also smoked and ground for smoked paprika. You can use this pepper fresh and diced for a little kick in a chicken or fish dish. I add both smoked and regular paprika in my chili for a base of flavor.</div></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTp6iGOU9wMzmzKJQs9jpHdJCcUhaJKM1O6hmiTU0KIZL0NCVcEZv73OjhJ6Ny3QKmjUKujBShfoJbq-0pyo0u7sjoRTCLU6E4ndNFIUQKi6PvAbRTsHzJPfiwCLPm9DMHUfvn5LnWeY/s320/DSC01394.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523471177386260434" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>The third pepper on the list is the small yellow pepper in the above picture, the hot lemon pepper. Do not let the name fool you, it does NOT taste like lemons, so don't just pop it into your mouth. It is a seriously hot little bastard that can hit you hard. The lemon pepper is a variation of the Cayenne pepper that originated in Ecuador, and hits 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville scale. I use it mostly as a fresh pepper in salsa or in guacamole. I like to have both red peppers and yellow peppers in some dishes for added color. My plant gave me about 20 peppers, which is fairly common if you pick them regularly.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYkWFDP-nav7BVUcR4szhIha8eoukLP67lsLWYG241Qwh1jm8kYglaX8mgVuwye3akGhgpfb0tUH5UNvSqR75RhAypPGY-W74UhXDQmRL9bCIS_9FDyMR2zm3B64X-PZ-NJvzcYjekIo/s320/DSC01395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523472961898195986" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>Okay, now we are getting into the big hitters. You will see hiding in the middle of the picture a small red pepper called a Japanese Nippon Taka, but is often mistaken for a thai chili. This little guy is HOT. It ranges from 50,000-100,000 on the Scoville. If you enjoy General Tso's chicken, you can picture the hot little peppers in the sauce that you push aside for fear of consuming one by accident...those are these. I do not use these fresh, but rather dry them (they dry in about 5 days) and chop them for crushed red pepper. It is really fun to grow these because a single plant bears about 50-75 peppers if harvested regularly. I still have some from last year, and will never have to buy crushed red pepper ever again. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6t0SCi-vWsPsy_5O24hCNNJxc3O8j3i1F6DTJp9wxxRLsnxOtX2nX7CJYRP5yM8XPSbGPdoUcGET83QMlo8m7yRfDpOkIvfHsVVqDU4a2HBl_gq_tKn82TBFPXJKt6jr12o3dNeaThA/s320/DSC01393.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523472733332908850" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>The last pepper pictures here is the orange chili habanero. This is, what I have lovingly come to call one of the "glove peppers." When dealing with a habanero, you are foolish to handle them without some hand protection, especially if you don't regularly wash you hand <i><b>before</b></i> you use the bathroom. The chili habanero ranges fro 100,000-350,000 on the Scoville scale. It is plain hot, but has a great flavor too. It is a clean sort of fresh taste that is unlike a regular pepper. It is really good in salsas or as a hot sauce. You can also dice one and add to chili, but use a very small dice so people do not get a whole piece of pepper in their mouth (they will essentially melt away I diced small enough.) The plant will bear about 15-20 peppers.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I grew two other peppers this year that are not pictured because I used them up fast. The first is the Scotch Bonnet pepper. It is in the family of peppers with the Naga Jolokia, or the Ghost Chili- the hottest pepper in the world. The Scotch Bonnet will register just under 800,000 on the Scoville scale, which is 100 times the heat in a jalapeno. To use these peppers, you MUST cook them. They have a fantastic flavor when you can get around the heat, much like the habanero. To be functional, I puree them with a little garlic, white vinegar and salt for preservation. The resulting paste is, not to be redundant, F-ing hot. I add one half of a teaspoon to an entire pot of chili, and the resulting chili is hot. Don;t mess around with this pepper unless you are ready for heat.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Finally, I tried a little experiment this year, I grew a pepper for a particular purpose. The Chilaca pepper, or chili negro, is used almost exclusively in Mexico for mole sauce. They are rarely used fresh, and when dried, they are called Pasilla peppers. They are not hot, ranging from 1,500-2,000 on the Scoville scale. When ripe, they grow a brown flesh that leads one to the belief that they are rotten, but are definitely not. I don't have much to say about this pepper that will translate to words, but the one word I find appropriate is "flavorful." That is such a cop-out, but it is true. It adds a deep flavor to any dish that you may want.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So, that is my pepper blog post. Don't forget to grow your own, they are easy, grow fast and plentifully, and add deliciousness and heat to many dishes. ENJOY.</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-8356340005609460622010-09-19T07:16:00.006-04:002010-09-19T08:31:25.171-04:00Summer Thanksgiving<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocOnw6KiQ9zJA5R6rDpULugm_3pRPbgt-qvxSMP42s2LvFa0k6OXvX9VR28CQSGz9lxiz8vNBPSAJduMsM0vfobFHx5Lb0BPF3ueRMbDVLMzWdJVezxgCQtqCMKI8A7odI8MP9h436QQ/s1600/DSC01431.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocOnw6KiQ9zJA5R6rDpULugm_3pRPbgt-qvxSMP42s2LvFa0k6OXvX9VR28CQSGz9lxiz8vNBPSAJduMsM0vfobFHx5Lb0BPF3ueRMbDVLMzWdJVezxgCQtqCMKI8A7odI8MP9h436QQ/s320/DSC01431.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518582486540523010" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>During my bar exam review, I spent every week day with a group of fellow law students who doubted my cooking chops. In order to squelch their insidious ribbing, I made them ribs (among five other courses). So, I bring you Summer Thanksgiving. In essence, Summer Thanksgiving is just a good excuse for gorging one's self with delicious food and drinking scrumptious drinks. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My first of six course was sort of a picking platter. I had out some great cheeses to dip in truffled honey, including the ultimate Parmigiano Reggiano, Bellavitano (an american-made, but Italian-style cheddar), and some buffalo mozzarella. Also in the first course was home-made pickles in an apple cider vinegar and brown sugar cure, my infamous deviled eggs, and other little treats. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Second course was, as per Jaclyn's request, the above pictured ribs. These are my dry-rubbed spare ribs that are, that's right, done in the oven. I rub the ribs (that's what she said) the night before with my proprietary blend of spices and brown sugar. I place them on a roasting rack and pour an apple cider vinegar and water solution in the bottom of the roasting pan for moisture. In the oven they go for four hours at 250 degrees. After making some of my scratch BBQ sauce, I put a thin coat on the ribs and turn on the broiler to 500 degrees to bubble the sauce into a bark. YUMMY.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oAQJxxAbm7EBB89OYSLnMSod1Gfl2rx562UIWqUBKxeVx_j_5IUfWaJDvK_2LGBW2H9v4w6MNshHgzMIyRLd2sgKJCVz9oHuic42xI9Qxfcm9aXh_FA3v8jtOPocpd0o7CYmeYutPYk/s320/60388_10100450065811394_9306024_74424196_1310324_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518588262017978882" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>The third course was out of order, but was equally tasty. I prepared a seafood fra diavlo with whole wheat thin spaghetti. I apologize about this cell phone picture, but the ones taken with a camera were deleted. This is a basic Napoletano-Italian recipe. It is a spicy tomato sauce with onion and diced tomatoes and as much seafood as you can fit in the bowl. I chose bay scallops, little neck clams, 26-30 shrimp, and mussels (for Marie). Usually, there is scungili (baby squid tentacles) and squid body, but I skipped them not knowing if everyone liked those ingredients. Still, it was nice.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMHNpLs1wA-_VwYKqYLyv4pXNu_SbC1K9iYivSSsDTpLPGzJP0CcmTW-xPvOSPXPfL8kQnWEHiq4eS-TT-MQKjv5wAhJRfeyvPwWYKd6ieDV__U1FjigpeQ-3tK2ONFyQ4wal72uSFZ4/s320/DSC00504.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518592389578491698" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The fourth course, which was supposed to be the fifth course, was a simple seared dry-packed sea scallop. You can read my previous post, <a href="http://gastrometrics.blogspot.com/2010/01/sea-scallops-with-saffron-rice-and.html">here</a>, for the difference between good and bad scallops when you go to the market. The scallops were seared in a combination of butter and olive oil. I also add a few drips of truffle oil and fine sea salt to each plate right before serving. I also served a chilled sweet corn soup with the scallop. This soup was actually the most involved dish, which required its own post, which will be coming soon! I was, however, forced to move this course up because the pork belly needed more time. Thats right, pork belly too!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So the fifth course was supposed to be the main and final course. It did not, however, work out that way. For a final course, I chose a whole roasted beef tenderloin accompanied by duck fat-roasted red and yukon gold potatoes. The tenderloin was easy- just salt and pepper on a tied roast (there will be a post soon on how to trim and tie a tenderloin). I roasted it at 450 degrees for 12 minutes to create some flavor, and then roasted at 300 degrees until the internal temperature was at 125 degrees at the thickest part of the roast. This will give you a final temp of about 130 after ten minutes resting for a solid low medium, almost medium rare, but the thiner parts of the roast will be a high medium for those who like to kill the juiciness. The potatoes are really simple. Cube the potatoes and blanch them in boiling SALTED water for 7-9 minutes. Then place in a large frying pan a <i>healthy</i> tablespoon of duck fat. I added thyme and rosemary from the garden to make some damn flavorful potatoes. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cdJANP1obmkaP1UReoP9Xdk3BlwpUfnVkaPudDOkxZbsA2rmr7so_kNKDxZiglLg0aT0iX-AIDLSdem3EriB9-QJKsGrCQiFXlfIprg0_tUNlVSZ6IbWuiujOhAw8LRB30_4kFHGh3o/s320/46909_10100450196269954_9306024_74427895_5958187_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518595693296667762" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>Finally, the sixth course was supposed to be the fifth. It did finish nicely, however, as the greens cut some of the delicious abovementioned fat. I served an arugula salad with shaved Pecorino Romano and a vinaigrette comprised of roasted sesame oil and honey/ginger vinegar. That chunk of pig you see there is our home grown (not at my home, but at our butcher's home) fresh bacon, or pork belly (also a post soon on pork belly). This was an asian flavored pork belly braised in soy sauce, tons of garlic, and other things you will have to tune back in to get. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We also had some fine desserts including chocolate covered strawberries and peanut butter, Christa's famous raspberry almond bars, and some delicious Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout. After dinner we went around the table and let everyone know what we were thankful for, as if it really was Thanksgiving. It could have been the overwhelming sense of happiness stemming from our completion of the bar exam, it could have been our huge bellies, or it could have been the copious amount of wine and beer we drank that led to the lovefest. No matter what its origins, it was heart-warning, funny, and a memorable time. Thanks to Christa, Marie, Mike, Jaclyn, Kate and Jess for coming and eating (and not spitting out) my food. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud4HxNziEbzP8xFoGaSEaBLwoOlz9hPwBSJq5bygVICiNV1ymolTji8En7eNhQEacoqEreKOVyhEIzT0ctkE4YM_B83ZDNdoXcS1GZh0kooEHKnXLfo1y5oeTw-QJyCtqinIE5ylvp0M/s320/60014_466963874433_697624433_6503813_5412540_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518601100361207250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-2074352766312306012010-09-15T07:50:00.002-04:002010-09-15T08:24:38.447-04:00Interesting Beer Concoction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst9rUHazLfRbu-Rnr1ZFLFq-1PxtMFliB_dxEl1J6yq86dVJoI-dpOOQarTxDvpKmR-bYA_kHFTe5J6BIJI5axGHBVfvNwDd8PCLH1MpcXR-yLcKWATZ1y4rU9F6VQre01_nsaNAxTsM/s1600/60271_550325935546_29501154_32606031_599523_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst9rUHazLfRbu-Rnr1ZFLFq-1PxtMFliB_dxEl1J6yq86dVJoI-dpOOQarTxDvpKmR-bYA_kHFTe5J6BIJI5axGHBVfvNwDd8PCLH1MpcXR-yLcKWATZ1y4rU9F6VQre01_nsaNAxTsM/s320/60271_550325935546_29501154_32606031_599523_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517106729251620994" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There are very few opportunities in the current beer scene to be smacked in the face by something GOOD and NEW. Some breweries seem to go into an alley behind a row of restaurants and grab scraps from the garbage to use in their "unique new brew." As Dennis Leary so brilliantly indicated, "Wake the $&*# up and smell the maple nut crunch," Watermelon and pizza do not belong in beer. (<a href="http://www.21st-amendment.com/beer/hell-or-high-watermelon">Watermelon Wheat is by 21st Amendment</a>- usually a damn good brewery, and the<a href="http://www.mammamiapizzabeer.com/main.php"> pizza beer is by some slack-jaw named Tom Seefurth</a>). <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I was fed up with beers claiming to have exotic ingredients flavoring their brew, and further claiming that they tasted good. SO, I was naturally hesitant when I heard that Sam Calagione (fellow Muhlenberg grad) at Dogfish Head was joining with two other spectacular breweries - <a href="http://victorybeer.com/">Victory</a> here in Downingtown and <a href="http://www.stonebrew.com/">Stone</a> in Escondido, CA- to create a unique herb-flavored ale, but I trusted them. Damn were they right on the money. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So, the beer is a saison, which is a pale ale recipe from France. Traditionally, saison was brewed seasonally in the fall and spring, hence the name saison- french for season. The flavor of a saison is very very mild, and thus is a fantastic vehicle for loading on big flavors, and these man did exactly that. The saison is brewed with parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The beer, upon first sip, has the very familiar taste of a pilsner or lighter pale ale. But then the herbs come through- you get hit with sage and thyme first, but they do change interestingly into parsley, and finally into rosemary. The herby flavor is not overpowering, but definitely present. There are also notes of orange and an ever-so-slight sweetness. We tried it on its own, and they later with a few different foods, including asian flavored pork belly and filet mignon. It was good on its own, but great with food. At $3.99/bottle, I suggest that you by it by the bottle or 4-pack if you want to try it. I will, however, be going back for more. Enjoy.</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-64307945918806352022010-08-17T09:53:00.004-04:002010-08-17T13:44:49.963-04:00Veal Breast: Small Cut, Small Price, Delicious Results<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zeUzz0Ms6VqNgZadtmKEGNEgz6PvChZqtPOpx1vXPWom__n22P6ftWiHi2U0mh94Jn1EP7PoT97QOvJ-DjeHbOiLZLNqvhZXJ1iSWvBniPSZalN2X1Y6B6LLxgHa4yR8VvJUAxvA_Hk/s1600/DSC00509.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zeUzz0Ms6VqNgZadtmKEGNEgz6PvChZqtPOpx1vXPWom__n22P6ftWiHi2U0mh94Jn1EP7PoT97QOvJ-DjeHbOiLZLNqvhZXJ1iSWvBniPSZalN2X1Y6B6LLxgHa4yR8VvJUAxvA_Hk/s320/DSC00509.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506376867242976706" /></a>There are some cuts of meat that we just don't think of using. Some of these cuts are gristly and tough to make tender no matter how long you may cook them. There are others, however, that are tasty, tender, and most importantly, cheap. Veal breast is on of these cuts. The piece you see here cost me a whopping $2.65 for a 3.5 lb cut, so I bought two. Veal breast is exactly what it sounds like, the breast plate of the calf. Basically, it is the portion of the side of the rib that connects with the other side by the sternum. Most cuts of the breast will include rib bone and rib cartilage. There is a muscle plate on the top of the cut, and another between a nice pad of fat. Then there is sweet, tender meat between each rib bone. The high fat content of the cut allows for a long braise , although the long cook is not necessary. A cut similar to the one above does not render a large yield of meat, but what does come off the bone is so incredibly delicious, that you will buy three or four the next time you choose veal breast so you have left overs. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Now, how does one prepare a tasty veal breast? There are several flavor profile options, but really only one way to cook this cut: you have to braise it. I went through a few braises before I found MY favorite flavor profile for the meat, but every person is different. I used a french approach, with the classic flavors. I first heated a little herb infused olive oil and butter in a enamel coated cast iron pot and browned the breasts on all sides. While browning, dice two large carrots, one large sweet onion, and three celery stalks for your mirepoix. Remove the breasts and put on a pan for later. Turn down the heat and throw in the mirepoix to soften. While that is working dice up two or three cloves of garlic and throw into the mix after about 5-8 minutes. If you want to add flavor, let some of the veggies brown a little bit. Then deglaze with some good white wine and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Although the browning of he meat should use high heat, the veg ought to cook at medium heat, unless the aforementioned browning is wanted. Add 4-5 cups of chicken stock (I add a little ham stock too), 4 bay leaves, and fresh thyme and rosemary if you have it. Place the pot in the oven for 3.5-4 hours at 275-300 degrees.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>When the veal is done, it will pull apart quite nicely. There is a lot of fat, but the meaty goodness is going to be unequalled. I serve it as sort of a pulled sandwich, or if you like, make some cheddar grits and serve it over the grits. It also makes a kick-ass stew if you serve it with the juices and veg. If using as a stew, throw in some potato and extra carrots about 30 minutes before removing from the oven. ALWAYS remember to remove the bay leaves before serving. ENJOY!!!</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-30073033231289820392010-05-04T18:14:00.002-04:002010-05-04T18:24:45.044-04:00Great new website!<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Are you like me? Did you choose to hoard your wine corks when you started getting in to wine? Do you now have an obnoxious barrel of old corks from every freaking bottle of wine that you ever freaking consumed? If so, check out <a href="www.recork.org">this website</a>. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This is a great idea for all of us who feel that they need to retain useless cork from our favorite bottle of wine. This is a sort of hippie way to use the cork, but when you go to their website, you may agree that saving or throwing away cork is not the best idea. This is especially true when you see good wine makers going to artificial or glass stoppers for their wine. I bought a semi-expensive bottle a few months ago and wanted to save it for a special occasion. When I finally decided to pop it open, there was a plastic cork in the bottle that had flaked apart and ruined the bottle. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>With that semi-pathetically told story, click on the above link and send you old dusty corks to this company. You may even get a comfortable pair of sandals out of it.</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-44101897302885404832010-03-24T08:54:00.002-04:002010-03-24T09:00:53.303-04:00WOW, its been a long time.I apologize to all of my readers for such a long absence of new posts. I have been incredibly busy at school with all of the graduation preparation. I do have other preparations in mind, including some delicious new recipes that I have been perfecting. Look forward to Green Chili with White Beans and Pulled Duck, my now infamous Pulled Pork Sandwiches with hand cut Green Apple Coleslaw, and other dishes soon to come. So, keep looking for new and improved posts.Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-16107427135623445432010-01-17T09:00:00.003-05:002010-01-17T17:38:01.540-05:00Raspberry Jam Filled Almond Bars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQO9lPjUAxUVlCT3Njfj7zmhn3AN6bwgckB_UCp7-0e41SUxQEkQ41qtoR2CacGSs56WbOwxwwarAbgNiJhTdp2ZegqO6yGqKI7nrZllMyslQ1-tzTYwNrJ_RqYU64ahCXLp11Q4oyQ4w/s1600-h/DSC00095_2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQO9lPjUAxUVlCT3Njfj7zmhn3AN6bwgckB_UCp7-0e41SUxQEkQ41qtoR2CacGSs56WbOwxwwarAbgNiJhTdp2ZegqO6yGqKI7nrZllMyslQ1-tzTYwNrJ_RqYU64ahCXLp11Q4oyQ4w/s320/DSC00095_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427710032166892082" /></a>It has been said that a picture speaks a thousand words, but this picture conjures only two- "oohhhh god!" I would love to take credit for these delicious raspberry filled almond bars, but alas, I cannot. My wife began baking a few months ago. In her words, "I felt that I had to contribute in the kitchen and you won't let me cook." This is true to some extent, I am a little territorial, and my kitchen is my home. I remain, however, extremely open to her newly found love for confections. Instead of my writing the recipe of a dish that I have never cooked, I will hand over the reigns to my lovely wife, Christa.<div><br /></div><div>Sweet! I am excited to share this recipe with your blog readers - although there was a time when I considered keeping it "Top Secret". I figured at very least it would help me secure more dinner and party invitations from our friends and family simply by keeping their hope alive that I might bring these bars along. But, alas, I have come to terms with the fact that they are so good that it is unfair to keep them to myself and so, I will share the recipe with the world. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Decadent Raspberry Almond Bars</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ingredients</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:<br />Crust:<br />1 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/4 cup confectioners sugar<br />1/2 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened<br /><br /><br />Filling:<br />3/4 cup almond paste, diced (4 oz)<br />1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened<br />Pinch salt<br />1 egg<br />1/2 tsp vanilla<br />1/2 tsp almond extract<br />2 tbsp all-purpose flour<br />1/2 cup (about ½ regular sized jar) raspberry jam<br />1/2 cup sliced almonds (just eyeball the amount of almonds. I'm pretty sure I used more than 1/2 cup)<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Preparation</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Grease a 9-inch square metal cake pan (a buttered non-stick pan worked great) or line with parchment paper to extend 1 inch above rim on 2 sides; set aside. You can use a bigger pan and just double the recipe as well. This recipe isn't too finicky.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Step 1</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - Crust: In bowl, whisk flour with icing sugar; using a fork, blend in butter until it creates fine crumbs. Press mixture by hand into bottom of prepared pan to evenly cover the bottom surface. Bake in the center of 350°F oven until pale golden, 16 minutes. Let cool on rack. (a larger batch/pan may need just a little longer – maybe 17 minutes)<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Step 2</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - Filling: In bowl, beat almond paste, sugar, butter and salt until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Mix in flour; set aside.<br /><br />Spread raspberry jam over base; spoon filling over jam. Drop large spoonfuls evenly spaced across the top and use a rubber spatula to just prod the filling into the empty spots so that the surface of the jam is completely covered with almond filling. Work slowly to avoid mixing the jam up into the almond filling). Cover evenly with sliced almonds.<br /><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Step 3</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - Bake in center of 350°F oven until light golden and filling is just firm to the touch, about 30 minutes (Larger Pan may need a little bit longer – no more than a couple extra minutes though).<br /><br /><b>Step 4</b> - Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack rack. Make sure you let the bars cool as completely as possible before cutting. Once cool, run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the filling from the sides. You can then cut them right in the pan, or, turn the entire pan out onto a large cutting board and cut them upside down. You may want to put them in the fridge to let them firm up before slicing Use a sharp knife to cut and you may want to run knife under hot water or wipe with a damp cloth in between cuts to make the process a little bit easier.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Good luck, and let us know how your bars turn out!</span><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-47369419052723886282010-01-14T21:02:00.002-05:002010-01-14T21:14:18.383-05:00Food Blog Royalty<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article5561425.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1">Here is a list of the top rated food blogs out there</a>. There are some very good blogs in this list that ought to be checked out. The most interesting thing about the top blogs is that they are specifically geared towards one thing. Give some of these a look-see, I am sure that you will find something that you like.Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-7746772893203903082010-01-06T07:38:00.005-05:002010-01-06T08:36:27.069-05:00Sea Scallops with Saffron Rice and Truffle Oil (and a scallop lesson)<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue8_Rr5it5THrPevDIM4CIE9WJ47DVW5WN5HglpA4TYdpfaMhRTH3wpMWp3zSwGpwonHNTbZPGXTed6EglghdvmB7IiEJArLE7UCyxggbBmIZk48vFhoj7LJldbJmXJGml8J-k7skN5Y/s1600-h/DSC00504.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue8_Rr5it5THrPevDIM4CIE9WJ47DVW5WN5HglpA4TYdpfaMhRTH3wpMWp3zSwGpwonHNTbZPGXTed6EglghdvmB7IiEJArLE7UCyxggbBmIZk48vFhoj7LJldbJmXJGml8J-k7skN5Y/s320/DSC00504.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423605838825795298" 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 class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "></span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "></span> </span>In a few days, my wife is going to be running a half marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at Disney (<a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/epa/wdw10/ckachline">you can make donations here</a>). So, a few days before she left, I thought I would cook her a nice dinner. I drove out to the local seafood market, which I previously wrote about, <a href="http://gastrometrics.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-quality-seafood.html">here</a>, called Hills. Winter is never a great time of year to get impressive seafood, but there were a few things I had in mind that ought to have been of high quality, regardless of the season. First, scallops are always sort of "in season." There are two very distinct types of scallops, and NO, I do not mean the difference between sea and bay. Sea scallops are going to come either dry packed or wet packed. The difference is that lovely caramelization that you can clearly see on the above photo. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Wet packed scallops are packed in a combination of phosphates (used for preservation), which causes the scallop to absorb water. You pay for the added water. The added water is also forced out during cooking, which prevents the delicious crust that formed on my scallops. Wet packed scallops look snowy white after cooking, and are shrunken, dry and taste more fishy. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dry packed scallops are completely natural, with no added anything. They are shucked on board and flash frozen. They are usually thawed properly by a good seafood market. Most importantly, however, they cost less (because of no added water), look fantastic when caramelized, have a buttery but tight-grained texture and taste amazing. The price per pound will be more (these were $18 per lb) but I bought seven scallops for $10, well worth it. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I served these with a saffron rice and finished them with a few drops of black truffle oil. The rice was a short grain rice. I added a 1 to 1 stock mixture of veg stock and chicken stock to cook the rice. To that, I added more onion powder, garlic powder, a pinch of tomato paste (and I mean about an eighth of a teaspoon), salt, white pepper, and saffron. Bring 1 1/2 cup of stock to a rolling boil, add the extras, and the rice, cover and turn down to a simmer. 18-20 minutes later, you should have a risotto textured rice with a nice "juice." Uncover and take off the heat. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bCQdFL9vTnyw4RxmhOVishnrr5ouLxVzvGdpjYrrczaySjcI-ciFcUAXGqtA4CuBc0dDfQrK-qBBt6ZAP7z9ZrJPz9gkQqAD25bgW8Ewy3A6FiENS2krl0qD5CCxTifp9UpPSgBP4jE/s320/DSC00506.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423619646923392914" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div>For the scallops, add two pads of butter to a non-stick sauté pan with a little oil to prevent the butter from browning. After the pan is good and hot, season with salt and white pepper and put the flattest side of the scallop UP. You will serve the flatter side down, so brown the slanted part. Cook for about four to five minutes on the seared side, or until nicely browned. Turn ad repeat for three minutes. You can then finish them in the oven for about five more minutes. Serve about scoop of the rice, place your scallops down, and finish with a little truffle oil or truffle salt. YUM!</div></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-32863497336098655802009-12-28T21:41:00.007-05:002009-12-28T22:20:41.771-05:00Dinner on Sale Episode II- Pork Chops with Balsamic Reduction and Hand-Cut Coleslaw<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBVBgQnWnabPU0jFB7H4Ybwt8SrkPP-ttpiH6pjzfrjT8JDMTel71Bb7_icU7W0mbIdYWDqDYyygeYir4n090q-FN8Mb1QH7KCjhwKPzu_Zf0KJLmcCmN_TNMvtz1Z0nHjWXqPuggKHQ/s1600-h/DSC00184.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBVBgQnWnabPU0jFB7H4Ybwt8SrkPP-ttpiH6pjzfrjT8JDMTel71Bb7_icU7W0mbIdYWDqDYyygeYir4n090q-FN8Mb1QH7KCjhwKPzu_Zf0KJLmcCmN_TNMvtz1Z0nHjWXqPuggKHQ/s320/DSC00184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420484258758550418" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dinner should be both delicious an affordable. As part of my series on creating meals with nothing but items on sale at your local grocer, I bring you this meal. Now, I was at my local Genardi's, the store that I do most of my general meat shopping at, and I saw something I had never seen before. The store called them "country style lion ribs" on the label, but they turned out to be simply the rib cut with half of a lion chop attached, as you can see in this picture (the loin in the large half circle muscle). While there was a bit more fat on these "chops," they were only $0.98 /lb. For six pieces of meat, they were about $2.60. I decided to take these ""country ribs" and treat them just like pork chops. I grabbed some white onions, also on sale for $0.99/lb, green cabbage on sale for $.99/lb, baby carrots on sale for $2.00/20 oz bag, and light cream at $.99/half pint. I first prepared with coleslaw by cutting all of the ingredients, but only after salting the pork. I quartered the cabbage and cut out the center support. I halved each quarter down the middle and turned it up on it's side to shred. After all of the cabbage was shredded, I skinned and put a fine julienne on the carrots (you can also run them through your mandolin on the fine julienne mode). I also quartered an onion and shaved it thin. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqd2VR03Q0GoKb1dCXAAhgkxxfVx147KV1RskNOB84P2kLktpoAwx0EEZLi_sHyk_ItdvTlyyP7IE_cFdsdIDIGK1o9ZtWlKOz8AIlPgs20tsrbzdGVHOCs7tWCi3Jl2ZdqG8ADWZuUg/s320/DSC00189.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420489010548161874" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div>After the coleslaw was prepared, I began the pork. I took the salted "chops" again and added pepper. I took my saute pan and added a wild mushroom and sage infused extra virgin olive oil (I will tell you where this is from soon) and sauteed the meat over medium heat. Before the meat was added, I threw into the hot oil some thyme, rosemary and minced garlic to flavor the oil. Once the first side was seared nicely, I added more minced garlic and once diced onions. I sauteed this delicious mixture for about 8 minutes on each side. I took some pieces out of the mix earlier, as they were not as thick as others. While the meat was cooking, I added some light cream into the prepared coleslaw veg with some salt, pepper, and store bought coleslaw dressing (I am working on my own recipe for coleslaw dressing, but for not I trust a brand called Marzetti). After the coleslaw was finished, I turned back to the pork. I made sure that the meat was all at proper temperature, and then removed the "chops" as they came to temp. </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefrfvQ1vGWf8xtKAzpbeocIJIZPxpyG0W1m6NfLqdj5fZSnuX6zIZlu8mULLgXyYawI27Vofi7n4M3lMdcs5F_jvyS-s7QqIfQZkzz_lP3AZLwvfvsUqvWVH_KtYWkFIOhkAVVisrXjk/s320/DSC00192.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420492141193009154" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div>Once the pan was empty, I poured off some of the cooking oil and placed back on the heat for about two more m minutes with nothing in it to allow the pan to heat up. I then threw the last of the shaved onion into the pan and let sear. I then added a special balsamic vinegar (bought the same place as the wild mushroom and sage olive oil) that was infused with cinnamon and pear into the pan to deglaze it. The balsamic bubbles up and reduces VERY quickly into a nice drizzle. The meat, slaw and glaze reached the plate in a sort of unusual plating for me. It was a nice dish, though, that was accompanied by a salad with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shaved onion, walnuts and goat cheese. All in all, a nice meal for about $9.50 for two people. <br /></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-57316720430666159532009-12-27T19:20:00.013-05:002009-12-27T20:26:13.373-05:00Christmas Day Meal!<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I married into a great family which, on most occasions, shows their love for each other through food. When they really love you, you get something like we had on Christmas night, where eating is an all day event. This meal was one that I made no personal contribution besides an empty stomach. <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaBtmKqxwazwhTXOeewNbfbAGXlCqGMSbADZ2EZx_lojEao5OfIV-EJT3Vr7Ydwk_-dUHIKlOUWRX2R2p9F6cA2bUA_rk4NWZh7ZNSKx50Msvp16M692RfkBxg22KsEbScybpF0GkwN8/s320/DSC00146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420080439511278402" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 320px; " /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My in-laws food desires are fed by a Scandinavian background: my father-in-law's family is from Sweden and mother-in-law from Norway. Some of what we ate is inspired by that background, but some just comes from a love of food. We began the day with a few deliciously Scandinavian selections. There were two food options and one drink that were put out early.</div><div> First was Swedish coffee bread, which is a dense semi-sweet bread infused with cardamom and sprinkled with shaved almonds and sugar. The other is gravlax, sugar and salt cured raw salmon served with dill and accompanied with hovmastarsas, a dill mustard. We also had an interesting drink called Glug. While the name suggests a vile concoction originating from the middle ages, it is actually quite good. It is a lovely combination of one beer, a gallon of port wine, whiskey or vodka, almonds, raisins and cloves. During the process, it is flambéed to burn off some of the alcohol, but it remains fairly potent. It is on the same traditional line as wassail, but not mainly fruit juice. It is served warm and is ideal for opening gifts. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6CcpPbxWyE1V7w9WVuNQ_2m-RG6hy4p-K2FyugYpTY3XTwm-oL6NQfVJpqkWAWKIgbxl7bCFgeeB8ZO-9KqOfgsihiClgDgPvXOWs3vvXolbntpixSqRnO-7bgtj8EBgv_Y9n-qZYgU/s320/DSC00154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420090411887841378" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><br /></div><div>This was simply something to keep people happy until the main event rolled around. As is often the case, the meal with my in-laws centers around a huge amount of meat. This time, it was around a nine pound, four rib, bone-in ribeye. It was accompanied by several sides, which included dill carrots, mashed potatoes, roasted Brussel sprouts with shallots, Asparagus, creamed leaks, and three sauces- creamy horseradish, hollandaise, cream cabernet with mushrooms and shallots, and a true pan gravy. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The meat was cooked to a perfect medium on the outsides and a slightly less cooked medium-rare in the middle of the roast. The creamed leaks, however, stole the show. My father-in-law used simple ingredients to create a delicious side dish. He cooked the leaks in butter, white wine, and cream, then topped with homemade whole wheat bread crumbs. The leaks were tender, but not soggy, which can happen even though leaks <br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQfA9EHUjuFEheT92IKIMpRaySBhGNc2lXYY1f-mrhW62S2M_qgymeDWEXf4sQVIwt_XOX5igDKVomr6beGQMkhbP8sM8oV5JkyLpOIDZAsQL2A2yjIyl-Yd9c70nRm5VizspSgJd3uE/s320/DSC00155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420090220283046034" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 304px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">are tougher to overcook that onions or shallots. The meal concluded with a ridiculous spread of cookies, almond bars (which will be in a future post) and after-dinner drinks (which will be another post soon). </span></span><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>All in all, it was a great holiday, topped off with a great holiday meal. I hope that you all who read will post some comments about the meals your families cook during the holidays. For now, have a good few days and have a great New Year. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>-Kris</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-74328530280498540272009-12-26T19:29:00.003-05:002009-12-26T19:37:32.782-05:00What a Christmas!I had a great Christmas, and I hope you did too. I have a few new and exciting things to blog about. First, I received a new camera from my lovely wife. My new Sony a230 will surely be providing you with crisp, clear pictures ASAP. I also have some new suggestions for seasonal drinks that will warm you on those cold winter days. Finally, I have to report on the masses of delicious and traditional foods that I get to eat with my family during the holidays. Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-3313105671041094342009-12-14T13:46:00.002-05:002009-12-14T13:50:28.270-05:00Final are over and I am going to COOK!So I am free! I finished my finals today and will be cooking a hell of a lot of food in the next few weeks. I welcome ideas, questions and suggestions. I will be continuing my series on dishes comprised of all ingredients that are on special in my local markets. So, enjoy.Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-1806751914184574592009-12-06T08:08:00.005-05:002009-12-06T09:24:54.410-05:00Everything on sale- Steak Sandwiches with Roasted Potatoes, Asparagus and raw Brussell sprout salad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCNfnC3r4UwhgODYi2CR029h5yS0fqCy1vOO0qOOKQnX189xA2HKl4TJLA8r86hQCfR3Ktnzhug0lZDvlPl0XReO4gEirQsvIkDehyphenhyphenT0vx_oOzg1Yt_hfd2Sjp7LUPgTsaj4VBX-znho/s1600-h/IMG_2186_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCNfnC3r4UwhgODYi2CR029h5yS0fqCy1vOO0qOOKQnX189xA2HKl4TJLA8r86hQCfR3Ktnzhug0lZDvlPl0XReO4gEirQsvIkDehyphenhyphenT0vx_oOzg1Yt_hfd2Sjp7LUPgTsaj4VBX-znho/s320/IMG_2186_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412117684901175202" /></a><br />I am starting a new series of posts on reasonable in home meals that are easy to prepare. This is the first of these posts. I was reading my local grocery store flyers yesterday morning looking for deals. There are, of course, different stores that are known to carry better items in certain departments. For instance, the Genuardi's has one of the better meat sections for pork and beef. Acme is better for produce, seafood and random ingredients. <div><br /></div><div>This particular meal came from two stores: Genuardi's and The Fresh Market. At Genuardi's, I bought the yellow onion ($.99/lb), and baby portobello mushrooms ($2/6oz. package) and meat- one bone-in Rancher's Reserve Black Angus New York Strip at $4.49/lb for $5.34. At The Fresh Market, I bought the roll ($.75/roll), asparagus ($3/bundle), sweet potato ($.99/lb for $1.29), Brussell sprouts ($3/bundle at about 1lb.), and four strips of bacon ($4.99/lb for $1.45). </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the process for this delicious sandwich. First, clean and cut the sweet potatoes into wedges. In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil and shake to coat all sides- don't add salt and pepper until you take them out of the oven. Place in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. When they come out, season them with salt and pepper. After 7-10 minutes, repeat with the asparagus. </div><div><br /></div><div>For the steak, as soon as you get the meat home, or up to four hours before the meal, open the package and place on a plate. Season the meat liberally with salt on both sides and allow to sit out on the counter. For more seasoning tips, see my <a href="http://gastrometrics.blogspot.com/2009/08/to-season-or-not-to-season-that-is.html">past post</a>. You will need a griddle or other sautéing vessel. Heat the griddle to about 350 degrees, or at the point that the olive oil begins to smoke a bit (this is ok, just back down the heat a smidgen). Now, you only want to turn your meat once, so sear the meat on the first side for about 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat. You should get a nice crust on the steak by then. (The salt pulls fat and juice to the surface of the meat and then caramelizes at high temperatures.) After 5 minutes on both sides, place in the oven (which should contain the sweet potatoes and asparagus) for 10 or so more minutes. You are looking for an internal temp of about 130 degrees on your meat. </div><div><br /></div><div>While cooking the above delicious things, clean your Brussell sprouts and shave them thinly on a <a href="http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=mandolin+kitchen&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=0robS5SOCInilAeLk7zyCQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CC8QrQQwAA">mandolin</a>, or shave thinly with a sharp knife. Dress your raw shaved sprouts with a light drizzle of truffle oil and shaved pecorino romano cheese. YUM. </div><div><br /></div><div>The last thing is the sauteed mushroom. and onions. It is just a little olive oil in a pan, cut the mushrooms in threes and sauté the mushrooms alone for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Then add the onions and cook till just slightly soft. Remove into a bowl and throw the bacon in the same pan. Cook till crispy (if you need instructions on cooking bacon, please sell your pots and pans and leave the kitchen).</div><div><br /></div><div>Arraigning the sandwich! After everything is out of the oven, turn it off and place the roll, open end down, in there for about 2 minutes to crisp it up. Spread a little mayo (regular old mayo, or see below for a trick) on the bun. Dress the sandwich with the bacon first, then the sautéed mushrooms and onions. Throw a few sprigs of asparagus into the mix. Then slice the meat (after 5-10 minutes of resting of course) on an angle against the grain of the meat for maximum tenderness. Stack the meat on, then a little pepper-jack cheese and arugula. Add tomato if you like, but they are really bad this time of year. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sounds delicious, so go cook it!</div><div>-Kris</div><div>There are two little things that can really elevate the dish. Spicy ketchup for the sweet potatoes and a balsamic infused mayo for the sammy. </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-66505275936376162162009-11-29T08:55:00.004-05:002009-11-29T09:32:15.042-05:00Thanksgiving Roast Duck with apricot/cranberry/plum glaze<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP-cbGGyM4DRQh-ZG1CtgLdEBY62w47hb8YU2NlR9N2GVkO-KGcdStNXgqEgYxAk4MMnT3bANHsav86jwxxhiOpAnn5ACDKEVvwaPrYdN6VK74M05n3WubS2jLwshwUw46_ezTNt8Sew/s1600/IMG_2163.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP-cbGGyM4DRQh-ZG1CtgLdEBY62w47hb8YU2NlR9N2GVkO-KGcdStNXgqEgYxAk4MMnT3bANHsav86jwxxhiOpAnn5ACDKEVvwaPrYdN6VK74M05n3WubS2jLwshwUw46_ezTNt8Sew/s320/IMG_2163.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409533321134234578" /></a><br />This Thanksgiving I wanted to do something a little different. I was in my local market and saw a small bird in the area with the turkeys. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bird was a delicious 7 pound duck. Having never roasted a whole duck before, I was excited for the opportunity. So, here is how I did it.<div><br /></div><div>First, I let the bird sit out overnight to come to room temperature. When I took it out of the bag, I patted it dry and covered it. The next morning, I made a glaze to baste the duck with every 20 minutes. Here is a quick recipe for the glaze:</div><div><br /></div><div>1/2 cup of orange blossom honey (or any type)</div><div>2 tbsp of apricot jam</div><div>2 tbsp of plum preserve</div><div>2 slices of fresh ginger</div><div>2 cups of water</div><div>1 cup of clean, fresh cranberries</div><div><br /></div><div>Combine the honey, water and cranberries in a small saucier and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, continuing until the cranberries are very soft. Add the ginger slices, plum preserve and jam during the simmer. Whisk them evenly through glaze while the cranberries are still fairly solid. Reduce the glaze for about 15-20 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the glaze is reducing, prep the duck. Again, pat the bird dry to ensure a crisp skin. Because duck has so much fat over the breast, you must prick the skin so that the fat can run out. (Be sure not to penetrate the meat or it will dry out.) season the skin with a little salt, but no pepper. quarter an onion and peal two cloves of garlic and stuff them into the bird. Also, I added a few slices of ginger into the cavity as well. You can omit this if you like, but it adds a nice flavor to the meat. Glaze your bird with the delicious glaze and place in the oven. </div><div><br /></div><div>Place the bird on a rack in your roasting pan. Make sure the duck is elevated so you can retain the fat drippings! Roast the duck for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Baste the duck again, and back down the heat to 350 degrees. At 350 degrees, baste every 20 minutes. Over the next two hours, you should turn the bird twice, once from breast up, to breast down, and then again to breast up for the finish. If you have a meat thermometer, which you SHOULD, the minimum internal temperature should be 165 degrees. If not, you should be pretty safe with 30 minutes at 400 degrees and two-two and a half hours at 350 degrees. When done, take the bird out and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. </div><div><br /></div><div>IMPORTANT- in the bottom of the roasting pan, there will be delicious duck fat, even up to a cup and a half. This is GREAT stuff. Use it for roasting potatoes, brussel sprouts, ect. </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-61876299678884598902009-11-24T06:58:00.003-05:002009-11-24T07:12:57.106-05:00Thanksgiving TraditionEvery year, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I shred leftover turkey and make the best pot of chili. The combination of shredded dark and white meat is just the best in a spicy, bold tomato base. This year, however, I will be adding a twist. For the first time in my career cooking for Thanksgiving, I will be roasting a whole duck to serve on Wednesday night. As if all of the calories from Thursday's meal weren't enough, I will add a little duck fat!<div><br /></div><div>I have never roasted an whole duck, but I am looking forward to the near 2 cups of rendered fat that I will use in other dishes. In the chili, I will sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of the duck fat. YUM!!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, lets hear some your favorite Thanksgiving food traditions. Post some comments about what you love, or even hate, to eat over the holiday. Mine is my aunt's ricotta-based stuffing made with little bits of sweet italian sausage- so freakin' good. I also enjoy watching Christmas Vacation with my family the night of Thanksgiving while drinking obscene amounts of wine! </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Thanksgiving to all!</div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-14602378814886302182009-11-19T18:35:00.005-05:002009-11-19T19:08:51.260-05:00Great little wine gadget<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_c2oPoTHRwjVt40bS-oSVoV8a7XnG8ttnJOX1oufe4NvpmWb2nU9WM8ryIJM07Gm1X9d3NVxq7Y5cKYnYeWZzZOPyFfOy2wWrn8NPflTOZ6WDyZZV8kiirfbQA9hAeCmpFMdS7s4yXI/s1600/wineaerator-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_c2oPoTHRwjVt40bS-oSVoV8a7XnG8ttnJOX1oufe4NvpmWb2nU9WM8ryIJM07Gm1X9d3NVxq7Y5cKYnYeWZzZOPyFfOy2wWrn8NPflTOZ6WDyZZV8kiirfbQA9hAeCmpFMdS7s4yXI/s320/wineaerator-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405965639949519906" /></a><br />About a month ago, I became very frustrated with having to wait for a nice bottle of wine to open up in the decanter. I would decide to open something nice for my wife and me, and we would have to let it sit there for a half hour to breath before consuming. That put me on the hunt for a solution- and I found one. It is a nifty little gadget called the <a href="http://vinturi.com/">Vinturi Wine Aerator</a>. It can be purchased for around $40, depending on the store. It also comes with a screen for older, sediment-filled, wines. It has two small ports on opposite sides from each other which draws in air as the wine passes through the opening in the bottom. The air is infused into the wine, so to speak, allowing the bouquet and subtle notes in the wine to present themselves much sooner than if you were to just let it aerate in a decanter. So, while this will only really save you an hour, it really wakes up the wine much faster. Some people believe that it can even add a few years of cellaring, or the maturity that a few years would bring to a wine. I am not sure that this is true, but it is certainly true that this aerator makes a difference in the wine. I challenge you to get a decent bottle of wine (after all there is nothing that you can do for some shitty wines) and have two glasses- painful I know. Pour about once to two ounces through the Vinturi and, in a separate glass, pour right from the bottle. I swear, you will be able to tell the difference. Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-42132023295353382009-11-15T19:48:00.007-05:002009-11-30T13:00:03.207-05:00What Some Call Odd, I Call Delicious- Toro in BostonLast weekend, Christa and I were up in Boston for a weekend away from everything here. We decided that, instead of paying insane rates for a Celtics game or some expensive tour of Fenway, we would just eat our way around town. We started on the North End, dining on some delectable oysters from New Hampshire, Chowda from a Irish little pub called the Green Dragon, and so on. Then, on Saturday, we headed to Chinatown, the third biggest Chinatown in the US, for some peking duck, bbq pork, thin noodle duck soup, <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DU2D6zAYAlA5iRfBH6xtQrXrDE0vj4tS5raRp70WhfOv168nSemp9LO7GEUpmUoOXsbRY53wVzL9k6NgXtIRRE0ONyLJxUDqLjNBWgEOeDa-QTdIhXl6_2Ay-czaEMbYeXfT4dHx5a0/s320/IMG_2106.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404499772879127890" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuMJMaEYOI9vE7sna07IZvqCQPnohKFfpc2UAqAthJjjEEUY7mX2s3Xgy_DUbtdwIivi44z_gXKJyOM2T9Q31aNWUZYap5A9blZohhxa539d18hhxvxp-jkMbATc-XqhETAVhaFEC-f4/s320/IMG_2103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404499764134735650" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>and these delightful scallion cakes served with ponzu dipping sauce that had the flavor of a savory italian pizza fritte, sans confectioner sugar.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For dinner that night, we had a treat in store. Being consummate fans of spanish tapas and the beautiful ingredients it promotes, we had to get to <a href="http://www.toro-restaurant.com/">Toro</a>, a 55-seat Barcelona-inspired tapas restaurant in Boston's South End. It is owned by chef Ken Oringer, who was named Best chef-Northeast" by the James Beard Foundation in 2001. The executive chef, Jamie Bissonnette, brings the spanish theme true credibility with a delicious menu. So, here is the meal as we experienced it. Some of the dishes may make you think, " I would NEVER order that," but think again, this was amazing.</div><div>So, the dished we ordered ranged in price from $5-$14. Each offering was enough for two bites for both of us, and some were larger. All were very well prepared.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNTdSpKO4gzRJ92qXcKKlOxdnw1trdeExDeJZaaEwCJh7DARy9YktxyQY2bnrWevD3wVRwSKGvUO67opsHUOGE81muFTVJ1EQfpzhHi5Wwa8mnHQiD_hbdaPHdx_A_tlm5WlAhO5Cosk/s320/IMG_2117.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404503687422930530" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">These two dished were our first offerings. On the left is Corazon a la Plancha, grass-fed beef heart with romesco. The romesco was a nice combination of almond or hazelnut, red pepper, garlic and onion. The heart was shaved quite thinly and piled lightly. It was not minerally, nor was it tough, it was a nice beef flavor. On the right is Ventresca, or tuna belly, tomato tapanade and celery leaves. Unfortunately, this was the least memorable of the dishes. It tasted of albacore tuna, not ahi, and was balanced with the tomato.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34Lzf3epjqnoptdkoo4tG34GI6NC_7AVlQnRV46yHu9kSeBMNXkOIgEYW5ZSYzOW3xuIL9yUGjQ4iwxIKHdkhc8NKY1Ii7CMN8i3a8RiAL3oXxENuAPkIIp454EjoziXhULZ8CYbx3kE/s320/IMG_2119.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404503694160015970" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The dish on the left is Mollejas, crispy sweetbreads with blood orange and cinnamon. The sweetbreads were fantastic. The blood orange really off-set the fattiness of the sweetbread, and the cinnamon added a nice, unexpected tone. The dish on the right is oyster with a citrus foam. Good, but not fantastic. On the bottom is Jamon de Pato- cured duck ham. It is just a duck breast, cured and served as charcuterie. It ROCKS. You can get it in Philly at DiBruno Brothers- see my past post.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYElwWZpyz9czzEehAQ6sca7mexHTY9W4D1dFK6auO8mtHSM-RKtCPeljIt-PE8NC8mWfpHUj9mmXQ9Svve5bMM-RtkxK48FGR_ilRaOoDK1j8sT5A3UA1bZZAYlyTCTsUMmqk_xzl4o/s320/IMG_2121.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404503695857427490" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Ok, now these two dishes were by far two of my favorite of the night. On the left is Uni Bocadillo, a pressed Uni sandwich with miso butter and pickled mustard seed. For those of you who are uninitiated, Uni is the gonad of the sea urchin, male or female. It is the Foie Gras of the sea. Simply it is a savory, creamy, slightly salty delight. The miso butter added to the creaminess, with the crispy texture of the panini-like sandwich, it was heavenly. On the right is Foie Gras con Chutney de Pera- Foie Gras with pear and bacon chutney. Again, Foie Gras is the Uni on land. It is creamy, fatty, rich, delicious, and was cooked to perfection. Crispy outside, creamy center, and seasoned nicely. The chutney added a sweet pear flavor, and bacon added to anything makes it better. There was great balance in both of these dishes; just amazing. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg165Xm1FKa1jcwTBBxkz9fqOwf_GbLT8pvS69t63KABo9Jo9sACR_TzJYN2AtYTvtEBDgB1BZ0IUK6a0wB2QtOLOM5dA9DsfcjnKjktWMrBH6o9TWcwKknAcm1810QnV5HR8DhHp7VA6M/s320/IMG_2126.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404503710860501042" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">These two dishes came to us on the recommendation of the server. On the left are Croquetas de Bacalao- salt cod fritters with preserved fried lemon rings. The lemon rings were very nice, and complimented the salty fish. On the right, there is grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper and aged cheese. I thought this dish was a little bit of a throw away for the restaurant. It was one of the less expensive dishes, but it was not great. It was messy and the corn was not in-season sweet corn. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYVXRJNJN0V63k3RZf8KvpFnt1zNDBPJwxVQ2EEjlwj0jufewRsk-8ThqBP6VKawdBhUneDYv7BLg6jQWdrwU4DcJfvjUHSW1cgNar1R_vK0LbtDUc1h0N7XWx9K1jUKz2DrS6oqptl8/s320/IMG_2125.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404503703929869538" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">On top here was a daring dish for my wife. It is Lengua con Lentejas y Salsa Verde- smoked beef tongue with lentis and salsa verde. The tongue was as tender as any beef dish you could think of. The smoke, though, brought on a pastrami taste and texture. The lentils were fantastic. Served al dente, they paired beautifully with the salsa verde. On the left is Vientre de Cerdo- crispy pork belly with pumpkin, escargots, apple and maple crumble. It was a near-perfect dish. The pork belly could have been a little crispier, but the flavors were spot on. On the right are Navajas a la Plancha- razor clams with garlic, lemon and piquillo peppers. Razor clams are a little used and rare ingredient. They have a very strong clam flavor, but are not overpowering in any way. These are actually Atlantic jackknife clams and can be found from Canada to South Carolina. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0XPZcvaZxsH5UHG4ybVKOceQ3JKeY32rV2jUngpc0_yaKdGTb92dclB1dWwasGTH_3GmcUtpGjFFYttM4g72_V-z_8BGpLCPOhUJI8Vml1Q2kbjwpuuvf252ota1q0GHPgoEEFPh5SQ/s320/IMG_2128.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404516050450196898" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The last dish we enjoyed was Asado de Huesos- Roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade. Restaurant bone marrow is often the inner-most part of the femur bone. It is rich, fatty, and best over bread. Some of the best chefs in the world, famously including Anthony Bourdain, consider it to be good enough to be their death-row meal. The oxtail marmalade had the consistency of a beef short rib, and the intense flavor of a long braise. the radish salad added a brightness to the dish, and the citrus cut through some of the fattiness of the dish, but there was no cutting through all of it.</span><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The meal was paired with a nice pinot noir that complimented most of the dishes, but there was no wine that would have reached all of these wonderful dishes. It was a great meal, worthy of a gander if you are up in Boston. If you want a similar experience in Philly, chef Garces' Amada is a similar style restaurant with similar flavors. Hope you enjoyed, because I know I did. </div><div></div></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-31563569738495407442009-11-01T11:40:00.012-05:002009-11-01T12:56:35.225-05:00Its Braising Season Kids- Beef Short RibsAs everyone knows, the cooler weather lands itself to big, rich flavors coupled with deep, complex wines. For the first installment, I am offering you a simple and traditional braised beef short rib. Now, there are multiple variations of braised or barbequed short ribs. There is the Korean version with soy, sugar, sesame and green onions. There is also just a ketchup based American-style barbequed short rib (<a href="http://gastrometrics.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-bbq-sauce.html">see my post on bbq sauce</a>). This version is a red wine/tomato-base braising liquid that easily infuses into the beef. This post will give you the basic steps to have a tender, juicy, flavorful short rib.<div><br /></div><div>The first step in having a successful dish is choosing good ingredients. Most stores sell short ribs for about $4/lb for standard choice grade meat. Even though they are short ribs and are going to be cooking low and slow, I suggest that you find prime grade beef. It should have great marbling, which means that there should be veins of fat running throughout the meat. They should look something like this:</div><div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvy31dFAwm6d7lNGFuPXTjPltDv-OozD4sxoISj0YQmGEdICayDj_2n2jtIHqcQGRFTwVtjICizGgS2bKL6OTMUkNaxA4hMTlXOvs7yhAJAItQzayAlAAm0ITz6DWp7ZtM_kR2GsUDnU/s1600-h/IMG_2078.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvy31dFAwm6d7lNGFuPXTjPltDv-OozD4sxoISj0YQmGEdICayDj_2n2jtIHqcQGRFTwVtjICizGgS2bKL6OTMUkNaxA4hMTlXOvs7yhAJAItQzayAlAAm0ITz6DWp7ZtM_kR2GsUDnU/s320/IMG_2078.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399195304477725906" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 166px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To begin the cooking process, you want to season the meat liberally with salt and fresh cracked pepper. If you have not read my post on seasoning meat, check it out before you begin <a href="http://gastrometrics.blogspot.com/2009/08/to-season-or-not-to-season-that-is.html">here</a>. You want to give short ribs AT LEAST 6 hours of seasoning time. That includes a re-salting before you begin to brown. So, the braising process begins with browning the meat on all sides. Choose your most dense cooking vessel, preferably a enamel coated cast iron dutch oven. Coat the bottom with vegetable oil and crank the heat. Make SURE that the heat is intense- usually when the oil begins to smoke a bit. (Open the windows a little during the browning process, it will definitely get smoky.) Place a few ribs in the bottom of the cooking vessel, but be sure not to crowd them or they will cool the metal and the sear will not be sufficient. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7MaJF-0Lu2Ob-ClhJfPrHOjcYY68uGhWsURfnxpOP9Vo89V90d9KGUVL0h5BoMcfgteznQYuIfI2-Rn1p6FPdxz0aH2oX6QSNy-8-0xbGG7zPbQmlfjSo4yn5vLar-E0aHCe4pzWm88/s1600-h/IMG_2079.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7MaJF-0Lu2Ob-ClhJfPrHOjcYY68uGhWsURfnxpOP9Vo89V90d9KGUVL0h5BoMcfgteznQYuIfI2-Rn1p6FPdxz0aH2oX6QSNy-8-0xbGG7zPbQmlfjSo4yn5vLar-E0aHCe4pzWm88/s320/IMG_2079.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399187176799683938" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Each side should take about 4-5 minutes. They should look like this:</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCQ3QdwejG9kqqAlALA72mXuVGQZJEhu6wKKA8fOA9ADccHRONyqV4usLNqadkxSeEszfPq2vyxsaqn0n68gYMrHHNabn8qiYfEVgEGNcUL3u4XVkYKyQVFzBSniul__o-3QJ5z7kcw8/s1600-h/IMG_2082.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCQ3QdwejG9kqqAlALA72mXuVGQZJEhu6wKKA8fOA9ADccHRONyqV4usLNqadkxSeEszfPq2vyxsaqn0n68gYMrHHNabn8qiYfEVgEGNcUL3u4XVkYKyQVFzBSniul__o-3QJ5z7kcw8/s320/IMG_2082.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399187807676792498" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJPLRQVzOqocL7wz-HguLcFQQIz3VsFOHRkFcDtvbeXrjr2s20Z_Yv0fYCCRyaP35mXQZeotROiUn68vNNgX6ZEizO9a1USPtk4qsixCSuBCv7jzko70C5tV1FemPU_OqM61yKT9S8tE/s1600-h/IMG_2083.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJPLRQVzOqocL7wz-HguLcFQQIz3VsFOHRkFcDtvbeXrjr2s20Z_Yv0fYCCRyaP35mXQZeotROiUn68vNNgX6ZEizO9a1USPtk4qsixCSuBCv7jzko70C5tV1FemPU_OqM61yKT9S8tE/s320/IMG_2083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399187801535046818" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now that you have your meat seared, you need to get your sauce going. As crazy as it may seem, pour off the fat that rendered out of the ribs. Put clean oil back in the pot and start cooking your mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery diced to 1/2 inch cubes). Use two carrots, one sweet spanish onion, and three ribs of celery. Season your veg and brown it. Some people suggest that you put your mirepoix into a food processor and make a paste to ease browning. I did about half and half diced to paste. I also add two cloves of garlic to the mix. Let the veg brown, then scrape the brown up, and let brown again. Once your veg is cooked, add in a cup to a cup and a half of tomato paste. Combine that with the veg and let cook for 5-8 minutes. Now, there will be a lot of brown, but don't worry, it will be fine. Add three cups of a fairly bold red wine (a cabernet or an equivalent). The wine must be good wine, something you would drink otherwise. de-glaze the bottom of the pot with the wine, scraping up all of the lovely little bits. I suggest using a whisk for this- it will also help homogenize the sauce. Bring it to a simmer and reduce the sauce by half. Add back in your meat. You must make sure that the braising liquid covers the meat- you should add water to cover, about three cups. Add into the pool two bay leaves and four sprigs of thyme. It will look something like this:</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDulVNLIisSZLRlBny55SVm5cSo7Kp7h8RB4WErQxKZeF59k56uml1ahDNd3Yg9QI7a7-WwRtHdZ01x5HpHHL4mrq5Q0cTljxXQDwdLSzmaHDjHcssNXz9rORXqY_c5kb8rPqMu8M9X_I/s1600-h/IMG_2085.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDulVNLIisSZLRlBny55SVm5cSo7Kp7h8RB4WErQxKZeF59k56uml1ahDNd3Yg9QI7a7-WwRtHdZ01x5HpHHL4mrq5Q0cTljxXQDwdLSzmaHDjHcssNXz9rORXqY_c5kb8rPqMu8M9X_I/s320/IMG_2085.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399194638301826114" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Place your covered vessel into the over at 350 degrees and cook for three to four hours for juicy, fall off the bone ribs. Most of the rib bones will not adhere to the meat, but it will still look delicious. Remove the ribs, plate, and cover in the braising liquid. You can reduce the liquid more, but the cooking time should have reduced the sauce adequately. I prepared a simple garlic and parmesan smashed potato dish for the meat to rest on. I was tempted to take the smashed potatoes and make a Jonny Cake out of it, but I did not have time. I hope you try this recipe and please enjoy.</div><div><br /></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-76496485175040654462009-10-25T15:43:00.016-04:002009-10-27T12:26:22.631-04:00American Bounty- the award winning restaurant at the Culinary Institute of AmericaTwo weeks ago I had the unique opportunity to dine at the Nation's best culinary school, The Culinary Institute of America. I have wanted to see the campus and eat in their restaurants since reading Michael Ruhlman's book <span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic">The Making of a Chef</span>, which I have written about in a previous post. My family and I were in Rhinebeck, NY for an antique show that we do annually. I figured that we ought to make it a point to go to the CIA for dinner given that it is only 6 miles away. This is an account of our meal at the American Bounty, their award winning America cuisine restaurant. <div><br /></div><div>To start, the Greystone Campus of the CIA has a winemaking program. Each of the student-run restaurants offer those wines, so we ordered their Merlot, along with a Pinot Noir to pair with the anticipated entrees. The menu, which can be viewed on the website for the American Bounty, is rich food with big flavors. I began the meal as any Hudson Valley meal should, with Foie Gras.</div><div> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396639102425961890" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaM5l82zDLp8CspA4k8Elo0a6tIGPyfQSvCbhPEbPrqXib9zVBeXqu2KcJDTKa-F4a-Xn5n08PA-DHQeGT0TCcIQ5QstUY3hbKJb_ts4oCXin0YXYHP1K_bGE2yPsuOGnKMwUnPLpiIU/s320/DSC03222.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>It was prepared with shaved fennel, grilled artichoke heart, and a caramelized onion sauce. Now, for those of you who have not had Foie Gras before, it can best be described as rich, buttery, and, if seared properly, crispy on the outside. My wife had a crab cake appetizer that was served with a vanilla bean cole slaw and a Louisiana-style remoulade. We also ordered a seared scallop dish that was served with crispy pork belly and a smoky tomato sauce. </div><div><br /></div><div>Being that it was the beginning of autumn, and given the fact that fall flavors are my absolute favorites, the two autumn soups were a must. The first, a butternut squash soup with creme fraiche and toasted pecans. (not as good as mine though)</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdw02AHzP0ZO8JmSV0dGz9nHKmfB8Blh0o7_breCzefRm8bRqxZ97uzs3sZI-dzxTs-2S0FiDj0ld9bFBwo5wMvrb5Oa8FKl5a1FW16kHZ3fxnPdN2plvcQRkAVn_7hoEwzwBPLJlr00/s1600-h/DSC03226.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396648464150055218" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdw02AHzP0ZO8JmSV0dGz9nHKmfB8Blh0o7_breCzefRm8bRqxZ97uzs3sZI-dzxTs-2S0FiDj0ld9bFBwo5wMvrb5Oa8FKl5a1FW16kHZ3fxnPdN2plvcQRkAVn_7hoEwzwBPLJlr00/s320/DSC03226.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>The second was a sweet corn chowder. It was not a traditional chowder with chunks of goodness, but rather a creamy soup. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIi3qPu95YV55Hdn1TSY2jziWjcOtm1-qGMqeX6BY8b4kvSCdxYpx0q9cTiXC3NjS5j34WRtrHLh2WogqG4FOqN47jTQGrl4QefbMhx6w_IzRF6fRQq2fUHRqzMH9W3uUMBeHqoBCuvr4/s1600-h/DSC03225.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396647975592722194" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIi3qPu95YV55Hdn1TSY2jziWjcOtm1-qGMqeX6BY8b4kvSCdxYpx0q9cTiXC3NjS5j34WRtrHLh2WogqG4FOqN47jTQGrl4QefbMhx6w_IzRF6fRQq2fUHRqzMH9W3uUMBeHqoBCuvr4/s320/DSC03225.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>The ladies had salads, this one with roast beets, goat cheese, pinenut butter, and sherry-honey vinaigrette. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0B5aV1OxkNkMEcueVlMfDJ1bnt8E9rLgpp7muTEMcQ0AsD1cLVTQ7anvur7ljQu6Cb8B4SMNW9nM33oAKGtSXe0vuMqn9hrzmi-OQHPnlAajG0VM2xkQYLdoxcs_YnHFE2rjB3Sm6nQ/s1600-h/DSC03227.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396650345483239042" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0B5aV1OxkNkMEcueVlMfDJ1bnt8E9rLgpp7muTEMcQ0AsD1cLVTQ7anvur7ljQu6Cb8B4SMNW9nM33oAKGtSXe0vuMqn9hrzmi-OQHPnlAajG0VM2xkQYLdoxcs_YnHFE2rjB3Sm6nQ/s320/DSC03227.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>The second salad was a country salad with wine poached pears, blue cheese and spiced walnuts.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBc1IEhAE4KtEXgIcvYGqH__2c2LcqPD8YaOZqg3IC8cp5epQTaejM2dRiLyiVd7Kp_D52iazNH_t893eBqOGw4HawNqiFCJKyHk1tsSftAfXJ6AeZBTcHTauJfclZe1Cp296dQN8gEI/s1600-h/DSC03228.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396650775903881298" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBc1IEhAE4KtEXgIcvYGqH__2c2LcqPD8YaOZqg3IC8cp5epQTaejM2dRiLyiVd7Kp_D52iazNH_t893eBqOGw4HawNqiFCJKyHk1tsSftAfXJ6AeZBTcHTauJfclZe1Cp296dQN8gEI/s320/DSC03228.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The entree selection was not huge, and surprisingly, no steak option was offered, unless you include a BBQ beef sparerib as steak, which I would not. We chose three options so that we all might taste and share. I chose smoked duckling served in a curried almond sauce, and preserved mango. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVQfxhxX6mxkraj4JIxP0V5UZl0GCUyI9pNH0TkfF5apqnWNGmD0jF6RQx-m6B2hFIpLhPE7IvUIvR3ZrkjyfFiPEiCrNNNvjRT-dfiyzFX_N_oeTS50GlUtqSv5aD5RoAVpoFInkXvY/s1600-h/DSC03229.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396652426845825138" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVQfxhxX6mxkraj4JIxP0V5UZl0GCUyI9pNH0TkfF5apqnWNGmD0jF6RQx-m6B2hFIpLhPE7IvUIvR3ZrkjyfFiPEiCrNNNvjRT-dfiyzFX_N_oeTS50GlUtqSv5aD5RoAVpoFInkXvY/s320/DSC03229.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>There was also a double cut Berkshire Pork chop served with ginger tomato jam, spicy mustard and a mound of garlic mashed potato. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWPHUHovTLxpM7jFTvB9y1eoUAFlqGcjnO98XUAyCDYm2jXU_PNcwW6Zfh19Q1Mu3crCSBCJE441wKuNKLH8_gp_RHvKrRQDoKj6Qf08T40uTDzrAA-qkNBe0L0YzzQNtdILckLGYIhU/s1600-h/DSC03231.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396657744332978226" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWPHUHovTLxpM7jFTvB9y1eoUAFlqGcjnO98XUAyCDYm2jXU_PNcwW6Zfh19Q1Mu3crCSBCJE441wKuNKLH8_gp_RHvKrRQDoKj6Qf08T40uTDzrAA-qkNBe0L0YzzQNtdILckLGYIhU/s320/DSC03231.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>And last, there was a dish that I had never had. It was a Maine Lobster burgoo. Now a burgoo is traditionally a meat stew made with some type of game or lamb. It was a peasant dish that began in Ireland or Scotland, much like Brunswick Stew. Here, it was a broth that was used as a sauce. The lobster claws were served over roasted veggies, lima beans, chanterelle mushrooms, and a carrot froth. It was rich, clean, and focused- a really great dish.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45A3_2QNP-gBJ61mVZJrsQ2BVaOs-FTgT3vrobRp_iFWD6b0f9wn5RG7cpgHGI89kmslhyphenhyphen2Gnj1iNDRF7duVtzo5R-p4wqFLA5jR1LH-3pnCb7utfxszUDl4l7-0MnI8oge8n9wJhzP4/s1600-h/DSC03230.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396659870028778770" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45A3_2QNP-gBJ61mVZJrsQ2BVaOs-FTgT3vrobRp_iFWD6b0f9wn5RG7cpgHGI89kmslhyphenhyphen2Gnj1iNDRF7duVtzo5R-p4wqFLA5jR1LH-3pnCb7utfxszUDl4l7-0MnI8oge8n9wJhzP4/s320/DSC03230.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As if all of that was not enough, of course we had dessert. We chose an off-menu berry buckle with a shortbread cap served with vanilla ice cream. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmFx9pB6J4HPVVhrN8XjkM-Xz1ttnOQdj-hCvq3J2IMAeFwfZ-pi1Z36nNhlyGO0TP_hnlMQdaNjugvmt6Xu949i8EZq5BdSC1CyXc-Hn-s198Q1V16u-uRDZZZz13TepOMYDu30Z_1g/s1600-h/DSC03232.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396660485460167394" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmFx9pB6J4HPVVhrN8XjkM-Xz1ttnOQdj-hCvq3J2IMAeFwfZ-pi1Z36nNhlyGO0TP_hnlMQdaNjugvmt6Xu949i8EZq5BdSC1CyXc-Hn-s198Q1V16u-uRDZZZz13TepOMYDu30Z_1g/s320/DSC03232.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>I had a serving of pistachio ice cream, something that I love to eat any time of day, and this was good!</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39G5YOTh3oC2z6vnxEoDTfuXG1-dVPno1J6r4feAS88STdLFiCiy3dOQhY6o66D1NeKlKydlrf4BEwtUcLtV1xKa4VBg2dM7b49KjODMS2BIcVshKEm7sgnMaWvcAoPtCK0ABZLg34Q4/s1600-h/DSC03233.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396660813268622610" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39G5YOTh3oC2z6vnxEoDTfuXG1-dVPno1J6r4feAS88STdLFiCiy3dOQhY6o66D1NeKlKydlrf4BEwtUcLtV1xKa4VBg2dM7b49KjODMS2BIcVshKEm7sgnMaWvcAoPtCK0ABZLg34Q4/s320/DSC03233.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>There was also a neapolitan with puff pastry, a ricotta filling, and berries.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T_Brn8UzRySH6YHhbx7KpzUaqzT257uqsZEL3LXFoWFZlx5r3i2NZQSSQTt0GlT_Uw_-g0NGGJmA-qUdKfhNVh6kZLI0yvJylCo3YsGatdy04_6VoD1EKDoMQ7_goSCeTbPoTZZANts/s1600-h/DSC03234.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396662895069320754" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T_Brn8UzRySH6YHhbx7KpzUaqzT257uqsZEL3LXFoWFZlx5r3i2NZQSSQTt0GlT_Uw_-g0NGGJmA-qUdKfhNVh6kZLI0yvJylCo3YsGatdy04_6VoD1EKDoMQ7_goSCeTbPoTZZANts/s320/DSC03234.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We also had an assortment of dessert drinks. We tried the pumpkin spice cappuccino, an almond latte and a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Late Harvest Vignoles from the Finger Lakes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"> (this is a sweet wine made from grapes that are left on the vine until very late into the fall). </span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>SO, overall, we had a great meal. It is an experience that I would recommend for anyone who wants to see the place where more top chefs have been trained than anywhere in the nation. The service is shaky, but keep in mind that the servers are culinary students who do not have front of the house experience. For more information about the restaurants at the culinary institute, go to their website at www.CIAcheff.edu. </div><div><img style="webkit-user-select: none" src="file:///Users/kristopherkachline/Downloads/attachments_2009_10_25/DSC03222.jpg" /> </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-8160515971822724822009-09-19T18:21:00.003-04:002009-09-19T18:43:24.679-04:00Delicious Beer option for the fall- Dogfish Head PUNK!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4h7cMcN3_zudln0tL1KQZMRRwEVndy7MKpJJJ0f4Z0J_wrjMKQe5R1E7HcB1Azpx-aSsxI70J4bVnuBkb9fWO3c6hNv6Cy8H70EZv_f46PSsf46YcWjuG4JQfU6w70s4ZILQMIUqELE/s1600-h/punkin-ale.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 90px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4h7cMcN3_zudln0tL1KQZMRRwEVndy7MKpJJJ0f4Z0J_wrjMKQe5R1E7HcB1Azpx-aSsxI70J4bVnuBkb9fWO3c6hNv6Cy8H70EZv_f46PSsf46YcWjuG4JQfU6w70s4ZILQMIUqELE/s320/punkin-ale.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383312845963568850" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I am sort of a purist. I like my meat with salt and pepper; I like my pancakes with syrup and butter only; and I like my beer with hops and barley. There are, however, a few instances in life where something comes along and knocks you on your ass. Mirco-brewery genius, and fellow Muhlenberg College Mule, Sam Calagione has created something special at Dogfish Head Brewery. For those of you who know beer and live in the greater Philadelphia/Wilmington, DE, Maryland area, I am preaching to the choir. <div><br /></div><div>There are several traditional, but exquisite, ales crafted by Sam and Dogfish Head. His "60 Minute Ale" is the flagship. The 60 Minute name comes from the length of time the wort is boiled while hops are added. This long boil time accounts for the hoppy IPA taste. There is also a 90 Minute Ale and a famously potent 120 Minute Ale, which hits the ABV (alcohol by volume) of 18.0%. It is a real shot of life and a rare treat. Two and thats it. </div><div><br /></div><div>But this is about an oldie but a goodie. The <a href="http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/seasonal-brews/punkin-ale.htm">Dogfish Head Punkin (this is a link) </a>pumpkin flavored ale is fantastic. It is everything you want in a specialty beer and nothing you don't. The pumpkin is subtly fused with a smooth full-bodied brown ale. There are clear hints of nutmeg and allspice, but I don't really taste the brown sugar. It pairs incredible well with a little chocolate. I never would have really thought of this, but I bought my wife some chocolates the other day, popped one in my mouth and opened one of these Punkin Ales. The cocoa really brought out the flavors of the beer. </div><div><br /></div><div>All said and done, everything (well almost everything) Dogfish Head brewery creates works. There are a few low points, but nothing worth even listing because I think everyone is entitled to a bias-free taste-test. I suggest the 60 Minute Ale highly. For something more hoppy, go to the 90 Minute. If you are daring and want to spend the money, get a bottle of the 120 Minute Ale. For those of you within an hour of Wilmington, DE, it is worth while to go to Total Wine and buy by the bottle. (Sorry people in PA) Also try the FANTASTIC Aprihop Ale, it is a hoppy fruit ale that is really enjoyable. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eat, Drink and Get Drunk.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-40605707146759369742009-09-19T08:49:00.003-04:002009-09-19T10:30:02.028-04:00My BBQ sauceUpon the request of an avid reader, I am disclosing to the world the secret of my BBQ sauce. I do this with great trepidation, but the avid reader is my mother- I would like to see you say no to her. So, there is no real recipe in the traditional sense. I think recipes are a good basis for a process that you, yourself, can perfect. All I can give you is my process and let you create your own taste. <div><br /></div><div>So, I start with standard ketchup. I know it seems pedestrian, but there is no other option. To that I add a bevy of spices including the following in the order I add them and in descending quantity: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, hot paprika, garlic powder, ground ginger, mustard powder, onion powder, fresh ground pepper, and only a dash of salt. There will be enough salt from the other things added, so you don't need much more. I do have one more secret, but it is a little...I don't know...remedial. McCormick makes a roasted garlic and herb seasoning for chicken. I add a dash of that for a little depth of flavor. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, getting away from the store-bought ingredients, I stir the mixture of ketchup and spices together and let it simmer for a minute or two. Now, it is always important to connect sauce with main dish. When I slow-cook my ribs or pork shoulder, I place them in a roasting pan and fill the bottom pan with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and some of the dry-rub I put on the ribs. So, a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar goes into the pot of BBQ sauce. Also, in the dry-rub I add about a half of a cup of brown sugar for caramelization when I put the ribs on the grill. So, into the pot goes brown sugar and white sugar. Add all of these ingredients to taste, meaning add some, taste the sauce, and determine f you have added enough or need more. You shouldn't be able to taste any one ingredient, but just the note of flavor the ingredient brings to the dish, or in this case, a sauce. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thinking about flavor profile, we now have salt, acid (vinegar), sweet (sugar), and bitter (mustard powder and other spices). This is the makings of a very nice, rich and deep BBQ sauce. Please do some trial and error and post your results. Your preferred taste will probably be different from mine, so adjust amounts as you like. Be careful with the vinegar however- it is easily overdone. Enjoy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-34864065001600114552009-09-14T09:12:00.002-04:002009-09-14T09:39:58.722-04:00When To Season Meat- LambFor the Labor day weekend, I decided to have a family cook-out at our new house. Knowing that I was having both of our (My wife and I) families, I knew I would have to have a healthy dose of meat. My wife's family is known for expressing love through copious amounts of animal carcass and creamy french cheese. My family often just prepares food for 25 people when there are only 10 coming over. So, to make both families proud, I put together the following dishes:<div><br /></div><div>1) Hand-cut coleslaw with homemade dressing; 2) Potato salad with fingerling white, red, Japanese Purple Sweet, and fingerling sweet potatoes, celery, and egg; 3) Arugula salad with shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly boiled red beets (blot them totally dry so they don't bleed into the salad), with a dressing of red apple balsamic vinegar and black truffle oil; 4) 2 racks of pork ribs- one baby back and one spare, dry rubbed the night before, slow roasted in the oven, basted once with homemade BBQ sauce, then finished on the charcoal grill, see here, for a nice crispy, smokey finish (recipe and method forthcoming); 5) Two racks of New Zealand lamb; 6) homemade chocolate chip and pecan cookies or peanut butter Heath Bar cookies (100% my wife); 6) Of course you need a few hot dogs an bratwursts for the fillers; 7) 14 ears of corn that never really made it to the table because everyone was so full. There was also contributions from family including macaroni salad, pies, ect. </div><div><br /></div><div>But this post is about the Lamb. It was clear that the racks, seasoned 8 hours before cooking, were by far better than others I have cooked that were seasoned earlier. I did not even bother with the 4 hour or 1 hour season because of the fat content on the top-side of the racks. There was a nice thick, dense layer of fat that, when I began to cook them on the VERY hot grill, melted into the rest of the meat and made the taste incredible. I did not get any pictures of the meal, but I can assure you that Lamb is best seasoned at LEAST 6 hours before cooking. Season very liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. My sister-in-law asked me if I used anything else because the taste seemed different, but that was all- just salt and pepper. </div><div><br /></div><div>One tip, however, for seasoning racks of Lamb. When seasoning the top layer of fat, just when you think you have seasoned it enough, season it again. It takes a lot of salt to season that dense of a layer of fat. Also, when you cook the rack, the fat will render and run into the coals. That is flavor leaving the final product, so you have to make sure that enough remains. You might also want to season in stages. Season once, then come back to it a few hours later and throw another fresh layer of S&P on the meat. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, go get some Lamb and don't forget to wrap the frenched bones in tin foil BEFORE you put the meat on the grill. Otherwise you will loose some bones to the heat like I did (I forgot and tried to wrap them after a few minutes on the grill- ouch). Also, don't forget to let the meat sit for about 5-10 minutes before cutting. 130-135 degrees on the thickest part of the meat for a nice medium-rare to medium, so take the meat off the grill at 125 or 128 and let the carry-over cooking do the rest. </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-80103695685888560612009-09-01T14:39:00.002-04:002009-09-01T14:47:58.770-04:00Fall Food is ComingI know everyone loves summer for the hot temps, beach (or if from Jersey, shore) weekends, and fresh produce. I have to admit that I love tomato season too. But there is a time of year that is unequivocal to me, and that is autumn. I am not trying to rush it, but the smell of falling leaves and charcoal grills, the taste of butternut squash puree with rosemary and thyme roasted pork tenderloin topped with stone roasted apple and pear chutney...I could go on and on. Not to mention football season, tailgating, pumpkin beer, Octoberfest beers, big bold red wines that you have let sit all spring and summer, aged scotch... here I go again. <div><br /></div><div>That should suffice to say that my blog will be pushing out a post or two a day in the fall. So stay tuned and get ready for some killer recipes, great events, and reviews of the best fall drinks. </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264664402099602168.post-32395159674831055552009-08-28T10:35:00.003-04:002009-08-28T11:12:34.625-04:00Seasoning and Grilling: Tools of the Trade<div><img style="-webkit-user-select: none" src="http://www.thedailygreen.com/media/cm/thedailygreen/images/natural-charcoal-bbq-lg.jpg" /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Ok, so I have gotten some questions about the seasoning series I have been doing and talking about. (By the way the lamb is being cooked tonight and seasoning has already begun) When I season meat, I use a base of kosher salt and medium grain fresh cracked pepper. Sometimes I will add a little garlic powder or onion powder if the side dished call for a complimentary flavor. For instance, when I cooked the ribeyes pictures below, I used only salt and pepper because I was serving homemade potato salad (with white, red, and purple potatoes, celery, homemade mayo, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper) and hand-cut coleslaw (napa cabbage, sliced carrot, raw onion, my secret slaw dressing, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper). I debated dashing a little cumin and paprika on the steaks to compliment the other dishes, but these spices can burn and taste a bit nasty. Also, the flavors would not be that pronounced in the other dishes, thus difficult to pick up on the steak.<div><br /></div><div>As for choice of grill, I have the luxury of a two grill system. I start my meat on a super hot <a href="http://weber.com/grills/?glid=5&mid=24"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Weber grill</span></a>, and always with <a href="http://www.cowboycharcoal.com/history.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">natural hardwood charcoal</span></a>. Lighting this type of charcoal can be a pain in the ass, so get yourself one of these, a <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/91/237575050_a6ab099f1e.jpg?v=0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">chimney starter</span></a>. Once you have the chimney filled with enough good lump charcoal, get some newspaper and put about 1-2 oz. of vegetable oil on it so the paper burns longer. Place the paper under the chimney and let it work. After about ten to fifteen minutes, wearing a fireproof glove or a thick oven mit, pour out the red-hot coals into the grill. Get yourself a long pair of tongs, and evenly distribute the coals. Let them set up and burn off any grim on the grate where the meat will be. Place the steaks on the grill with the longest points facing 2:00 and 7:00 on a clock. After about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat (this is for a steak about 3/4'' or 1'' thick) turn the steak to face 5:00 and 11:00 on a clock and cook for 2-3 more minutes: this is for pretty grill marks. Flip and repeat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now if you do not have a gas grill, at this point you want to move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill and turn the air system to closed so the heat dies down. I, on the other hand, have already placed a tray in my gas grill and turned the burners on the lowest setting. I place the steaks in the 250-300 degree gas grill to finish, much like I would for inside cooking on the stove and in the oven. If there are people who want to mistreat their meat and overcook it, then allow for a few extra minutes on the charcoal grill or longer cooking in the gas grill. Remember though, you have to add even minutes on both sides of the meat, or there will be uneven cooking from side to side. </div><div><br /></div><div>Other foods that are to be grilled should can be placed on the charcoal grill after the meat is tucked into the gas grill. Things like onion slices, corn, and poblano peppers are nice on the grill, as well as hot dogs or hamburgers for people who are not looking for a steak. If you are considering chicken as well as steaks, you ought to cook the chicken first and let that carry-over-cook while the steaks are grilling. If you try to do the chicken after the steaks, it will take too much time to cook and the steaks will either get cold or overcooked in the gas grill. Remember though, all meat needs time to rest after cooking, so cook to 5 degrees under temperature and let the carry over time finish to a nice 128-130 degrees on beef for medium rare. </div><div><br /></div><div>For any other questions regarding proper grilling techniques, please leave comments and I will be happy to answer them. </div>Kris Kachlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06639950667733342673noreply@blogger.com1