Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Consider the Lobster

PETA readers, you may want to skip this post.

Sunday is Valentine’s Day, and while I spend plenty of time in restaurants the rest of the year, I’m not particularly wild about eating out on the same day as the rest of the world. I know it’s a big money-maker for hard-working restaurant owners and chefs, but It’s just not my style. Or my husband’s. We’d rather hunker down with some wine at home and cook together.

But we actually met on Valentine’s Day, at a party. So to mark the occasion, we do something we only literally get to do about once a year - boil lobsters! I’ve already got a bottle of small-producer Chablis stashed away, and I can’t wait to start melting the butter Sunday night.

There’s nothing like a pair of live, clawing crustaceans to bring a little excitement to the kitchen.

I’ve been researching the most humane way to kill them, though. Call me a wimp, but there is something striking about bringing home these very live creatures (in cardboard boxes that look like pet-carriers, no less) and then chowing down on them. It at least makes you think about your meal in a way that shrink-wrapped chickens do not.

This Atlantic article was helpful, and so was the Lobster Institute. Yes, one exists. From its website, I learned why lobsters turn red (live lobsters greenish/black because of its different color pigments. When it is cooked, all the pigments are masked except for astaxanthin, the red background pigment) and that lobster “has less calories, less total fat and less cholesterol (based on 100 grams of cooked product) than lean beef; whole poached eggs; and even roasted, skinless chicken breast. Lobster is also high in amino acids; potassium and magnesium; Vitamins A, B12, B6, B3 (niacin) and B2 (riboflavin); calcium and phosphorus; iron; and zinc.”

I digress.

You can check out the Lobster Institute for loads of information on lobsters, including cooking, but they suggest icing or chilling the lobsters briefly (Until numb - a few minutes? How are we really to know? I’m betting 5 to 10 minutes will be enough. You don’t want to freeze them.) before putting them in a pot of water at a rolling boil. Researchers think the best way to minimize a lobster’s time clanking around in the pot (and your trauma). And it’s got to be less messy than sticking a knife in their back before boiling them, though a friend suggested dousing their heads in wine (or cheap vodka).

Do lobsters feel pain? No, the Lobster Institute says, or least about as much as insects do. “Neither insects nor lobsters have brains. For an organism to perceive pain it must have a more complex nervous system. Neurophysiologists tell us that lobsters, like insects, do not process pain,” the Institute says.

Note: A PETA spokesperson sent me a comment arguing that lobsters do, indeed, feel pain. You can read it below. It’s an argument that I think is still up for debate.

Here’s to you, lobsters!

Friday, February 05, 2010

Lousy Lettuce?

A report in the March issue of Consumer Reports shines a scary light on bagged lettuce and other greens.

A study of 208 samples of 16 brands found that a whopping 39 percent had bacteria levels above 10,000 or more colony forming units per gram (CFU/g)—which the article says is what experts cite as unacceptable.

Brands included Dole, Earthbound Farm Organic, and Fresh Express. All were within their use-by-date, though the article said that less bacteria was found in bags that were farther away from the use-by date.

The article concludes by recommending:
1) That people buy lettuce and greens as far away from the use-by-date as possible.
2) That they rinse even pre-washed greens. Rinsing won’t get rid of all bacteria, the article says, but “may remove residual soil.”

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Sexual Chocolate

Foothills Brewing’s crazy and crazily named Sexual Chocolate—an imperial stout with chocolate in it—- will go on sale on draft on Friday, Feb. 5.

If you want a bottle, you will have to line up like everybody else does each year, Sales of the 1,000 precious few bottles will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.

If last year is any indication, the stout probably will sell out within an hour or two.

This stout weighs in at 9.75 percent alcohol and has black malt, roasted barley and chocolate (actually Peruvian cocoa nibs) in equal proportions, according to Foothills general manager Sarah Bartholomaus.

She also described this as a “completely undiluted wort.” And if you know what that means, you are a certified beer nerd.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Subbing at the Super Bowl

I published a few unusual Super Bowl dishes in my story about Joe Monteiro.

But for a lot of people the Super Bowl menu is about tradition.

One of my favorites is this meatball sub. Beware: It’s a little messy for the couch, but that’s part of the fun.

Meatball Subs
Any smooth tomato sauce may be substituted for the pizza sauce; merely combine the 2 cans of tomato sauce with a 6-ounce can tomato paste to thicken, and add more oregano or Italian seasoning blend to taste. Dense rolls are necessary to keep sub from falling apart.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves, garlic minced
2 15-ounce cans pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
Crushed red pepper to taste
Meatballs, (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 crusty, dense sub rolls, split
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add pizza sauce, oregano and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or more to blend flavors. Add meatballs and heat thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper. (Recipe can be made ahead to this point and kept warm over low heat up to 2 hours, or refrigerated.)
2. Just before serving, wrap rolls in foil and warm in 350-degree oven, about 5 minutes. Do not leave in oven too long or they will dry out.
3. Open rolls and place 4 meatballs in each. Add enough sauce to cover. (Too much sauce will make for messy eating.) Sprinkle with freshly grated cheese, if desired. Serve with chips or salad.
Makes 6 servings.

Winter, schminter

Oh, boy, here comes more snow. I remmber a few weeks ago, a friend told me she was worried about the cold ending. “I’ve got braising to do,” she said.

No need to fret, Kate.

While I’ve loved hunkering down and getting cozy, I’m a little sick of winter. Looks like we might get some more this weekend. That stupid Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow - should we blame it on him? Hmm, I wonder what groundhog tastes like.

Well, if you can’t beat’em, join’em. Thursday in relish you’ll find a whole list of winter activities, recipes, music and films. It’s our way of dealing with the February doldrums. Six more weeks of winter means six more weeks to try your hand at making hot buttered rum or French onion soup. While I’m longing for the simple suppers of summer - sliced tomatoes, corn on the cob, fresh mozzarella salads with mint, peaches and prosciutto - braising is delicious and rewarding. And Friday, I’ve been invited over to someone’s house for osso bucco. Can’t really enjoy that in July.

Hopefully the snow won’t get in my way, either.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Eating Out or In

Maybe you raided the grocery store like thousands of others Friday to stock up on bread, milk and whatever else you consider essential eats during the snowstorm.

If you didn’t, and you are brave enough to drive through the winter wonderland, there is one place you can count on to be open.

Waffe House, the franchise that calls itself the “restaurant with no locks,” has vowed to remain open this weekend.

“We never shut down. We’re like the post office; Rain, sleet or snow, we
deliver,” Waffle House franchise owner Gary Fly said in a press release.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Spam a lot of cash

In case you didn’t see my story in the Journal, 11-year-old Michaela Smith won a cool two grand for a winning recipe that first won at the Dixie Classic Fair in October, and just recently was chosen by Hormel Foods as the best kids’ Spam recipe from all the fairs in the country (or at least the 40 fairs in which Spam contests are held).

Michaela came up with an appealing recipe—essentially a hot ham and cheese sandwich. By making it into a calzone, she made it just exotic enough to mainstream audiences while having very familiar flavors.

Essentially, it’s a recipe that can’t lose—assuming it tastes good, and this does.

A noteworthy trick in this recipe is that she makes one big calzone and then cuts it up. Traditional calzones are individually shaped and filled. Doing one big one cuts down on the work tremendously.

Spam and Cheese Calzone
Recipe from Michaela Smith, national Spam kid chef of the year.

1 12-ounce can Spam with Bacon, diced
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
2 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese, divided use
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided use
2 13.8-ounce packages refrigerated pizza crust
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine Spam, onion, jalapeño pepper, mayonnaise, mustard and 1 cup of cheese; mix well.
2. Lightly brush a jelly-roll pan (15-by-10-by-1-inch) with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Unroll one package of dough onto the bottom of the pan, gently stretching and pressing the dough to cover the bottom. Sprinkle the dough with the remaining 1 cup of cheese to within 1-inch of the edge of the dough. Spoon Spam mixture over the cheese.
3. Unroll remaining dough directly over the filling, matching edges of dough and shaping to fit as dough is unrolled. Press edges of dough to seal. Brush remaining oil over the dough. Make 12 slits, in three rows of four each, into the top of the crust. Bake calzone for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Remove calzone from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return calzone to oven; bake 2 to 3 more minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. To serve, cut calzone into squares.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Photos courtesy of Hormel Foods)

Mussel Bound

Here’s an extra recipe to go along with my Jan. 27 story on mussels.

Because mussels create such a delicious broth—and do it in about 5 minutes—they are excellent for soup and stews.

Mussels also go well with curry, as in this hearty chowder.

Mussel Soup with Curry

Recipe loosely adapted from The Complete Robuchon (Knopf, 2008) by Joel Robuchon and from 50 Chowders (Scribner, 2000) by Jasper White.
3 pounds mussels
1 teaspoon butter
1 medium onion or leek (white part only)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
2 firm-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, Red Bliss or all-purpose white, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
1 medium sweet potato (optional), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 fresh sprig or pinch dried thyme
1 sprig parsley
½ bay leaf
¾ cup dry white wine
1½ cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and scrub mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked or open shells.
2. Place butter, onion, red pepper and potatoes in a soup pot. Cook without browning over medium-low heat about 3 minutes. Stir in curry. Raise heat to high and add the mussels, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and wine. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 2 minutes.
3. Discard herbs. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon and take them out of their shells. Discard shells; set mussels aside.
4. Meanwhile, bring liquid and vegetables to a boil. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Add mussels. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, half or more of this soup can be pureed in a blender, but leave at least ¼ of the mussels and vegetables to give the soup some chunky texture.
Makes 4 servings.

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Pie’s the Thing

Tomorrow, Jan. 23, is National Pie Day.

What, you didn’t know?

In case you have a sudden urge to bake a pie, the folks at CRISCO have set up a toll-free hotline for pie info: 877-367-7438.

They can answer questions about making crusts, preventing them from getting soggy, and more. But you probably don’t want to ask them about crusts with butter. They sell shortening, after all.

The hotline has a lot of prerecorded tips, but also lets you transfer to a live person (during business hours).

LIstening through the prerecorded intro takes some patience, so you may want to just go to the Web site, http://www.crisco.com, which has

tips and recipes.

The pie info is a bit hard to find on the site. But click on Articles & Tips, then scroll down and click on “Pie Central.”

Among other things, the site has a handy troubleshooting chart that identifies problems, their causes and solutions.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Wine Wave

I just got the 2010 Guide and Map to North Carolina Wineries put out by the N.C. Wine and Grape Council (www.visitncwine.com).

It lists 89 current wineries. Actually, it lists 90, but I’ve learned that one, J. Wesley Vineyards in Cumberland County, has closed.

Still, 89 wineries is more than twice the number listed in the 2005 guide. And it’s more than quadruple in the state in the fall of 2001, when I wrote my first story about the state’s winer industry.

Interestingly, 30 of the current wineries are in the Yadkin Valley AVA and its subregion, the Swan Creek AVA. In other words, Winston-Salem, being the largest city in the Yadkin Valley, is essentially the hub of the N.C. wine industry.

A free copy of the new guide is available by calling 877-3NC-WINE, or 877-362-9463.

A couple of the newer ones that I have yet to check out are Brandon Hills in Yadkinville and Divine Llama in East Bend.

I’m always on the lookout for a new place or a good wine to try. If you’ve visited any wineries lately and been impressed, let me know.

What are you drinking these days?