NYTimes Coverage and Commentary
I'm torn - much of the new "style over substance" shows suck, but there are a few (ace of cakes, iron chef america) and an old hold out (Alton!) who make up great shows. But some of the the best food TV (No Reservations, Kitchen Nightmares, Top Chef) isn't on the food network. I get the idea that the Food Network considers much of the foodie centric culture (ahem) too high brow, and not broad enough
I'm in search of an "alternative latke" recipe that you love. I've keep doing sweet potato ones (tried curried last year) but they never seem anywhere as good as the traditional ones. So I ask you, oh great foodaism reading audience, what's your favorite?
Pictures from dinner and a kitchen tour of Bouchon Las Vegas. I'll post some thoughts on the meal (spoiler: it was amazing), the kitchen, and how it was to pray at the alter of Thomas Keller just as soon as i finish digesting.
For the record, this entry contains both family bonding time that takes place over cooking thai food, in Wisconsin. I know some our our loyal foodiasmites in California are confused. You're likely thinking, "Based on my impression of Wisconsin, i would have thought this sort bonding activity would have taken place ice fishing." Allow me to explain: It isn't ALWAYS frozen in Wisconsin. It doesn't get that cold until December. So, next trip we'll go ice fishing.
But we didn't go Ice Fishing. We made Thai Food.
Since I had an extra night in Wisconsin, my dad and I embarked on the great father son bonding night. This included such festivities as cooking Thai food, setting off the smoke detector, smoking cigars & sipping irish whiskey in a garage heated by a propane burner, beer drinking (and Geekery), discussions on the nature of gender roles and socially bred cultural norms, and stories about fun with chainsaws.
All in all, it was just a great night. The food was especially fun to cook, working together, comparing technique (he showed me his father's knife honing technique), and creativity (A happy accident with too much sugar in the beef marinade made for a mighty fine caramelization on the beef, and i also put together an asian salad out of fruit around the kitchen).
Finally, my dad whole heartedly embraced taking a whole series pictures for posting on the foodaism site, and the raw foodie indulgence of getting the pictures just right to show off the food. He rearranged the mise en place several times. Made sure the beer got in there, since it was an essential part of the cooking process. Also, it was delicious.
Wisconsin Jew Boys Red Curry Beef Stir-fry over Brown Rice with Spicy Asian Mango Salad
(Adapted from the always reliable Cooks Illustrated)
Marinate 6 ounces of thinly sliced flank steak in:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Then drain, and fry in hot oil. Remove from the heat, and brown:
1/2 lb japanese eggplants, quartered
stir in:
as much garlic as you can bear (we used… a lot - see pictures)
2 teaspoons store-bought red curry paste
and the already caramelized beef
Then whisk, and add to the pan:
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoon coconut milk plus an additional
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Allow to thicken, and finally, cook until wilted:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Serve over brown rice. I through together a spicy asian salad with fruit already in the kitchen of:
1 mango, chopped
1 tangerine, sliced
1 handful of bean sprouts
in a dressing soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a bit of sugar, and red pepper flake. Top with chopped mint, and allow to marinate/pickle for 30 minutes.
Enjoy with a Ommegang Hennepin Saison, animated discussion, and a camera.
~ Jesse
Warning: the post contains pictures unnecessarily close up to food. Look Ma! Veggies!
I was at trader joe's, looking for protein to go along with the kale my produce box had sent me, when i found a mysterious pork cut referred to as "Pork Tri Tip." Now, tri tip is usually a beef cut, and a west coast only cut at that. i wasn't exactly sure where it comes from on the pig (turns out it also goes by "cushion" and is part of the shoulder. sneaky!). Also, it was $3 per pound. And so my pork adventure began.
I brined the pork shoulder in a cuban marinade from Cook's Illustrated. Garlic, OJ, salt, sugar, and a little few hours and I was in business. Continuing the down the Cook's path, I also made the garlic basting sauce (12 cloves of garlic, oil, oj, cumin) and through it in the oven. Here's how it came out:
Onto the kale: Know what goes well with pork? Bacon!
I cooked the bacon down, removed the lean, then fried red onion and garlic in the fat. In goes the kale, along with a dash of chicken stock and white wine, and reduce until cooked (I like it a little al dente)
Finally the potatoes. I microwaved three sweet potaotes for a few minutes, peeled, added a pad of butter, salt, and a bit of PURE (grade b) maple syrup.
By now I was rather hungry. So i ate this plate food:
Recommended drinking: the homebrewed Saison Mat foolishly left at my apartment.
~ jesse
ps - the pork tri tip wasn't bad, but i'd just go with the tenderloin instead next time.
Coney Island Lager is Shmaltz Brewing Company's newest product, the first lager in their new line of craft brews. This new beer is a partial fundraiser for Coney Island USA, the nonprofit arts organization that runs the Coney Island Sideshow (the last remaining sideshow in the US), as well as the Mermaid Parade.
Check out Current.com's mini-documentary about Coney Island and Coney Island Lager
Look for this delicious beer wherever craft beers are sold. You can also get more info at the Coney Island Lager website.
~Zak