Thursday, April 28, 2011

Emeril Again

Emeril Lagasse will host a new series about iconic American restaurants beginning at 10:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5.

“The Originals with Emeril” will be shown on the Cooking Channel (Time Warner digital-tier channel 353).

In each 30-minute episode, Lagasse will travel to a historic restaurant to uncover the story behind its success.

Episodes will feature Charlie Chaplin’s Hollywood hangout and the favorite dining spot of Martin Luther King in Atlanta, as well as the birthplaces of Boston cream pie in New England and the French dip sandwich in Los Angeles.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Have Cake, Will Travel

New cake series
On Food Network
The Food Network will premiere “Have Cake Will Travel” at 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 26. The show features cake decorator Ashley Vicos and her staff as they travel around the country designing cakes for special events.
In the first episode, Vicos visits with the Harlem Globetrotters and creates a basketball-themed cake.
Vicos is the owner of Sweet Ashley’s in Atlanta.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Quest for Coors (Original)

Co-owner Robt. Powell of Bob’s Big Gas Subs & Pubs , at Reynolda Road and Northwest Boulevard, wrote me, all excited about getting draft Coors Original, which is brewed only in Golden, Colorado.  Powell says he’s the only bar in W-S to have it. He’s celebrating today with live music and $2.50 Coors pints.

Powell is excited in part because it took some doing to get it. The brewery had not been distributing it in the Southeast.

Whether you love or hate Coors, or don’t even care about beer, check out Powell’s story, which I’m reprinting verbatim from the email he sent me.

Powell, an avid camper, had fallen in love with the beer years before and swears to drink nothing else while camping or spending time with the guys. Oh, the merits of advertising.

“We want to give it the perfect welcome, and prove that this is a delicious, affordable domestic product with loads of classic character.  What better place for that than a building constructed in 1938 in a city rich with classic character”.
  -End-

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Shrimp and Avocado

Shrimp and avocado are a match made in heaven.
Here’s a nice spring brunch dish. Feel free to mix and match elements. Just make marinated shrimp, and skip the avocado and bread. Skip the marinade if you want, and feel free to sub an different dressing for the homemade vinaigrette. (The vinaigrette is best saved for summer anyway, when local tomatoes are in season.)
Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Open-Faced Sandwich
• 12 large shrimp (approximately 3/4 lbs.), cleaned and
deveined
• 3 Tbsp. Spicy Marinade (recipe below)
• 4 slices crusty whole wheat bread, 1/2” thick
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 2 ripe Fresh California Avocados, peeled, seeded and
diced
• 2 cups loosely packed arugula leaves, cleaned
• 1/2 cup Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and coat with the marinade. While the shrimp are marinating, preheat your grill.
2. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each slice of bread with olive oil. Place the bread on the grill just long enough to lightly toast the bread. Remove the bread from the grill. While the bread is hot, rub one side of each slice of bread with the garlic clove. Set bread aside.
3. Place the marinated shrimp on the grill and turn periodically. Once cooked through, cut each shrimp into thirds on the bias and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the avocado and arugula leaves and toss with the Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To assemble sandwiches, place the grilled bread slices on a platter and top each slice of bread with the grilled shrimp and avocado mixture. Pour any remaining Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette over the sandwiches.

Spicy Marinade
Makes 1/4 Cup

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Gently heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir to coat with the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette

• 2 heirloom tomatoes
• 3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. sweetened rice wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. slivered scallions, bias cut
• 1 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half and coat with one-third of the olive oil.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the tomatoes on the parchment paper, cut side up. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and black pepper, to taste.
4. Place the tomatoes in the oven and cook until the tomatoes soften and begin to char, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and cool to room temperature.
6. Once cooled, transfer the tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the mustard and vinegar. With the food processor running, emulsify the ingredients and gently stream in the remaining olive oil.
7. Transfer the vinaigrette to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Stir in the slivered scallions and cilantro.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 600; Total Fat 46 g (Sat 7 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 5 g, Mono 32 g); Cholesterol 165 mg; Sodium 600 mg; Potassium 740 mg; Total Carbohydrates 25 g; Dietary Fiber 9 g; Total Sugars 5 g; Protein 23 g; Vitamin A 1117 IU; Vitamin C 21 mg; Calcium 97 mg; Iron 5 mg; Vitamin D 0 IU; Folate 107 mcg; Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.6 g

Recipe and photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission. Recipe created by chefs Mike Fagnoni and Molly Hawks.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

St. Patty’s Day Melt

If another batch of corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day sounds humdrum, here’s a definitely different way of using corned beef brisket.

This recipe takes the uncooked brisket and grinds it to make a burger-like St. Patty’s Day Melt.

Feel free to subsitute store-bought sauerkraut if desired, but rinse, drain and pat dry before using.

St. Patty Melt

1 uncooked corned beef brisket (preferably the point cut*), approximately 3 pounds and triple ground to achieve a hamburger-like consistency
8 slices Swiss cheese
16 slices rye bread
Course ground mustard
Kwik ‘kraut (recipe below)

Form ground corned beef into eight even sized patties.  Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford charcoal. The heat over the coals should be hot, (approximately 450 to 500˚F). Cook the burgers for approximately 5 minutes per side until medium (160 degrees internal temperature).  Meanwhile, place bread slices on the grill, turning occasionally until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes per side, and remove.  Top each burger with kwik ‘kraut and a slice of Swiss, cover grill and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until cheese has begun to melt.  Spread mustard on each slice of rye according to personal preference, sandwich burger between two slices and serve. 

* Available in many grocers’ meat department labeled as “point cut” or “thick cut.”

Kwik ‘Kraut

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
½ head of green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
¼ cup apple juice
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
Sugar to taste

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil, garlic and onions and sauté until soft.  Add cabbage and stir to combine.  Pour in apple juice, water and vinegar and reduce heat to medium.  Cook mixture, stirring occasionally for approximately 10-15 minutes until cabbage has become tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.  Drain sauerkraut in a colander, squeezing out any excess moisture and add sugar to taste if too bitter.  Refrigerate sauerkraut until ready to use.

Recipes and photo courtesy of Kingsford Charcoal.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Better Guinness stew

Beef stew with Guinness stout is popular for St. Pat’s Day.

The folks at Cook’s Country found that adding Guinness to their slow-cooker recipe for beef stew made it bitter and a bit harsh.
Their solution: add an ounce of bittersweet chocolate to take the edge of the heavy-duty stout.
They also added the stout in two stages, some in the beginning, and some toward the end.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

NC in the Running in USDA kids contest

Two N.C. school teams are in the running for the semifinals of a national cooking contest.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sponsoring the Recipes for Healthy Kids competition to promote healthy eating in public schools.
The USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama announced the contest last fall to urge school officials, students, chefs and others to develop nutritous recipes that can be incorporated into National School Lunch Menu programs.
NC school teams got two of 15 semi-final slots, in each of the three categories: whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas.
  The N.C. school teams chosen are Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, for Stir Fried Green Rice, Eggs, and Ham and Ira B. Jones Elementary School in Asheville, for Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup.
The semi-finalists’ recipes were chosen from 340 that were submitted.
All of the semi-finalists will be visited by a judging panel consisting of a chef from the American Culinary Federation, a USDA official and a school nutrition professional. Then three finalists will be chosen for a national cook-off this summer.
Winning teams will get a chance to cook their recipes alongside White House chefs.
In addition, the public is invited to vote online through May 15 at http://www.recipesforkidschallenge.com for a popular choice award.
The top 15 recipes are all posted on the site.

Here is the complete list of semi-finalists:
Whole Grains
Chic’ Penne, Harold S. Winograd K-8 School Mission, Greeley, Colorado
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, Bellingham Public Schools, Bellingham, Massachusetts
Stir Fried Green Rice, Eggs, and Ham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Porcupine Sliders, Intermediate District 287, South Education Center Alternative, Richfield, Minnesota
Chicken Alfredo with a Twist, Kettering City School District, Kettering, Ohio

Dark Green and Orange Vegetables
Stir-Fry Fajita Chicken, Squash, and Corn, Kayenta Unified School District, Kayenta, Arizona
Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, Mount Lebanon Elementary School, Pendleton, South Carolina
Roasted Fish Crispy Slaw Wrap, Liberty Middle School, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, Florida
Central Valley Harvest Bake, Joshua Cowell Elementary School, Manteca, California
Tasty Tots, Bellingham Public Schools, Bellingham, Massachusetts
Dry Beans and Peas

Lentils of the Southwest, Sweeney Elementary School, Santa Fe Public Schools, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fiesta Wrap, Charter Oak International Academy, West Hartford Public Schools, West Hartford, Connecticut
Spanish Chickpea Stew, Skyline High School, Oakland Unified School District, Oakland, California
Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup, Ira B. Jones Elementary School, Asheville, North Carolina
Confetti Soup, Burke Middle High School, Charleston County School District, Charleston, South Carolina

Breakfast Burrito

I love spicy food in the morning—and pretty much all day long—so the idea of a bean burrito sits pretty well with me.

Beans are a healthy and hearty way to start the day. Throw in some spinach and you have a really nutritious breakfast.

Breakfast Burrito with Refried Black Beans
Bean mixture:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 tsp. each ground cumin and ground oregano
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Other ingredients to make one burrito:
1 (9-inch) whole-wheat tortilla
2 Tbsp. salsa
8 baby spinach leaves
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. reduced-fat (2 percent) milk

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add beans, spices and salt. With fork, coarsely mash about two-thirds of beans with seasonings while they heat.  This will fill 4 burritos and can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for 2-3 days.
   
To prepare one burrito, warm tortilla in microwave or skillet. Distribute a scant half-cup of beans over tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border.*  Spoon 1 tbsp. salsa over beans. Top with a few spinach leaves.

Coat small skillet with cooking spray over medium-high heat. In small bowl, beat one egg with 1 tbsp. milk. Scramble egg softly and arrange over spinach on tortilla.  Add remaining salsa and spinach leaves.  Fold up the bottom, then sides of tortilla, then roll up from bottom to close.  Serve immediately.
   
Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 270 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrate, 15 g protein
6 g dietary fiber, 460 mg sodium

Recipe and photo courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Salsa in Winter

If you miss fresh homemade salsa this time of year, try salsa made with tropical fruit, says a story from the Connecticut Post.

This recipe for fruit salsa is from the “Culinary Institute of America’s Cookbook” (2008, Lebhar Friedman).
It’s particularly good with seafood, but also goes with grilled chicken or even as a dip for tortilla chips.

Fiery Fruit Salsa
Makes 8 servings
2/3 cup mango, peeled, diced
1/2 cup papaya, peeled, diced
1/4 cup pineapple, canned or fresh, cored, peeled, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded, minced
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Allow the salsa to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Note: Wear gloves when mincing the jalapeño to prevent irritation.

Variation: This salsa can be turned from savory to sweet by changing just a few ingredients. Substitute mint for the cilantro, strawberries for the red pepper, honey for the olive oil, and leave out the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve the sweet style salsa as dessert, for brunch with muffins, pancakes, French toast, or as a filling.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Beef Stew a la Spain

Here’s another recipe from the book “Falling Off the Bone” that I wrote about Feb. 16.

It’s a basic beef stew, with a couple of twists, notably the flavorings of orange zest and cinnamon.

The cinnamon and orange go particularly well with the bacon accent. And instead of potatoes, this has white beans.

I love white beans, so I doubled the amount when I made this last weekend.

Cooking this in the oven provides even heat, and eliminates the need to watch it and stir it.

Beef Catalan
Makes 6 servings.

6 slices hickory-smoked bacon, snipped crosswise at ½-inch intervals

3 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch cubes

2 large Spanish onions, halved lengthwise and each half slices ¼ inch thick

6 large garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed

2 large whole bay leaves, preferably fresh, tied in cheesecloth with two 3-inch strips orange zest, a 2-inch cinnamon stick, 2 large sprigs fresh thyme, and 4 whole cloves (spice bag)

1 cup beef broth

1 14-.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their liquid

1 cup dry red wine, such as a Spanish Rioja or Portuguese wine from Douro Alentejo region

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

½ pound peeled baby carrots

1 19-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Saute bacon in a large heavy nonreactive Dutch oven over moderately high heat, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed, until fat is rendered and only brown bits remain, 8 to10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop bacon onto paper towels and reserve.

3. Drain all drippings from pot, stir 4 tablespoons back I, and heat until ripples appear on pan bottom, 1½ to 2 minutes. Brown beef in several batches in drippings, allowing 8 to 10 minutes for each batch and lifting each to a bowl as it browns.

4. Add onions to pot and sauté, stiring often, intil limp and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 mminutes. Retun beef to pot along with accumulated juices. Add garlic, spice bag, broth, tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper. Gently wring spice bag to release flavors as you drop it in. Bring to a boil.

5. Transfer to middle oven shelf, cover and simmer 2 hours. Check after 1 hour or so and if juices seem skimpy – they shouldn’t if the lid is snug – add a little water.

6. Add carrots, pushing down into the liquid. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans, cover and simmer 20 minutes more. Discard spice bag, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.

7. Sprinkle with parsley and reserved bacon, ladle onto large, heated dinner plates, and serve with sturdy yeast bread.

Recipe from “Falling Off the Bone” by Jean Anderson (Wiley, 2010).