Fresh Lemonade

[Recorded June 28, 2010]

1/2 t lemon zest
1 oz freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 oz simple syrup
water as needed
10 ice cubes

Place zest and syrup (sugar to water, 1:1) in a 16 oz glass. Let mull for a minute while crushing with a teaspoon. Add lemon juice, ice, and sufficient water to top up the glass. Stir vigorously to chill. 
Serves one.

Crostini in the manner of Elmo Barnes

Recorded June 28, 2010. Elmo cooks at their B&B with his wife Martha in Beaufort, NC.

2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1/4 t roast garlic paste
6 slices Italian Bread, 1/2 inch thick, cut on an angle

Heat the oil, butter, and garlic for a few seconds in the microwave to melt the butter. Brush both sides of the bread with oil-butter mixture generously. Grill on a panini press set to medium-high for five minutes.
Good with soups and salads. Top with salsa, pico de gallo, grilled queso blanco as a snack or appetizer.

Ingredient: Roast Garlic Spread

Recorded June 28, 2010. Yields a sweet, richly savory product useful for spreads, sauces, marinades, and the like. 

2 heads of garlic
2 t olive oil, divided
1/4 t kosher salt

Remove loose paper from garlic heads. Place each on a small square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with a teaspoon of oil. Bring up foil from the sides and close tightly around the top.  Place directly on the rack of a toaster-oven preheated to 425 degrees F (218 C). Roast for 15 minutes, turn off heat but let the garlic remain in oven until they cool. Unwrap the roasted heads and separate into cloves. Squeeze each clove out the bottom of the skin by into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind with the remaining oil until smooth and spreadable. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Uses: spread for grilled cheese sandwiches, add deep flavor to sauces, soups, gravies, roasts, crostini and bruschetta.

Air-Roasted Pork Tenderloin (Chinese Roast Pork)

Recorded June 23, 2010. This method adapts a traditional roasting method used widely in China to a conventional kitchen oven. No need to baste; the flavor has already penetrated, and the low heat and wet environment keep it tender and moist.
 
Marinade

2 T minced garlic
1/4 c soy sauce (Kikkoman®)
2 T hoisin sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 t dark sesame oil
1 t brown sugar
1/4 c water
Orange, lemon, or tangerine zest, or grated ginger root (optional)

Trim any fat, cut away the silver skin, rinse, and pat dry two pork tenderloins. Place pork into a sliding tab 1 gal plastic bag and pour in marinade. Lay bag flat to cover meat and place in tray to catch any chance spills. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 10 hours, turning occasionally. Remove meat from bag, wipe surface dry, and discard the used marinade. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 C). Form or purchase eight metal S hooks. Place an oven rack in the 2nd highest position, and, using the hooks, hang the meat from the rack. On the lowest rack, place a pan to hold water. Fill the pan about 3/4 inch deep. Roast undisturbed for about 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice across, and serve garnished with sesame seeds, as part of a festive Chinese meal, or use in dishes such as soups, stir fries, rice or noodle or vegetable salads, and the like. Store unsliced and loosely wrapped in the fridge, or wrap tightly and freeze.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Recorded 11 March 2000. Adapted from several recipes found online. A Family Favorite. 

1 medium onion
1 lb asparagus
6 T low-fat soft margarine
4 T flour
1 t dry dill weed or 2 t fresh finely chopped
1/2 t dry tarragon
4 c chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian)
2 T lemon juice
1 c half-and-half (or whole milk to reduce fat content)
salt and white pepper to taste

Dice onion coarsely. Trim tough bottoms off asparagus and cut spears into one-inch pieces. Saute vegetables in margarine until onions are clear. Add herbs. Mix in flour and heat 2 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice and pepper. Simmer until asparagus are very tender (about 15 minutes). Puree soup with potato masher, food mill, or hand-held immersion blender (best). Pass through a strainer to remove tough fibers. Add light cream, adjust seasoning, and serve cold or hot. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives or dill. Variation: Cauliflower or broccoli can be substituted for asparagus.

Pickled Beets

Developed March, 2006.

1 14-1/2 oz can of sliced beets, drained, reserve juice
1/3 c each beet juice and cider vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t salt

Dissolve sugar and salt in liquid. Stir in beets. Chill at least 6 hours. Can easily be doubled. Serves 4. Variation: Add blanched or raw sweet onion slices.

Ingredient: Chinese Black Mushrooms

A very meaty mushroom that can be stored indefinitely. This method yields a product that is an excellent ingredient in stir fries, soups, or risotto.

2 c very hot water (about 200 ºF)
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t sugar
1 c dried shiitake (dark forest mushrooms)

Stir seasonings into hot water. Stir in mushrooms until thoroughly wetted. Cover to hold in heat. Let stand until cool. Drain the mushrooms in a strainer, retaining the liquid to use as broth. Trim and discard tough stems. Use as fresh mushrooms.
Yields about 6 oz wet weight

Best Damn Iced Tea, Bar None

The key is to keep the temperature below 200ºF. This minimizes tannin extraction, keeping the tea crystal clear when it chills and with negligible astringency. Recorded 19 May 2005. Have made many gallons every summer for decades. This lightly-sweetened beverage contains about 1.0 gram of carbohydrate per fluid ounce.

4 Luzianne family-size tea bags
1 regular size mint tea bag (Bigelow Mint Medley is fine)

1 gallon covered pitcher, two-thirds full of water
2/3 c granulated sugar

Tie the bags together for ease of handling. Place in a 1 quart saucepan. Add cold water to the top. Heat over medium-low until it simmers. Never let the tea boil! Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Top up the water, cover tightly and set aside to steep and cool. In the meantime, dissolve the sugar in the pitcher and chill. Stir the tea extract into the pitcher gently to avoid foaming, squeezing the bags dry with the back of a spoon. Add water to bring to a gallon. Cover and chill. Variation: Substitute Red Zinger, Raspberry Zinger, other fruit and herb teas for the mint.

Review: El Cuscatleco - A Salvadoran Eye Opener

Yesterday, a Sunday, about 5 pm, returning home along I-40 from the grand-girls dance recital in Smithfield (too cute for words), Laura and I were well beyond peckish. I found a discount coupon (one day expired) for El Cuscatleco (pronounced just like it looks -- but get ready for the second-to-last syllable *TLECK*) and figured it was on the way home off US-Hwy 15-501. Not much open on Sunday night but they are.
Their place is located in a low brick building set back from the street with parking in front. Just east of 15-501 at 4212 Garrett Rd. Durham NC

http://elcuscatleco.com/

They have an extensive menu, including slo-n-lo dishes such as beef stews. They feature Salvadoran dishes, and the place is finished with many Salvadoran flags, folk artifacts and assorted chatzkes and chazarei. Prominent are the drink specials (Monday, Margaritas at 1.50!). We appeared to be the only non-Salvadorans there. Things seemed pretty busy for a Sunday night. Mostly, families with kids dining out.
The salsa and tortilla chips complimentary starters featured a delicious fresh tomato salsa with a nice kick. All their dishes strike you with their freshness and wholesomeness. Laura ordered the grilled bistek in the house marinade (a flavorsome skirt, $9.95) . Savory and sweet, citrus-based with a bit of heat. Luscious fresh salad of tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, onions and sour cream to top the tortillas. The Salvadoran tortillas were very different from Mexican ones. Thick, steamy, and fragrant with deep corn goodness. Fine renderings of arroz and frijoles refrito on the side as usual.
 

Mojarra frita

My entree was the mojarra frita, a whole fried fish, in this case, tilapia. The fish is simply scored deeply to admit the hot fat, dusted in flour and seasonings, and deep fried. A beautiful presentation on a huge platter. I ate less than half, and took home a box heavy with leftovers. The fish was moist, sweet, and nicely seasoned. Tilapia is mild and benefits from a bit of cayenne and cumin. The sides were the same as Laura's. Also, $9.95.
We both enjoyed a Negra Modelo ($3), served with the obligatory lime wedge and a nicely frosted mug. The beer was not too cold and tasted perfect with the food.
The atmosphere was festive with the typical confused assault of the three - THREE - different TVs, and non-stop Hispanic singing (which I enjoy) from a CD player somewhere, but conversation was not strained. Service was friendly, attentive, and competent. They did accept the expired coupon and the owner welcomed us to return with the spare expired coupon. He told me they have been at that location 10 years! Under the radar. They had a second place on N. Roxboro Rd in Durham but it has closed.
A truly wonderful meal. 3-1/2 stars, one dollar sign.

Pan-Roasted Pork Porterhouse Chops with Fried Apples

2 loin (porterhouse) pork chops, 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick
General Purpose Breader (see Recipe)
1 T EVOO
1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored, and cut in wedges

Seasonings
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/4 t sugar

Let the chops warm to room temperature. Lightly coat in the breader and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large saute pan until it's shimmering, but not smoking. Add the chops. Saute undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes on each side, and lower the heat. Move the chops aside and add the apples in a single layer. Cook over medium low heat about 6 to 8 minutes more, turning the meat and apples occasionally. When the chops are cooked but still juicy, remove to plate and tent with foil. Sprinkle the seasonings on the apples and raise the heat. When the apples are browned and softened, serve on the side with the chops. Serves two.

[Another] Seafood Stew

First prepared April 15, 2008. 'Another' means one more seafood stew recipe, and also, for DrDaddy, one more try at a seafood stew.

2 T canola oil (or 4 T if salt pork is omitted)
2 oz lean salt pork, diced
2 ribs celery + leafy tops, sliced crosswise
1 leek, white part and tender green part, quartered and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup sliced shallots
2 carrots, peeled, quartered and sliced crosswise
1/2 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 c, frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 c sweet red pepper, diced (or ancho chiles, soaked in warm water, drained well, and chopped)
2 medium russet potatoes (about two cups), peeled, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 c flour
1 qt fish stock + chicken broth, as needed to cover
1 lb firm white fish filets (e.g., whiting, catfish, cod, or tilapia) brined and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 lb frozen raw medium shrimp, brined, shelled (reserve for stock) and cut into bite size pieces
1 c milk
1 c light cream
1/4 c minced parsley
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 T lemon juice
sliced green onions or chives, as garnish

Brine the fish and shrimp for 30 minutes in a quart of cold water + 1/4 c sugar and 1/4 c kosher salt. Drain in a colander and cover with ice  until ready to proceed. This treatment rinses, firms up and flavors the seafood. Prepare a stock by simmering shrimp shells, fish trimmings, vegetable trimmings, peppercorns, a bayleaf and sufficient water to yield a quart or so.  In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high and add chopped salt pork. Fry until crisp. Add the peppers, and fry until they begin to color. Add the corn, and continue frying until it heats through. Add celery, leeks, shallots, onions, and carrots. Cook about 6 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Stir in flour, and cook until the roux turns a light tan. Add potatoes, and cook until they are partly tender (test with a paring knife). Add the shrimp stock and additional chicken stock as needed and bring to a slow boil to thicken. When potatoes are tender, stir in the fish and shrimp. Add additional broth if needed to cover. Lower heat and simmer a few minutes. Stir in parsley, cream, milk, and lemon juice. Heat through gently. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Garnish each serving with green onions or chives. Serves 6 to 8 generously. Great with freshly-baked corn bread or dark pumpernickel.

Quick Asian Rice Soup

[Prepared 4-9-10 for lunch]

1 12 oz pkg frozen rice and oriental veg (Kroger)
1 T canola oil
2 cups chicken stock (homemade)
1 t dark sesame oil
1 t soy sauce
1 t fish sauce
1/4 t granulated garlic
1 egg, beaten with 2 t water
1 T chopped cilantro
1 green onion, finely sliced across
1 Chinese or Japanese fish cake, thinly sliced on an angle

Heat oil in a 3 qt sauce pan until it shimmers. Add the frozen mixture. Stir fry until beginning to get tender, about 4 minutes. Add the stock, heat to boiling, add the four seasonings, and lower heat to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat, and slowly stir in the egg to form threads. Add the cilantro. Plate in a bowl, arrange the fish cake on top, and garnish with the sliced green onions.
 
Serves 2 to 3 as a light meal

Braised Fresh Pork Shanks with Egg Noodles

Prepared March 25, 2010. Adapted from an online recipe for veal shanks.

1/2 c all-purpose flour
6 fresh pork shanks (hocks)
salt and pepper to taste
6 T olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 leek, white part, cleaned and sliced across
1 oz fresh dill, chopped
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
about 1-1/2 c chicken stock

1 12 to 16 oz bag egg noodles, boiled 8 minutes in salted water and drained

To skin the hocks, push a sharp narrow knife into the space between the skin and the meat. Always cut away from your hand. Cut all the way around the meat, freeing and discarding the ring of skin and fat. Season well with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Place flour in a 1-gal zipper-lock plastic bag. Heat 2 T of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add hocks to bag, tumble to cover, and shake excess free. Saute three pieces at a time, until thoroughly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes for each batch. Remove to a platter to rest when cooked. Discard the oil and wipe out the pan. Heat 2 T olive oil to pot. Add the vegetables and herbs and saute until vegetables brown, about 12 minutes. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper. Place hocks atop cooked vegetables and add enough stock to half cover the meat. Bring to simmer; cover and place in oven. Roast about 90 minutes, turning the meat every 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the roast rest to let juices to settle. Remove the meat carefully from the pot to a bowl. Pour the pan drippings through a strainer into a bowl.  Put the liquid into a fat separator. Discard bay leaf and rosemary sprig from the strainer. Combine the roasted vegetables and the defatted liquid to form a pan gravy. Place cooked noodles in a serving bowl (or the dutch oven), arrange the hocks on top, and cover both with the pan gravy.
Serves 3 to 4. Paired with roast asparagus, peppers, and mushrooms. Original: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Veal-Shanks-with-Rosemary-and-Thyme-104490

Turnip Greens with Country Ham

A Signature Dish. Recorded 4 July 2000; updated October, 2006 and January, 2009. Serves 4 generously. In this two-step recipe, first, a flavorsome stock is quickly prepared, and then, the greens are slowly cooked in this 'pot liquor'. Both greens and liquor are served together.

1 lb frozen chopped turnip greens + turnip pieces, or 1 lb fresh greens (turnip, kale, and/or mustard; collards) washed, drained, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 c of water
3 T low-fat margarine
1 oz country ham trimmings, coarsely chopped
2 T dried minced onion
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t salt
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 t sugar
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 t mustard powder

Microwave:
Combine all ingredients except the greens in a covered 1-1/2 qt glass bowl. Microwave for 4 minutes on high, stirring once. Add the greens and stir. Microwave 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave another 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for 30 minutes on 20% power, stirring half way through.
Stove top:
Combine all ingredients except the greens in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer 5 minutes. Add the greens, return to a gentle boil, turning a few times, for 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add water as needed.

Baked Fish and Rice

[Prepared February 2010]

1-1/2 lbs cod filets, or other firm white fish

Sauce

2 T EVOO
1 c ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 small onion, blossom cut
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 c dry white wine
fish or chicken stock as needed
2 T fresh dill, chopped
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
zest and juice of half a lemon
1/3 c kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1-1/2 c boiled rice

Preheat the oven to 300 ºF. Place the fish, cut into serving-size pieces, in a large covered glass baking dish. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, and cook about 5 minutes, with stirring. Add the aromatics. Cook a few minutes to soften, and add the wine. Reduce by half, and add the herbs, lemon, and olives and enough stock to cover fish. Cook for a few minutes more to combine flavors. Pour the sauce over the fish, cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes until fish flakes easily.
To serve, push the fish out of the way, and fill the space with rice. Let stand 10 minutes for flavor to absorb. Serves 4.

Buffalo Drums

Recipe inspired by Alton Brown's recipe for buffalo wings, 2007.

8 chicken drumsticks
3 T unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 c Frank’s Original Redhot Sauce™
1/2 t kosher salt

Steam the drums over 1 inch of vigorously boiling water for 20 minutes over medium heat. Remove the drums from the steamer and arrange on a wire rack set in a shallow pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep the pan clean. Let stand a few minutes to cool and dry, turning once. Place on the middle rack of a preheated 375 degrees F (190 C) oven. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the drums and rotate the pan and roast another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is nicely browned. Then sauce the drums in the next step.
While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a large plastic or glass bowl along with the garlic in a microwave oven until it sizzles, and the garlic is aromatic. Stir in the hot sauce and salt and heat for another 1 minute. Add the drums to the bowl of hot dip and toss to cover. Serve warm. Offer cool blue cheese or ranch dressing as a dip. Serves 3 to 4.

General Purpose Breader and Pan Fry Method

Devised July 20, 2007; revised August 31, 2007; revised November 16, 2008 again after Paul Prudhomme's recipe for chicken fingers on his PBS TV program by addition of baking powder. The semolina gives extra crunch but can be left out.

Breader

1/4 c each unbleached wheat flour, coarse semolina, yellow corn meal, and white rice flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 T salt
1 t paprika
1 t ground pepper
1 t granulated garlic

Measure ingredients in a one-gallon sliding zipper bag. Mix well. Store in the freezer. Made initially for pan-fried soft-shell crab. Also good for fish fillets, pork chops, whole trout, chicken breast, frog legs, hamburgers, chile rellenos, etc.
Rinse food pieces and dry lightly. Place moist food items into breeder, a few at a time . Tumble to coat thoroughly. [For extra crispness, allow the food items to sit covered with breader for 10 minutes.] Knock off excess breader and place food in bubbly hot butter-oil mixture. Pan fry 2 to 3 minutes, turn and finish cooking another few minutes. A bit longer for thick pieces. Remove to a hot platter. Don't overload the pan. Cook in small batches. Note: Prudhomme added baking powder to his breader to increase crispness. In his recipe, he seasons chicken strips, dredges in flour, dips in milk/egg mixture, and then into dry breader. Fries in 350 ºF oil in skillet 7 minutes total.

Riced Yellow Potatoes

Recorded February 28, 2010. Transcribed and modified from the video recipe on Cook's Illustrated PBS TV program.

4 to 5 medium yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold™, or similar)
1/2 c hot half and half
1/4 c low-fat soft margarine
salt and pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and cut into eight equal parts. Place in the basket of a steamer over boiling water and cover tightly. Steam vigorously for 20 to 25 min, until potatoes are soft to the tip of a sharp knife. Transfer to a potato ricer (see NOTE), and rice into a mixing bowl, batch by batch. Stir with a spoon, pouring in the hot cream (hot promotes a creamy and not grainy texture according to Alton Brown). Keeps it hot too of course. Mix until well combined. Add the margarine and keep stirring. Season to taste and whip by hand until smooth.
NOTE DrDaddy also likes the ricer identified in tests at America's Test Kitchen as the best around. RSVP™ International SPUD Potato Ricer 13.5-in

General Purpose Seasoning and Dry Rub

Recorded March 21, 2009. In use for many years. Reformulated 2011 to reduce salt by half and later rice starch was added to maintain free-flowing property.

1 T kosher salt (see Note)
1 T dried thyme
1 T ground black pepper
1 T granulated garlic

Combine ingredients by milling a few seconds in a spice grinder. As a rub, season both sides of meat thoroughly (about 1 t per lb) rubbing it in. Apply the rub about 1 to 2 hours before cooking, depending on thickness. Use the rub on pork ribs ribs, pork loin, pork tenderloin and pork butt. Also good on roast chicken, grilled chicken, roast turkey, fried chicken livers, omelets, and grilled beef. 
Variations: Dust a little ground fennel, five-spice powder, cumin, paprika, or cayenne on the meat after applying the rub. Note: Kosher salt is bulkier than table salt. If table salt is used, reduce salt to 2/3 T.

Air-Roasted Turkey Breast

Air-Roasted Turkey Breast Ready to Carve

Prepared February 24, 2010. A turkey breast cooks quickly and stays moist in this adaptation of the classic Chinese moist roasting method.

whole turkey breast, about 6 lbs
3 T poultry rub
vegetable oil

Prepare the Roast
To prepare the roast, remove any extra skin, fat bodies, membranes, or internal tissues. Rinse well in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Spread all sides with oil, sprinkle on the rub and coat uniformly. Cover and marinate for 2 hours. 
 
Roasting
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Position the roast skin side up directly on the middle oven rack, over 1-1/2 inches (5 cm) of water in a pan on the rack below (see also Air Roasted Chicken on this site). Roast until temperature in the thickest part reaches 160 degrees F, about 80 to 90 minutes. Let stand on a plate to cool for about 20 minutes before carving. Cut slices perpendicular to the skin down to the ribs. Suggested sides: Riced Yellow Potatoes, and Roasted Vegetables.