Turkey Assulted with Sushi Mat! News at 11.

Whenever I go home for the holidays the topic of conversation inevitably turns to food.  I made it known that I'm fond of sushi.  Dad said "yuk".  I asked him when the last time he ever had sushi was.  His reply? "Never".  I think many people carry an aversion to sushi without ever trying it because they associate it with being  raw fish.  It MAY be raw fish but it certainly doesn't limit what can be done.  I can't make anyone like something they are set against and unwilling to try.  That exchange got me thinking.  I really enjoy the simple and subtle flavors of traditional Japanese sushi, but that isn't all I like about it.  I also like to experience the ritual of sushi which to me is sharing artfully arranged mouthfuls of delicious simple food.  

Gobble Gobble Roll, with Miso Soup

If there is one thing I want to do in my life it is to introduce people to food and cuisines I find wondrous.  Introducing the Gobble Gobble roll V1.0. I know my Dad and I both share a love for traditional turkey dinner. What about a doing a sushi riff on turkey dinner?  This isn't production quality yet, but was a fun concept to play around with. 

SHARI

Sushi Rice:

2 C Arborio Rice, rinsed until water runs clear
2 C Cold water
2 T Rice vinegar
2 T Sugar
1/2 t Salt
~ Prepare on stove top.  Season the rice at the last minute before making the rolls.

NETA
Roast Turkey Breast:
cut, 1/4 square sticks with grain

Roasted Parsnips:

2 Whole Parsnips (peeled, cut battonet)
2 T Sesame oil
1/2 t Ground sage
1/2 t Dry Rosemary (crushed)
1/2 t Kosher Salt
1/4 t Ground black pepper
~ Combine above ingredients in a bowl, mixing to coat evenly.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Roast at 350F til soft.

 Red Bell Pepper pickles:

2 Whole Sweet red bell pepper (cut julienne)
1/2 t Alder smoked salt
1 t Brown sugar
1 t White wine vinegar
1 t Dried basil (crushed)
~ Combine above ingredients in a bowl, mixing to coat evenly.  Cover and refrigerate til ready to assemble.
Fresh Basil
~cut, chiffonade

ASSEMBLY
Toasted sesame seeds
Nori (2/3 of whole sheet)

PLATING

Teriyaki glaze:

~Kikkoman brand

Cranberry Chutney:

~pureed and strained, (Separate recipe post)

Tasting notes:
OK, but not great.  Maybe a little weird.
Re Shari: 

• Not happy with the bite of the rice vinegar.  Maybe Umeboshi vinegar instead?
• Arborio rice worked well for texture but a seasoned poultry stock instead of the water/vinegar mix might bridge inharmonious flavor differences. 
• The sweetness of the rice stands in nice opposition to the bitter notes of the nori and parsnips.  Perhaps brown sugar to refine it?  Maybe a hint of molasses?
• This is the biggest flaw of the dish and needs the most improvement.  Would like to see something closer to "stuffing" in flavor.

Re Neta:

• Turkey breast left over from Christmas dinner cooked by someone else was used.  Brining and classic roasting would enhance flavor profile. 
• The Parsnips turned out well on their own but I'm unsure they are the correct vegetable choice.  It did complimented the nori nicely.  Maybe sweet potatoes?

Re Sauces:

• Cran/Raspberry Chutney puree was good for flavor - but mixture needs to be thinned to ease plating.  Add salt TT.
• Commercial Teriyaki baste/glaze.  Not quite right.  I'm thinking a pan Jus might be a nice breakaway alternative to bring harmony to the dish.

Gingerbread Men

Christmas Eve this year was fun.   Early in the day my mother and  I did up a batch of gingerbread men blanks.  I had fun experimenting and shaping them into different poses and carving body features like "abs" onto them.  Later that night I took the blanks over to my brothers house where I got the privilege of spending time with his delightful and creative kids.  We decorated them mostly with colored frosting in parchment piping bags.  I live far away from these kids and miss participating in their lives.  It was a fun way to get to know each of them a little better.  I had no idea my 13 year old niece was a fan of wrestling! 

This recipe makes enough dough for about 2 dozen cookies.  The quantities are halved from Mom's original recipe.  It really depends on the size of cutter used.  I ended up using considerably more flour than called for to get a uniform consistency and smooth texture when the dough finished mixing. I balked at the shortening in the ingredient list but now feel it contributes to an enhanced texture.  In the future I'd like to experiment and incorporate some real butter to enhance the flavor.  I'd also recommend making the dough far enough in advance to let it chill through in the refrigerator before rolling it out.  It would make them a bit more durable for shaping.  I can imagine making different hats, shoes, and other accessories to add to the fun.  The joy of these is in the making! 

Ingredients:

~~~~~

3/4 C, shortening

1/2 C, granulated sugar

~~~~~

3 C, AP Flour (plus extra)

1/2 Tbsp, baking soda

1/2 tsp, salt

1/2 tsp, ground ginger

1/2 tsp, ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp, ground cardamom

1/4 tsp, ground clove

~~~~~

1/2 C, boiling water

1/2 C, molasses

~~~~~

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar to form a smooth monolithic paste.
2. Sift together dry ingredients and incorporate with creamed sugar mixture.  While mixing, add boiling water and molasses.  Mix until smooth texture forms. Add additional sifted flour as needed to make a smooth dough that pulls away from the bowl.  Turn out onto a plastic sheet, wrap, and chill dough for 1 hour or overnight.
3. With half of the dough at a time, roll out on floured surface with a floured rolling pin to about 1/4" thickness.  Cut desired shapes and repeat for remaining dough.  Dough pieces can be kneaded back together and re-rolled to use all the dough. 
4. Bake at 375F for about 12 min.  Remove from oven, let cool, then transfer cookies to wire cooling rack to cool completely.
5. DECORATE with frosting as desired.
   

Flax and Sesame crusted seard Ahi

Ingredients:

~~~Crust:

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper corns

3 tbsp flax seeds (toasted lightly)

3 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted lightly)

~~~Finish

(2) 4-5 oz. Ahi steaks 

Canola oil

Method:

1. Crust: Place salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, and black pepper in a mortar and grind with pestle til ground fine.  Evenly mix in flax and sesame seeds and ransfer mixture to a shallow bowl.
2. Prepare tuna: Cut each steak into 3 triangular shaped pieces, wherever possible keeping them all approximately the same mass.  On a small plate, add a small pool of Canola oil.  Dip the perimeters of the tuna in oil and then set in the seeds to coat three sides, leaving the top and bottom of the stake dry.
3. Sear: Heat a sateuse over med-hi heat.  Add enough oil to coat the surface of the pan.  Add pieses of tuna to pan one at a time, setting on the crust sides.  Slightly agitate the pan as pieces are added to prevent sticking.  Saute for 2 min, rotate each piece to the next side.  Repeat sear/saute until all sides are cooked and fish is medium-rare.  Ahi should still be pink in the very center. Serve.

• Makes enough "crust" for about 2 Ahi steaks,

Broccoli Stems

The other day I was watching a friend prepare broccoli to go along with a stir fry dinner and saw him about to throw out the large woody stems.  NO! I took them home with me.  While it may not seem like much, when you are a poor foodie such as I, these can be utilized into the making of another meal!  Foods like broccoli are often sold by the pound and throwing out product is like throwing out money.  I do discard some of the more gnarly stems and shoots down to a block, then trim them into nice 2" long julienne cuts.  These make a great addition to coleslaw - either by supplementing a cabbage blend or on their own.  They contribute a mild flavor and a crunchy texture.

Broccoli gets a bum rap.

Have you ever been to an event serving a crudites platter, tried the broccoli, and later regretted it because it made you gassy?  Most people I have seen producing these trays simply put out raw broccoli (among other veggies).  Broccoli is fibrous and starchy.  It is these starches the body has a hard time digesting and gas is the result.  Every body processes these starches differently.  Some people posses the enzymes to break them down more effectively than others. Blanching  gas-causing vegetables first starts the breakdown of these fibers before they enter the intestine and may help reduces the gassy end results.

Blanching is easy.
All you need is a pot of boiling water with a half a lemon in it and a pinch of salt and an ice-water bath.  The citric acid in the lemon helps protect the vegetable proteins from getting mushy and preserves colors.  The salt acts as a flavor enhancer and draws some moisture out of the vegetable fibers.   The heat softens the fibers, making them easier to digest.  The purpose of the ice bath is to stop the cooking process (mushy broccoli is gross).  It really depends on what vegetables you are blanching and how large they are cut - but 2-5 minutes in the boiling bath should suffice.  Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon, drain, and dry them off.  They are ready to use for that kinder, gentler crudites platter.

Simple Spanish Rice

This recipe uses what is called the Pilaf method.  It is easy and allows for opportunity to flavor the rice more subtly while maintaining a great finished texture.  Rice is such a great basic affordable staple you can do so much with.  This is something I use as a side-dish when I make Southwestern or Mexican inspired dishes.

Ingredients:
1 small shallot (ciseler)
1 tablespoon olive oil
~~~~~
1 cup white medium or long grain rice (rinsed)
1-2 tsp dried oregano 
1 bay leaf
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
~~~~~
tt kosher salt
tt white pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan to shimmy.  Add shallots.  Saute, coating all sides of shallots.  Cook til just translucent (do not caramelize)
3. Add rinsed rice to hot mixture and saute or stir to coat rice evenly.  Add in dried oregano, stir to distribute evenly, then add tomato juice all at once.  Stir to even out the mixture and bring to slow simmer.
4. Remove pan from heat, cover with tight fitting lid.  Let sit in oven 10-15 min. or until liquid is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork.  Discard bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

Tips:

• If you don't have a lid for your saucepan, you can use foil.  Just make sure it is tight fitting to allow the steam to do all the work.
• One key to making fluffy, moist rice is to select a pot that holds the amount you need to cook, but has the smallest possible surface area.

Red Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

served with Spanish Rice

I've tried many kinds of enchiladas in my life but my favorites are usually done in what I call the "Red" style.  Hot red chili sauce bathing filled corn tortillas and topped off with gooey cheese, shredded cabbage, sour cream, and a homemade guacamole.  Trader Joe's brand Enchilada sauce has quickly become a pantry staple. Making my own enchilada sauce is going to be a project for another day.

This is easy to make ahead and can please a crowd for dinner or keep you in lunches for a good part of the week. Since it is rather labor intensive, if you have extra casserole dishes, I'd recommend making up a double batch and freezing half.  While the texture suffers a bit on reheat it makes a good lunch.

Ingredients:
~Marinade: ~~~~~~~~~~
1 large chicken breast (pounded flat, cut into 1/4"-1/2" cubes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon round black pepper
~~Fillings:~~~~~~~~~~
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow sweet onion (peeled, concasse)
2 cloves garlic (peeled, hacher)
1 orange bell pepper (seeded, des)
1 large jalapeno pepper (seeded, brunoisette)
1 cup tomato juice
1 (15oz) can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
4 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded, divided)
~~~Assemble:~~~~~~~~~~~
8-10 6-inch corn tortillas (thawed)
cooking oil
~~~~Garnish:~~~~~~~~~~~
cabbage (shredded)
sour cream (creamed)
guacamole (fresh is best)
finely chopped tomato (brunoisette)
green onions (sifflet)
black olives (rouelle)
~~~~~Yield Info:~~~~~~~~~~
Makes 8-10 enchiladas
Serving size 2 enchiladas

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Marinade: Dry off chicken chunks with paper towel and add to clean mixing bowl.  Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, and black pepper.  Sprinkle salt mixture evenly over chicken.  Stir to combine well and evenly coat chicken with spice mixture.  Marinate refrigerated in zip-loc minimum 1 hour (best 4 to overnight)
3. Fillings: Heat a large skillet to med high.  Add 1/2 oil and heat to shimmy.  Add chicken and marinade juices, sear all sides, and cook to med rare.  Remove cooked chicken from pan, set aside and keep warm.  Add remaining olive oil to pan, heat to shimmy.  When hot add onions, saute in oil to coat, suer til golden, saute garlic, reduce til liquid is nearly gone.  Saute in bell peppers and jalapeno.  Add tomato juice and seared chicken to pan and deglaze suc and stirring to evenly cook chicken.  Reduce til liquids are nearly gone. Remove from heat.  Stir in beans and cool mixture before adding 2.5 ounces of shredded cheese.  Stir to mix evenly,
4. Prepare corn tortillas.  Heat small amount of cooking oil in a skillet to shimmy.  Add corn tortillas one at a time and cook briefly (count to 15 or 20 each side) to make them pliable.  Drain them on paper towels and keep warm.
5. Assemble enchiladas.  In the center of each tortilla smear in a circle one ounce of the enchilada sauce.  Add a small portion of the mixture (use a portion scoop to make them consistent).  Even out the mixture to a consistent height and roll up jelly-roll fashion.  Place in a casserole dish seam side down.  Repeat step 4 for each tortilla.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over rolls to cover all tortilla surfaces lightly with sauce.  Cover with foil.
6. Bake in oven at 350F for about 30min. or until things are bubbly.  Remove foil, add remaining cheese on top and return to oven for 10 more min. or until cheese is melted
7. Plate hot over a bed of shredded cabbage and garnish as desired.

Tips:

• Don't add frozen tortillas to hot oil - it can ignite!
• The filling makes a good topping for salads.

Smoked Salt

My dear friend Doug has kindly surprised me with a couple early Christmas gifts.  Smoked Fleur de Sol!

It's grand on its own as a finishing salt.  One batch he smoked with Alderwood, and the other he smoked with Mesquite.  Just tasting them has me thinking of special dishes to showcase these two thoughtful gifts.  I can barely wait.