Tag Archives: grain free

Acorn Squash with Kale and Pecans

Posted on April 28, 2013 by | 4 Comments

Roasted Acorn Squash with Kale and Pecans from She Cooks, He Cleans

We’re starting a new venture with community-supported agriculture this year, and we’re signed up with Rise ‘n Shine Organic Farm.  Two weeks into it now, we’ve racked up plenty of good things  – lettuce, kale, radishes, swiss chard, carrots  -  and also supplements of local honey, pecans, and grits since the growing season here is off to a slow start.  Rise ‘n Shine Farm still has shares open, so if you’re in the Atlanta area or in North Georgia, please go to their website (here) and consider supporting local agriculture!

The kale we received so far is far more tender than what’s in the grocery store, probably because it is early and this is young kale.  It took no effort to wilt it in the saute pan.  The kale with the sweet squash was a nice combination, with a little acidity added from the balsamic vinegar to boost the flavors.  The only other addition I’d like to make is to add some bacon – but alas, I was out!

I didn’t really measure anything, so the amounts are approximates.  This can easily be made into a vegetarian entree, with coconut oil instead of butter or bacon fat.  If acorn squash are out of season, the kale and pecans would also be delicious with a baked sweet potato.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

  • One acorn squash, split lengthwise, seeds removed
  • 12 kale leaves, washed
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped (or about 1/3 cup sweet onion)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons oil of choice (I used bacon fat and butter.  EVOO and coconut oil are also good choices.)
  • ~1/2 cup pecan halves
  • balsamic vinegar
  • butter or coconut oil for squash
  • kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 4ooF.  Oil a shallow roasting pan and the inside surface of the squash; place the squash cut-side down in the pan.  Roast for 25-30 minutes at 400F, remove from oven, and flip the squash over.  Season the squash lightly with salt and pepper.  Place a dollop of butter or coconut oil in the bowl of the squash (about 1 tablespoon) with a splash of balsamic vinegar.  With a pastry brush, spread the butter/vinegar mixture over the edges and inside of the squash.  Return to oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until the squash is very tender.

While the squash is cooking, remove the tough spines/stem from the kale. (Fold the leaf in half lengthwise, then use a knife to cut the thick part of the spine away from the leaf.)  Stack the leaves together, roll them slightly, and slice the leaves crosswise into slender strips.

Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the shallot and cook briefly (about 1 minute).  Add the kale and pecans, and stir/toss in the pan with the shallots over the heat until the kale is wilted and tender.  Splash with a little balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  If the taste is a little too acidic or bitter, sprinkle with a little raw sugar.  Stir well to mix, and set aside until the squash is done.

When squash is tender, fill the squash cavity with the kale mixture.  Serve hot and enjoy!

gjonesMusic fans around the world- and here at SCHC- felt the loss with the passing of the great George Jones. Called the greatest country singer of all time, you won’t get any argument from me on that score. This retrospective, 50 Years of Hits shares some great moments in Jones’ career, from the early rockabilly sides such as “White Lightning” to the classics of the the ’60s and beyond. Goodbye, George.

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Posted in Entrees, Side dishes, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

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Pan-Seared, Blackened Flounder

Posted on March 20, 2013 by | 2 Comments

Blackened flounder

The secrets to a really tasty piece of blackened fish are 1) a really tasty Creole seasoning, and 2) not overcooking the fish.  I use a slightly modified version of  Emeril’s recipe for Creole Seasoning – because he should know, right?  The seasoning is easy to make fresh with your own spices, and it’s really good on chicken, steaks, pork, or fish.  I have used it with tuna and flounder – both were incredible!  I think most mild fish will work – red snapper, catfish, grouper, cod also come to mind.

In a restaurant setting, blackened fish is cooked in a red-hot skillet, with plenty of accompanying smoke.  Cooking in your home, you might want to avoid this.  Chef Paul Prudhomme recommends “bronzing”, rather than blackening the fish at home.  This still means using a very hot skillet, but not so hot that it produces smoke.  He recommends cooking at 350F.  Although I did not take the temperature of my pan, it’s helpful to realize this is the temperature generally used for deep frying – - still pretty darn hot!

Our blackened flounder, shown here, was served with oven-roasted potatoes and avocado.  The cool and creamy avocado, with a squeeze of lime, really helped cut the heat from the spicy fish.  This is a delicious and simple meal that we will do again!

Note: I’ve provided links to the products that I used from The Spice House.  I like The Spice House because their herbs and spices are really fresh and high quality, plus they have a decent selection of organic products.  I also like that you can buy refills that come in bags, and that saves money.  I do not have any business relationship with The Spice House.

Creole Seasoning (Makes about 2/3 cup – Store in glass jar with lid):

Combine all ingredients for the seasoning, thoroughly.  (You will not need all of it for this recipe; store extra in a sealed jar.)

Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry with towels.  If necessary, cut the fish in portions that will fit in your skillet.  Coat the fish on both sides with seasoning mix, pressing it onto the fish to get a good layer of seasoning.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add a thin layer of oil to the pan (suitable for high-heat cooking).  When very hot, and without crowding the pan, place seasoned fish in the skillet and cook without moving the fish for 3-4 minutes, until nicely “bronzed”.  Flip the fish over and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the fish is done (opaque in center).  Repeat for the rest of the fillets – adding oil as necessary and keeping the skillet very hot.

Serve it hot, with a squeeze of lime juice!  Enjoy!

moonYou’ll need something to calm you down after the Blackened Flounder…so let’s try some ballads from two of the giants of jazz! First up, the incomparable Bill Evans with Moon Beams. Evans was one of the greats, performing with everyone from Miles on Kind of Blue to Tony Bennett. His piano is moody, introspective and always interesting here, on such numbers as “If You Could See Me Now” and “I Fall in Love Too Easily”. A classic record.

Nobody is more classic than John Coltrane, and on Ballads he slows the tempo balladsdown, without losing any depth of passion. His interplay with McCoy Tyner’s piano on cuts such as “All or Nothing At All” or my favorite, “Nancy (With The Laughing Face”) is almost telepathic. Sublime stuff!

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Smashed Red Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Posted on February 18, 2013 by | 10 Comments

Inspired by Love That Food

smashed potatoes

It’s vacation time, and you gotta indulge.  Since white potatoes are not normally in our diet, when we have them we want them to be extra-special.  This recipe for “smashed” potatoes is like the bridge between roasted and mashed – they are boiled until tender, then flattened and crushed so the creamy insides are exposed to soak up plenty of garlic butter, and finally roasted (with a sprinkling of rosemary) until crispy around the edges.  Yeah, I thought it sounded good too.

We served these potatoes with pan-seared beef tenderloin steaks, but the possibilities are endless.

Ingredients:

  • 10 small red-skinned potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons butter (from pastured cows)
  • splash of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
  • ~1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender (easily pieced with a fork).  Drain potatoes and allow to cool enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil a baking dish that will hold the potatoes in one layer.

Over medium heat in a small pan, melt the butter with a splash of EVOO.  Add the garlic to the butter, swirl it around, and allow to simmer for a minute, taking care not to brown the garlic.  Remove from heat and allow the garlic and butter to join together in heavenly flavors.

In the meantime, using a metal spatula and a flat surface, smash the potatoes until they resemble small broken cookies.  (I tried using a potato masher, but the potatoes kept getting stuck in it.  It is better to have the potato in more-or-less one piece after being smashed.)  Transfer the smashed potato to the baking dish.  Repeat for all the potatoes.

Pour the garlic butter evenly all over the smashed potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the rosemary.  Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are starting to crisp and brown. (Keep an eye out for the garlic so it does not burn.  Burned garlic = yuck.)

Serve hot and enjoy!

steak avocado and potatoes

shannonOne of my favorite things to do is finding music in consignment stores, junk shops, you name it. Generally you can pick it up pretty cheap, so you might take a listen to something you wouldn’t pay top dollar for. Well, I lucked out here in Santa Fe- 5 CDs for $5! First up is guitarist Preston Shannon with Goin’ Back To Memphis. This is gritty soul/blues with a Bobby Bland/Robert Cray sorta sound, very much recommended.

You can’t do wrong picked up Emmylou Harris, no matter what. So getting the out of print Spyboy – for a buck- was a steal! Emmylou live, with Buddy Miller on spyboyguitar, this is a remarkable show. From past favorites such as “Love Hurts” to “Tulsa Queen”, Harris is incredible. We’re going to see her in a few months with Rodney Crowell and Richard Thompson…hope it’s as good as this!

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Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Posted on February 10, 2013 by | 5 Comments

bacon wrapped turkey

Outside of winter holidays, we rarely have turkey.  For some reason, I never think about turkey – and for the two of us, even a small whole turkey is too much.  A 2-3 pound turkey breast, however, is just right for a meal or two, plus a couple of sandwiches.  I ordered this boneless, skinless turkey breast from Tendergrass Farms, with pastures located in southwest Virginia.  I’m really impressed with their support of local, grass-fed, family farms and their mission: “By implementing rigorous grass fed standards we are able to offer naturally raised meats of distinction that are truly unparalleled in terms of animal husbandry and welfare, culinary refinement and flavor, as well as purity and wholesomeness.”

Of course turkey breast is extremely lean, so I had some concerns that it might dry out while roasting.  I did two things to help prevent this from happening.  First I brined the turkey for a couple of hours, to add moisture and enhance the flavor of the meat.  Next, I decided to blanket the breast with woven bacon strips while it roasted.  Whether it was the superior nature of pastured turkey, the brine, or the bacon…it turned out juicy and very tasty!

[The next day, we sliced up some leftover turkey and bacon for sandwiches, using this grain-free bread.  Slice the bread and toast it for the best taste and texture.]

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast
  • 8-9 slices bacon
  • freshly ground black pepper or pepper blend
  • fresh sage (optional)

For brine:

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, coconut palm sugar, or honey
  • 5 cups of water

Mix the brine ingredients in a resealable plastic bag.  Shake vigorously until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.  Place the turkey in the bag, squeeze out the air, and seal.  Allow to brine, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.  Take out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to return to room temperature.

bacon wrapped turkey

Turkey breast in blanket of bacon – before roasting.

Place 4 strips of bacon on a flat surface (such as a cutting board), parallel to each other.  Starting at one end, place one strip of bacon perpendicular to the others, and weave it through the 4 strips (i.e. over, under, over, under).  With the next strip of bacon, weave it in using the opposite pattern from the first (i.e. under, over, under, over).  (You probably already knew how to weave, didn’t you?) Continue until you have a bacon blanket large enough to cover the top surface of the turkey breast.  Try to keep the bacon pieces close together.

Season the brined turkey breast with pepper. Place the turkey breast on the bacon, flip it over so the bacon is on top, and tuck the loose strands of bacon underneath.  Stick a few leaves of fresh sage underneath the bacon in spots, if desired.

bacon wrapped turkey 2

Turkey breast in blanket of bacon – after roasting.

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Place the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Roast until the internal temperature at the center of the breast reaches 165F.  (Roast time for this turkey was approximately 2 hours, but may vary with different ovens and/or weight of turkey,)  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

bacon wrapped turkey 3

candiGood stuff and not just for Thanksgiving anymore…how can you go wrong wrapping something in bacon? Yum! Yummy music as well. First up is Candi Staton with His Hands. Staton, know as the “Queen of Southern Soul” for her days at Fame Studios, returns with this great collection of songs including “You Don’t Have Far to Go” and “His Hands” from Will Oldham. This is old-school smouldering soul that gives the great voice of Staton room to move.

Taj Mahal has been a pivotal figure in roots music since his days with Ry Cooder in Rising Sons in the late ’60s. He broadens his reach on Kulanjan with Toumani Diabate. Mahal’s metal National guitar finds a common ground with Diabate’s tajkora, and the result, produced by Joe Boyd is mesmerizing. From Muddy Water’s “Catfish Blues” to songs of Africa, this is a spellbinding meeting of musical cultures.

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Posted in Entrees, Pork, Poultry

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Zucchini Noodles with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Posted on February 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Zucchini beurre blanc

Who’s a fool for sauce?  I don’t know about you, but if there’s a sauce or condiment I can drench my food with, I will do it.  My husband, not so much.  Not too long ago, I made some salmon patties and asparagus – and on a whim, whipped up a quick lemon-butter sauce to drizzle over everything.  Much to my surprise, James really liked the sauce.  While he usually puts a spoonful of the stuff off to the side on his plate (mostly to placate me), he actually added more sauce to his plate – on his food!  I knew sauce would win him over one day.

While there are some crab cakes on that plate in the photo, this post is all about the zucchini and beurre blanc sauce.  Despite the elegant French name (translated as “white butter”), this is a very basic and easy sauce to make.  I have written about the zucchini previously, in this post.  I use a Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler to quickly turn whole zucchini into ribbons – it couldn’t be more simple.  If you don’t have a julienne peeler, you can make thicker ribbons with a regular vegetable peeler, or you can cut it into matchsticks with a knife.

I added a little cream to the beurre blanc, because I like cream and it helps to stabilize the sauce, but it can be made without it.

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 2 or 3 zucchini (depending on size)
  • 1 small shallot, minced (2-3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter (from pastured cows)

Julienne the zucchini.  Set up a steaming basket over simmering water, and steam the zucchini for about 5 minutes or until just tender.  Drain in a colander and press out as much moisture as possible with paper towels.  Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat, bring the wine, lemon juice, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, and salt to a low boil.  Boil until the liquid is reduced to almost a syrup, in a thin layer in the pan (approximately 1/4 cup).  Stir in the cream, bring it to a simmer, then remove from heat.  Quickly whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is emulsified and silky.  (Keeping the sauce over heat after adding butter may cause it to separate.)

At this point, the sauce can be strained, but it is not necessary for this particular recipe since we are mixing it with the zucchini noodles.

Toss in the zucchini noodles and stir until the noodles are well-coated in sauce.  Serve hot – and enjoy!  The buttery-lemon flavor complements seafood and chicken, as well as many vegetables.

You mean there’s other sauce than BBQ? In this case, yes! Great stuff indeed, as is our musical menu. Get Up!  featuring Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. This is a brand new release, and all ready it’s be dubbed a years best. How could you go wrong, with the songs and wicked slide guitar of Harper with the growling harmonica of Musselwhite adding a saucy (HA!) touch? From Delta getblues to Zepequese stomps, this is a high mark of both men’s careers.

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Posted in Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Side dishes

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Crème Brûlée

Posted on January 25, 2013 by | 4 Comments

Modified from Bon Appétit

Creme brulee with blueberries

After my last episode of playing with fire in the kitchen, you might be surprised to see me back in there with a blowtorch.  Rest assured, nothing was engulfed in flames!

This is my go-to recipe for crème brûlée that I found on Epicurious years ago.  I’ve since modified it to use coconut palm sugar, which has several benefits over refined sugars.  Perhaps due to less processing, coconut palm sugar contains more micro-nutrients than other common sugars.  Also it reportedly has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, meaning that it has a lesser impact on your blood sugar levels after eating.  The best reason to use coconut palm sugar, however, is the taste.  It is not quite as overly sweet as many sweeteners, and it is more complex in flavor – it notably tastes of caramel.  That caramel is especially welcome in crème brûlée!

I have to admit that for the topping, I used a sprinkle of organic, unbleached cane sugar – I just wasn’t too sure of how the coconut palm sugar would handle being fired on with a blow torch.  I’ll try that in the future.  Part of the fun of making this wonderful dessert is blasting the sugar on top into a thin, crisp, glassy sheet that will crack like ice when you first tap it with your spoon.  It is a nice contrast to the creamy custard underneath.  I’m still working at getting it right – there’s a fine line between getting the sugar to caramelize and bubble up into a thin, amber glaze, and scorching it into black craters.  Some people use a broiler to do this – I find you have to watch too carefully and it may or may not be evenly melted.  I use a blow torch – the kind you get at the hardware store.  If you turn the flame down low, and use plenty of patience, it will give you more control when melting the sugar.

This recipe is incredibly easy, but gives the impression that hard work was involved.  Serve this dessert topped with fresh berries – or just by itself.  It is that good!

Ingredients (Makes 4 individual servings.  Can be doubled.)

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Several strips of citrus peel (lemon or orange recommended)
  • Scant 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of kosher or sea salt
  • topping: 4 teaspoons organic, unbleached cane sugar or brown sugar
  • optional:  fresh berries

Preheat oven to 325F.  Arrange 4 ramekins (6-8 ounces) in a metal baking pan.

Combine the cream and citrus peel in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  (I used the peels from 2 mandarin oranges.)  Remove from heat.

Whisk sugar and egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl for a couple of minutes, until well-blended and thick.  Gradually drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking briskly (try to say that 3 times) to temper the eggs.  Then whisk the egg-cream mixture slowly into the remaining hot cream in the saucepan.  Mix in vanilla and salt.  Let stand for 10-15 minutes.

Strain the custard into a large measuring cup (one with a spout for easier pouring), using a fine mesh strainer to remove the lemon peel and any lumps that might have formed.  Divide the strained custard among the 4 ramekins.

Fill the baking pan with water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, being careful not to splash water in the custard.  (Note: some recipes say to use hot water, but the last 2 times I made this I used room-temp tap water and everything worked out just fine.)

Bake custards until just set in the center, about 45 minutes. Remove custards from water bath and allow to cool.

Now the fun part – I like to torch the sugar before refrigerating the custards, so that it is all chilled when serving.  Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar evenly on each of the 4 custards.  (It helps if you have a small sifter or strainer.)  Fire up the torch and adjust to a low flame.  Slowly move the flame back and forth over the sugar until it bubbles up and melts, being careful not to scorch the sugar.  This takes some patience.  Repeat for the remaining custards.  Alternatively, if you don’t have a blow torch handy, you can place the custards on a baking sheet and stick them under a preheated broiler.  Watch carefully, and broil until the sugar melts and browns (about 2 minutes).

Chill the custards for at least one hour before serving.  The topping should be crisp.  Top with fresh berries, if desired.  Enjoy!

Creme brulee blueberries 2

Ok, this might have crossed the line into scorched territory…but it was still good!

mbellTwo recent finds, both artists I’ve never heard before now. First, English singer Maggie Bell with Queen of the Night. Formerly the singer for Stone The Crows, Bell came to New York and made this great album with Jerry Wexler. From Dan Penn’s “A Woman Left Lonely” to a smokin’ version of “After Midnight”, she sings the heck out of this record. Criminally undiscovered!

aceSpeaking of undiscovered we give you Black Ace with I’m the Boss Card in Your Hand. Playing slide guitar across his lap, this is the real deal blues. Haunting and strong stuff.

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Roasted Pork Shoulder with Winter Spices

Posted on January 8, 2013 by | 11 Comments

Modified from The Splendid Table

Pork Shoulder Roast

The traditional menu for New Year’s Day here in the Southeastern United States is pork, black-eyed peas, and greens.  As the saying goes, “Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year.”  These foods are supposed to bring you prosperity in the coming year  – the greens symbolize money and the peas symbolize coins.  I have no idea what the pork is supposed to bring – but there is another saying that might be relevant:  “Eating high on the hog.” This expression may have originated due to the belief that the cuts of meat “higher on the hog” were better or more extravagant, but it has come to exemplify that one is successful and living well.

The pork shoulder (aka Boston butt) is not a cut “high on the hog”, but I personally favor the richer tasting, less lean cuts of pork.  A pork loin roast is delicious, if you brine it and watch it carefully to keep it from being overdone, dry, and tough.  The pork shoulder, on the other hand, is nicely marbled with fat and you have to make a real effort to overcook it.

We usually make pulled pork from a pork shoulder – this is the first time I have made a roast with it.  You still need to slow cook it to at least 185F so that the intramuscular fat and collagen have a chance to break down, making the roast tender and moist.  I was going to cook it on the Big Green Egg, but there was a steady rain on New Year’s Day so into the oven it went.  On the plus side, the house smelled fabulous all day!

This roast does not have much hands-on time, but it does take some planning due to the 2-3 day marinade in the spices.  Also, if you can freshly grind your spices, please do so for the best taste.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-3 inch cinnamon stick, ground (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup dry good-tasting red wine

Roasting:

  • 2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup red wine

Marinate the meat:  2-3 days before cooking, spread the roast out (untie if it came tied together) and make deep cuts into the thick parts and through the fat cap.  (Do not even think about removing any of the fat.)  Mix the remainder of the marinade ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then spread it all over the roast, stuffing it into the slits and massaging it into the pork on all sides.  Place the roast and all the marinade in a sealed plastic bag or a shallow glass dish (covered);  refrigerate until ready to roast, turning once or twice a day.

To roast:  Remove the meat and allow to come to room temperature (about an hour).  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Roll up the roast and tie with butcher’s twine.  Rub the roast all over with the rosemary and salt.

Oil a shallow roasting pan and scatter the sliced onions in the bottom.  Place the roast, fat side up, in the pan and scape all the remaining marinade over it.  Roast for 30 minutes at 400F.

Remove the roast and pour in the orange juice and red wine.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.  Continue to roast until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 185F.  This will take several hours (4-6 most likely) – check on the roast every hour or so to make sure the pan does not dry out (add water if necessary), check the temperature, and baste the roast with the juices.  If the temperature of the roast seems to plateau, cover the pan partially with foil to help concentrate the heat.

When the roast is done, let it rest on a cutting board, covered, for about 15 minutes.  Skim the fat from the pan juices.  To serve, roll the pork back into the pan juices to moisten, then slice.  Serve hot, with extra pan juices if desired.  Don’t forget the black-eyed peas and greens if it is New Year’s Day!

Pork shoulder roast (wide)

harlemWell, I felt high on the hog eating this! Yummy! Some yummy music this time too. Generally sons of famous artists are a pale copy of their fathers, but in the case of Steve Earle’s son Justin Townes Earle, there’s no fear of that. Justin is his own man indeed, as on Harlem River Blues. He’s taken folk, country and blues influences together and created something new and fresh, as on the title cut or “Working for the MTA”. Stellar stuff!

His second album, The Good Life, is more jukebox country, and Earle’s vocals goodliferemind you of classic country singers such as George Jones or Lefty Frizzell. Hard to believe a kid this young could be so assured and good, but the truth is in the grooves.

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Posted in Entrees, Pork, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs

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Cranberry-Cherry Bourbon Compote

Posted on November 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Cranberry sauce isn’t everyone’s favorite, but I personally have a deep abiding love for the stuff and can’t imagine a Thanksgiving table without it.  I usually try a new recipe every year – there’s just so much you can do with it – but this recipe must might end up as a perennial favorite.  Where could you possibly go wrong by adding bourbon and cherries to anything?

We are having a small Thanksgiving gathering, so I only made about 2 cups of this compote.  Since I made it a few days ahead of time, it has been a struggle not to just eat it with a spoon.  I advise doubling this recipe so you will be assured to have enough to last until Turkey Day, and hopefully beyond.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
  • 1/2 package fresh cranberries (6 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1-2 teaspoons bourbon or Grand Marnier, optional, before serving

Combine sugar, water, and bourbon in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Add the dried cherries and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the cranberries and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the cranberries have burst.  (I used a wooden spoon to mash the stubborn cranberries into submission.)  Remove from heat.

Stir in the chopped, toasted walnuts and orange zest.  Chill.  The flavors will meld together over time, so try to make this a few days ahead.

To serve, bring to room temperature.  Stir in additional bourbon or Grand Marnier, to taste, if you wish.  Enjoy!

Yum! Our favorite holiday…and you can see why! There’s not a lot of Thanksgiving music about, so we’ll say thanks for the great Howlin’ Wolf! First up is Live & Cookin at Alice’s Revisited featuring Wolf with the great Hubert Sumlin and Sunnyland Slim. Hypnotic slow blues, with a band that sounds like they’ve had a few…great stuff!

Next up is Wolf with a few fans in London- such as Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman and Steve Winwood on The London Howlin Wolf Sessions. Wolf suffers no fools on this hit-filled session, and they rise to the occasion.

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Roasted Kabocha Orange Squash

Posted on November 10, 2012 by | 4 Comments

So…I think there was something big going on in the last week and I never got around to posting about this delicious squash.  Something about an election?  Thank goodness that’s over!

Last year I “discovered” delicata squash and I’ve been keeping an eye out for it at the market, but no luck so far.  Time for a new discovery; the squash display was full of unfamiliar lumpy-bumpy orbs that I had no clue about.  I picked out a pretty orange specimen for my experiment.  It was labeled “Kabocha” and came from New Sprout organic farms in North Carolina, only a few hours away.  Kabocha squash are a Japanese variety of winter squash, and according to Wikipedia, are revered in some cultures as an aphrodisiac.  (I will not comment on those properties.)  It is also called a Japanese pumpkin.  Most often the kabocha in the market are green-skinned, but when fully ripened they transform to an orange color.  They are fairly good-sized too, as you can see from the photo below.

I did my research, of course, to see how to best approach the squash.  This squash has a thin skin, compared to other winter squash, and doesn’t always require peeling.  However this one had some barnacle-like attachments, so I thought it best to get rid of them.  Like most winter squash, it take some effort and muscle to make that first cut into the squash – this is made easier if you first trim off the stem end.

Remove the outer layer with a peeler, then split the squash and scoop out the seeds.  Next, just slice it up and toss those slices with a little oil, salt and pepper.  If you want to get fancy, you could add some other spices as you see fit, but the basic salt and pepper is simple and delicious.  Roast the squash slices at 400F for 20-30 minutes, until they are soft and tender.  This squash is very sweet – sort of a cross between sweet potato and butternut squash  – and  I like it when the edges are a little browned and caramelized with the natural sugars.

That’s all there is to it!  I look forward to trying this new-found squash in soups and other recipes.  Enjoy!

Two new releases today. First off, the late, great Bert Jansch with Heartbreak. Jansch, who passed away last year, was a wonderfully inventive guitarist, first with Pentangle and then solo. Much like other British folk-centered guitarists such as Richard Thompson and John Renbourn, Jansch was equally moving and passionate on this 1980s release. This reissue also contains him live at McCabes Guitar Shop, where even solo he dazzles. He’ll be missed.

Next is Magico: Carta De Amor. “Magico” was a world music/jazz supergroup featuring American Charlie Haden on bass, Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek and Brazilian guitarist-pianist Egberto Gismonti on a live concert from 1981. This is a subtle and deep record, full of imagination and prowess.

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Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian

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Roasted Cauliflower Soup (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Posted on October 14, 2012 by | 14 Comments

Inspiration: Puree of White Bean Soup from Brasserie le Coze

Avoid doing this.

This week I got a blender, a powerful one, something that incredulously was missing from my arsenal of cooking tools.  I could not wait to take it for a spin.  After making a couple of smoothies, I thought I had the hang of it.  Let’s just say there is a learning curve… more on that later!

Years ago there was a French restaurant in one of Atlanta’s Buckhead shopping malls.  It was in a strange location, but Brasserie le Coze had some fantastic dishes.  I’m sure it was the first place I encountered skate wings in browned butter, one of their classics.  Another favorite was a puree of white bean soup, served in a crock with a drizzle of white truffle oil.  That soup is the inspiration for this recipe, in which I’ve replaced the beans with roasted cauliflower, and taken out the dairy.  (To be honest, I meant to add cream to the soup but forgot during the fiasco with the blender.  However the soup absolutely does not need the cream.) The result is a soup lower in carbs, but with all the depth of flavor of the original.

You may be wondering how I managed to make such a soupy kitchen disaster.  Well, when the instructions with the blender say “do not overfill”, they aren’t kidding.  Of particular note, hot liquids tend to steam quite a bit when you enclose them in a jar under turbo-blending conditions, and even with the vents in the lid, that steam will lift the lid right off the jar and erupt like Mauna Loa.  Lesson learned, thankfully without injury.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts, chopped and rinsed well
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ~1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
  • ~1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 t fresh thyme)
  •  salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: white truffle oil, bacon bits, to garnish*

* Note: I used ~1/2 teaspoon of truffle salt in the final seasoning, since I did not have any white truffle oil.  Instead I garnished the soup with crumbled bacon bits.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Place the cauliflower in a shallow roasting pan and toss with enough olive oil to coat the cauliflower and the pan.  Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned in spots and tender.  Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it renders its fat (do not crisp).  Add a glurg of olive oil, and the onion, leek, carrot, celery and garlic; saute until tender.  Add the roasted cauliflower, chicken broth, rosemary, and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 hour.

Puree (carefully!) with a blender, immersion blender, or food processor – in batches, as necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish each serving with a drizzle of truffle oil, or with crispy bacon bits.

Delicious soup needs a delicious soundtrack, yes? Who better than Catherine Irwin, leader of the great, but unknown Freakwater! Her first album in a decade, Little Heater is a sparse but moving set of songs, born by Irwin’s haunting vocals, akin to Hazel Dickens or Hank Sr.

What, you don’t know Freakwater? Perish the thought! They came around in the initial stages of the “alt-country” movement, and their debut album, Feels Like the Third Time is a classic. Take a listen to the first track- “My Old Drunk Friend”, and I guarantee you’ll be sold on their old country with a kick sound. Tremendous!

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Posted in Appetizers, Brunch, Entrees, Soups and Stews

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