Tuesday : June 10, 2008

Appetizer Crisps

Quick asparagus snacks. Phyllo dough, cheese (Irish cheddar and English Stilton) and truffle oil.

Monday : June 9, 2008

The Prettiest Girl at the Circus

This is what you are looking for. Sure, you wouldn't want to show her off to your buddies, but she is everything you have been wanting. The ugliest tomatoes are the best.

Thursday : June 5, 2008

Get Your Coals On

Wednesday : June 4, 2008

Pizza Night

We are ramping up pizza-night again. I know! We had fallen to one pizza a week. Embarrassing. Here we have a split: red onion/olive and salami/caramelized yellow onion.

Tuesday : June 3, 2008

British Biscuits

Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't. That is the mystery of baking. This past weekend, I came across another recipe for scones that made a little more sense to me than the previous ones I have used. So, I thought I would give them another shot. Maybe it was the proportions or the cooking time or the pretty picture, but they came out a little better. Not perfect, but not half bad.

Monday : June 2, 2008

Louisiana Mojo

Louisiana Mojo, of which I have none, somehow crept into this plate of Jambalaya. I did a mix of Cajun and Creole styles: chicken and sausage with some tomatoes.

The cooking vessel of choice was Big Bertha, my huge cast-iron pot. I set it up on a propane cooker in the backyard. Then, I browned off the sausage, chicken and vegetables, added chicken stock and rice.

Thursday : May 22, 2008

What's With Chicken

We had a great five course meal the other night. It got me thinking. What the hell happened to chicken? It usually is on the menu as the "safe" item. No one is taking any chances with it. (Not that I am taking many chances, but..) Above: pan fried chicken, roasted potatoes, carrots, chard in a reduced chicken stock.

Wednesday : May 21, 2008

Get In The Game

Great article I just read on small scale/high yield gardening. Check it out, set it up and start harvesting. Above is a picture of our peas coming in.

Thursday : May 15, 2008

Restaurant Review: Moonshine

The salad gets overlooked. I was just at Moonshine and got surprised. I ordered the Fajita Salad. I like Moonshine. The place has a great feel, the menu is smart, the staff is friendly. But, I was not in the mood for a big meal. So, I ordered the Fajita Salad. Smart choice. It was a two in one. The bowl had a stash of tortillas on the side and all the salad components were separate, so you have a choice to build a rolled up fajita or mix up a salad. Great idea and well eaten.

Wednesday : May 14, 2008

Roasted Vegetables

We have a ton of beans and peas from the garden. So, I did a little roasted/steamed vegetable mix. Topped off with pan fried chicken on a lemon, garlic, thyme and parsley white wine sauce.

The roasted vegetables are potatoes, carrots and red onions. I tossed them with thyme and olive oil.

Monday : May 12, 2008

Garden Update

Heat and rain. Good combination for a garden to get growing.

Best year we have had so far for tomatoes and strawberries.

Everyone is doing their job well.

Thursday : May 8, 2008

Pan Fried Chicken with Pasta

Breaded, pan-seared chicken with sauteed squash, onion, garlic and a drizzle of reduced white wine, Thyme and cream sauce. Are you feeling it?!

Handmade pasta slays me. Silky texture, bright flavor.

Tuesday : May 6, 2008

The Beans Are In

The vegetables are falling out of the garden. The green beans are incredible. They made a bright, crisp accompaniment to beouf bourguignonne.

Monday : May 5, 2008

Breakfast Bread

I made French Toast this weekend (my wife made the lovely blueberry topping). For me, the importance of this dish boils down to bread. As you know, I have been hit and miss with making my own bread. A quick trip over to Mandola's Market, and I picked up an Italian Rustic (which I used for the breakfast) and a Cinnamon Raisin loaf. I think they bake the best bread in town.

Monday : April 28, 2008

The Garnish

My friend Henry cooks a mean brisket. Slow braise in wine for three or four hours. Wonderful.

Friday : April 25, 2008

Coated Chicken

A light coating of seasoned flour makes a big difference for a simple piece of chicken. With different spices, one day's Southwest chicken is the next day's blackened.

Tuesday : April 22, 2008

The Omnivore's Dilemma

More that you ever wanted to know about corn. Some rough parts about what we are actually eating and a pig feast to wrap things up.

Tuesday : April 22, 2008

Pan Sauce

This roasted chicken yielded the best pan sauce that I have ever made. Not sure why. Maybe because I started out with too low a oven temperature and to compensate that bird was in for some time. Served with a side of mashed truffled potatoes.

Wednesday : April 16, 2008

Archived Ragu

Go ahead, make too much. You can always freeze it. Case in point, I pulled some bolognese for this quick pasta dish. Tasted like I worked on it all day.

Monday : April 14, 2008

Cookout

Had some friends over for fajitas. El Max Ranch beef sirloin (pounded out) with a marinade of cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin and jalapeno. I only had it soaking for about two hours but it tasted pretty good. Whole wheat tortillas, caramelized onions and all the fixins.

Monday : April 14, 2008

BBQ Breakfast

Can't tell you how nice a meal we had at Lambert's on Saturday morning. We were headed to Art City Austin. Right before the gate, we smell Lambert's. They are in an old historic building downtown, sandwiched in between all the new growth. Their food, service and facility were as great as I had hoped. Subtle BBQ sauces, delicate eggs, balanced cocktails and a lovely building. We are looking forward to returning for their Sunday evening music review.

Thursday : April 10, 2008

Quick Pasta Dish

Pasta with wilted spinach, Parmesan, garlic, crushed red pepper and toasted pine nuts.

Tuesday : April 8, 2008

Edible Austin's Out

The new issue of Edible Austin is out. Great as always. Plus, you get to finally figure out what happened to the drifter grifter farm consultant.

Friday : April 4, 2008

Seared Tuna Salad

Pan-seared Big Eye Tuna, avocado, cucumber, scallion and all the goodness that a warm salad is. Dressed with a creamy oil and vinegar emulsion (egg yolk and orange juice) on red leaf lettuce.

Thursday : April 3, 2008

1000 Ingredients

I may be overstating the title a bit, but there sure is a lot to chop in Pad Thai: 1-ounce tamarind paste
3/4 cup boiling water, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons palm sugar, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 4 ounces rice stick noodles, 6 ounces Tofu, 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil, 1 cup chopped scallions, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 whole eggs beaten, 2 teaspoons salted cabbage, 3 ounces bean sprouts, 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, freshly ground dried red chile peppers to taste, 1 lime, cut into wedges. See I told you.

Tuesday : April 1, 2008

Double Grilled

People argue over gas vs. charcoal grills. I use them both. At the same time.

While I am heating up the charcoal in a chimney starter, I put my cast-iron, charcoal mini grill inside my gas grill. I turn on the gas grill and let it heat the cast-iron grill up. That way, the coals don't have to heat up the cast-iron. Hot and ready to go.

Friday : March 28, 2008

Mr. Bobby

Bobby Flay's food style seems to be about right for me here in Austin. His two regular ingredients are peppers and honey, which is fine by me. I don't mind the heat, but I love how honey brings it down if it gets away from you. I also like how, most of the time on TV, he cooks from scratch. This week he made Goat Cheese Enchiladas and Green Rice on the Food Network. I gave it a spin and (with a few modifications) it turned out to be one of this year's favorites. I added shredded Chipotle grilled chicken, added more Cotija cheese and a few less Jalapenoes.

Thursday : March 27, 2008

Magic Trick

The mystery of the disappearing nachos. Pureed beans, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cumin, garlic salt and chili powder.

Tuesday : March 25, 2008

Colorful Breakfast

Easter eggs are fun. They're blank, white, 360 degree canvases calling out to your creative use of Crayons and food coloring. And, for the next week, your morning meal is a little more festive.

Monday : March 24, 2008

Salad Season

Salad season is upon us. I kicked it off with some seasonal fare. Spinach, bacon, apple, red onion, goat cheese, with a Meyer lemon honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Friday : March 21, 2008

Funny Thing Happened

Without realizing it, the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater has become the restaurant we most frequent. Now, I can't imagine seeing a movie without placing a food order during it. We usually get their pizzas. Nice, inexpensive wine selection also.

Thursday : March 20, 2008

Over Twenty Six

This is why we never get tired of making pizza: dough, tomato sauce and melted cheese. This is what eating should be about. Basic components that sing.

Plus, you can change it up every time. I did some simple math and believe that there are over twenty six combinations of toppings possible!

And, the most important ingredient. Time. Thought I was going to say dough? Well, you were half right. Letting the fermentation magic happen to it's full extent pays off huge.

Thursday : March 20, 2008

Kitchen Tools: Mandolin

This would have to be my favorite way to cut myself in the kitchen: the Mandolin. This one was given to me years ago and has held up like a champ. There are less expensive plastic models, but why bother with those when you can get this beautiful tank? They say to always use the hand-guard, but I think that is more of a guideline than a rule.

Tuesday : March 18, 2008

Short Stack

Caramelized onions, chili powder, garlic powder and cheddar cheese on a whole wheat tortilla.
Cafe Josie chipotle aioli and Organic Valley sour cream.

Monday : March 17, 2008

My Wife Is Not From Around Here

After I was married, my wife informed me that she is Irish. I know! That would have been a fantastic bit of information to have had a little sooner! So, today is her people's holiday and I decided to make her something from the old country. Honey Thyme roasted chicken with artichoke and spinach bread pudding. Happy St. Patrick's day.

Friday : March 14, 2008

King Sandwich

Are you looking at this? Is there someone around that you would like to alert? I know you can make a sandwich, please, there are a lot of sandwiches out there. But, where can you find that simple, soothing softness, that subtle, creamy.... OK, it' s a chicken sandwich. But, it's a damn good one. All the elements are there: fresh bread, crispy lettuce, slow roasted chicken, Chipotle Aioli. Come on, Barnum and Bailey didn't put on a show like this.

Wednesday : March 12, 2008

Fish Guys

I like the fish guys at Central Market. Not that the meat guys are bad, they are great. But, the fish guys seem to appreciate it more that you are buying their fish. I picked up some Big Eye for this wasabi pea crusted tuna on snow peas and sunflower sprouts with a spicy Asian sauce.

Monday : March 10, 2008

Best Potatoes Yet

Pan chicken is a regular dish at our place. Potatoes usually ride along. As my wife is a big fan of all things potato, I am always on the hunt to improve them. I picked up an issue of Cooks Illustrated magazine and they were testing some new masher making methods. Their recommendation was to steam the potatoes. The less contact with water, I reckon, keeps the stickiness down.

I gave it a whirl. Along with my already proven food mill processing, these were the best that I have made. The mashers had more potato taste, were lighter in texture and needed less butter and milk. A new standard has been born.

Thursday : March 6, 2008

Garden Update: Tomato Wrestling

Our new tomatoes are in the ground and juiced up with compost. We picked up the new plants at the Sunshine Community Gardens annual sale. The scene was a madhouse, long lines for people to get into the greenhouses. I would have hated to be one of the last two people staring at that last tomato plant. They probably ended up Indian leg wrestling for it.

Thursday : March 6, 2008

Frank For Dinner

My friend Frank was coming by for dinner, so I was pondering on what to make. It is nice when you have enough supplies on hand to whip up a meal without leaving the house for ingredients. I had already made the pasta and sauce the previous weekend, some chicken was defrosted, and I still had cheese from the last round of pizza. That only spells one thing, Chicken Parmesan!

Wednesday : March 5, 2008

Meatloaf Sandwich

A meatloaf sandwich is a wonderful thing. I like mine room temperature with crusty bread and some homemade mayonnaise.

Tuesday : March 4, 2008

Pasta and Red Sauce

Soft, handmade pasta and red sauce.

Monday : March 3, 2008

Balance of Wine and Cream

You can dance around what ground meats to use all day, but I think white wine and cream are the two most important ingredients of a ragu Bolognese sauce. They add the acidity and the velvety richness.

Monday : March 3, 2008

Snacks for Dinner

Sometimes we're just not that hungry for dinner. That's when a light plate is right. Fuji apples, Piller's Old Forest salami, Jarlesberg and Gouda Parrano cheese, Pure Luck goat cheese and crackers.

Friday : February 29, 2008

Pizza Night

Never gets old. A dinner that will make your neighbors envious and will only cost you 83 cents ($2.37 if you use the good cheese)