Countrypolitan Cooking

Strawberry Pie

2011-06-05T23:06:00.004-05:00

Strawberry Pie, a photo by TagDragon on Flickr.

Strawberry Pie is a quintessential summer dessert. Cold fresh strawberries suspended in a simmering strawberry gelatin, you can’t beat it.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh, washed, hulled, sliced Strawberries (any areas discarded)
½ cup Water
1 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Corn Starch
¼ cup fresh Lemon Juice
1 packet of unflavored Gelatin (from a 1 oz box with 4 packets)
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
3 cups whole medium-size fresh, washed, hulled Strawberries
1 Graham Cracker Pie Shell

Add sliced strawberries and water to a small sauce pan. Cover and over medium heat simmer until strawberries are very soft. About 10-15 minutes. Watch the berries; it is easy for them to boil up. While still hot, strain the strawberry juice from the berries. Mash the berries to release all the juice. There should be a little over 1 cup of juice. Add water to make 1 cup if needed. Discard strawberry pulp. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and gelatin and immediately mix until gelatin is dissolved. In a small bowl combine the sugar and corn starch and mix well. In a small sauce pan add the sugar and corn starch mixture and 1 cup strawberry juice and over medium heat bring to a boil and then boil 1 minute stirring often. Off the heat, add the gelatin mixture and vanilla extract to the strawberry syrup and stir until dissolved and completely mixed with the syrup. Cool 25 minutes. Carefully add the whole strawberries and gently stir until the berries are coated with the syrup. Starting with the larger strawberries, spoon them into the pie shell in an even manner. May have to add a few extra strawberries to fill in holes. Carefully pour the remaining strawberry syrup into the pie shell over the berries and around the edges. Do not over fill with the syrup. Refrigerate for at least three hours.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Makes one Strawberry Pie.

Use small, large, and odd sized berries to make the juice. Save pretty, medium sized strawberries to use whole. If using a premade pie shell, I prefer the Keeble Ready Crust Graham 2 Extra Servings Pie Crust.

Not just beer-battered, Schlafly Dry Hopped APA battered Vidalia onion rings

2011-05-08T18:05:00.001-05:00

Not just beer-battered, Schlafly Dry Hopped APA battered Vidalia onion rings, a photo by chrisfreeland2002 on Flickr.

Reaally simple crowd pleaser: Thick slice 1 large Vidalia onion, separate into rings. Mix 1 cup flour & 1 bottle Schlafly Dry Hopped APA, or other Pale Ale, in large shallow pan. Add 6 dashes Tabsco, 1 teaspoon salt. Let batter sit at least 30 minutes or longer. Heat oil in frydaddy or cast iron skillet on stovetop at 385. Working in small batches, coat onion rings with batter and drop into hot oil. Cook until crispy and golden on both sides, turning at least once during frying. Carefully remove to plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.

Serve with Creole Mayo: 1/2 cup mayo, 1tsp creole seasoning, juice 1/2 fresh lemon. Whisk ingredients together with fork. Adjust seasoning & acid to your taste. Also good with some roasted garlic or other savory mix-ins.

Mashed potato gratin

2011-03-14T20:39:00.002-05:00

Mashed potato gratin, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 tsp kosher salt, separated
4 tsp butter
1/2 cup milk, more as needed
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 T chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash & peel potatoes. Cut in cubes and place in medium saucepan. Fill with cold water until covered, add 1 tsp salt. Bring water to a boil. Boil uncovered until potatoes are tender, approximately 12 minutes. Once tender, drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Add butter, milk, sour cream, Parmesan, remaining salt, and pepper. Using electric mixer, beat potato mixture until smooth, adding more milk to bring to the right consistency - you want them creamy, not soupy. Adjust salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon into gratin dish, top with a bit of parmesan, parsley and ground pepper. Bake uncovered 10 minutes to melt Parmesan. Place gratin under low broiler for 3-5 minutes until top is browned. Remove from oven & serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Making Gumbo

2011-03-05T13:31:00.002-06:00

Making Gumbo, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Following Paula Deen's lead on this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/gumbo-recipe/index.html

Venison chili

2011-02-06T14:43:00.001-06:00

Venison chili
Originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002

Superbowl Sunday. Gotta make chili, had some venison in the freezer.

A Year of Not Blogging

2011-01-23T20:49:00.009-06:00

Wow, where to start? It's been more than a year since I blogged here - made a recipe, photographed it, and committed my mostly improvised ramblings to the blog. Our blog. Our blog that's on the "blogosphere," a term our dear friend Brad Graham coined and he was further dismayed when the term 1) took off in popularity and 2) got an entry in the OED. Brad poo-pood it all, but I secretly think he liked this claim to fame. Not that he would ever admit it, mind you. He'd have gone to his grave shrugging off the fact that he invented the term blogosphere. And in January of last year, that's exactly what he did. Brad was found dead in his house on January 4, 2010. He was 41. He was supposed to have been at my New Year's Eve party the Friday before, as always, but wasn't feeling well. Some of his coworkers (and our mutual friends) were at my party and expressed concern for his absence, and for his overall health because recently he hadn't been as energetic, as lively. We were worried, we told him we were worried, and we were happy to learn he was scheduled to go to the doctor after the first of the year.

I had seen him a couple of weeks before at his annual holiday party (looking gaunt, and I told him as much), and then again on a casual weekday evening when we decided to get together for drinks & gumbo at his place. Since we were nearing Christmas, I brought him a tin of the Hard Rock Candy I had made the Sunday before, along with homemade single malt butter scotch. He was quite pleased with the treats and had a few that night.

So we didn't see him at NYE. I sent him a text message 2 days after while sitting in the theater to watch Avatar in 3D, with no response. Not entirely unusual, but not exactly right, either. I left the next morning for meetings in Washington DC, which was cold and miserable, and I was cranky about having to travel so early into the year. My meeting was with the National Institute of Health and the National Library of Medicine for my "real" job, participating in a workshop on defining a schema for biodiversity publications. I took this picture and uploaded it to Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisfreeland/4245044564/. I look at this picture as the last time my life made sense in 2010.

Less than 5 minutes later I got a call from Tagert. I knew something was up, but I couldn't leave the meeting. So I txtd him

I'm in dc in a mtg & can't use phone, but can txt. What's up?

His reply was

Sorry for this format. Brad Graham has died. Ken found him this morning.

I left the meeting & started talking with Tag. And honestly, from that point on the rest of the trip is a blur. I have flashes of activity, like standing at the platform waiting for the Red Line to take me to my hotel in Dupont, listening to Elton John on my iPod singing "Sacrifice", with tears streaming down my face. I was alone in DC while Brad's other friends were meeting in STL for an impromptu gathering, and that's where I wanted to be more than any other place in the world. But duty called, and I stayed through the meetings then made a return home, and within 2 hours of arriving in St. Louis I was over at Tagert's. That was tough, but so necessary.

And then the next day my partner and I had to make the very tough decision to put our 10 year old dog, Sam, to sleep. She'd been fighting cancer for more than a year, but it was clear she was getting weaker and her cough & discomfort were bad. We took her to the vet, fairly certain what the advise & options would be, and we were right. Our vet also knew Brad and so knew what a double whammy this was for us. We knew it was right thing to do, but that didn't make it any easier. I remember sobbing into my partner's neck, just shaking my head, not understanding why this was all happening at once. I stayed with Sam and she went peacefully with the help of the excellent doctors at Kingsbury Animal Hospital.

I was scheduled to leave for 10 days in Beijing at 4am the next morning, and as it turns out months before Tagert & our friend Mikey, plus me and my partner Chris, had purchased tickets that night for a Lady Gaga concert. None of us wanted to stay at home and feel sorry for ourselves, so we went and had a crazy, cathartic time. And then 5 hours later I was on a plane to Beijing.

The storm stopped there, thankfully, and the rest of 2010 went along with normal bumps & bruises, but nothing as brutal as losing the guy who completed Tagert & me. We were a great trio because we each had different relationships as duos: Brad & I had a bond over redheads and technology, Tag & Brad had SciFi and film, and together we had showtunes & shenanigans & laughter & friendship. So for Tagert & me to lose that essential third wheel has been a big adjustment.

And every time I went to blog, I thought of Brad. Tagert & I had talked to Brad, who was a PR/marketing whiz, about taking our blog to the next level - coverage in the local foodie mags, cooking segments on local shows, appearances and demos at STL food & wine events, publishing a cookbook, etc. But after Brad died, I felt alone in that endeavor. I mean, Tagert & I are quite capable dudes, but Brad was Mr. Connections. And without his help, it just seemed...pointless.

So throughout this year of course we've kept cooking, and I've got a stockpile of recipes that are now well-tested and ready to roll out. But I wonder if our moment has passed. Tagert & I set up this blog in 2007 as a way to advertise our unique culinary point of view, and now that I look around, there are many people doing our "downhome with a twist" thing. I feel I'm at a crossroads here, and I'm really curious from readers what *you* want from us, if anything. I still want to blog about food because I love food, I love to cook, and I think I have some unique insights to share with other people who like to cook, based on my rural upbringing and subsequent move to a diverse city full of new flavors and ideas.

So what do you think, dear reader? Have we lost you in this year of not blogging? Are you still interested in our recipes and stories about how we came to make them? Or, should we just close up shop, turn on Ina Garten, and leave the food writing to the pros? Leave your comments below. They really are appreciated!

Chris Freeland

Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Pork

2010-03-06T10:42:00.002-06:00

Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Pork
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I like my barbecue sauce slightly sweet, with some vinegar tanginess, and a little bit of a kick. This one has all three. I call this recipe barbecue sauce for pulled pork because of the pork roast pan drippings that are added. But, this is a good barbecue sauce for anything. If you’re not making the pulled pork don’t worry about the pan drippings. Just leave them out. And if you like more of a kick add more chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon Butter
2 cloves Garlic – finely minced
2 cups Ketchup
1 cup Cider Vinegar
½ cup Dark Brown Sugar - packed
½ cup Molasses
½ cup Dijon Mustard
½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/3 cup Pork Roast Pan Drippings
1 Chipotle Pepper (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo) – seeded and finely chopped-optional
1 tablespoon Adobo Sauce from can-optional

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until sugar has completely dissolved and flavors have come together.

Makes about 4 cups

Pulled Pork

2010-02-27T13:39:00.003-06:00

Pulled Pork
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

Boston Butt Pork Roast is an inexpensive cut of meat and when cooked properly makes delicious pulled pork that’s enough to feed a crowd. I do recommend getting the Boston Butt over a Picnic Roast. Both of these cuts come from the pork shoulder. It does take some planning to make pulled pork. Realizing that it needs to be started the day before and will then roast in the oven for over six hours the next day.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Dry Ground Mustard
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
1 tablespoon Italian Herbs
1 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 Yellow Onion – sliced and rings separated
1 5 to 7 pound Boston Butt Pork Roast

Combine all of the spices, paprika to the kosher salt, in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the entire pork roast working it into crevices and patting it down to adhere to the pork roast. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Mound a bed of onions in the middle of the roasting pan. Place pork roast fat side up on top of the onions and roast for six to seven hours. The pork roast will need to be tender and pull apart easily. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should register at least 170 degrees F.

Let the pork roast rest for 20 to 40 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle. (Reserve pan dripping for barbecue sauce.) Pull the pork while it is still warm. Remove the fat from top of pork roast. Using two forks or your hands shred the pork roast into small pieces and strips. A technique that can work is to hold the pork roast with one fork and use the second fork to pull and rake the meat apart. Discard the bone and any pieces of fat. Go through the meat a second time with your hands and tear any larger pieces into smaller bits and remove any remaining fat and tough parts. Some of the crispy outer bits of meat can be left in for texture and flavor.

Mix and serve with your favorite barbecue sauce or use the drippings to make a really great barbeque sauce.

Serves 12

Some of the onion will burn but the onion under the pork roast will taste amazing. My Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Pork will be posted later.

Hard Rock Candy

2009-12-13T09:00:00.002-06:00

Root Beer Rock Candy, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Hard candy is incredibly easy to make. There's a basic recipe for the candy itself and you use flavored oils for candy making and food coloring to make each batch unique. You can get the flavored oils at some craft shops or online. You can also use traditional flavored extracts (like vanilla or almond), though the flavor won't be as strong as with the oils.

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1 cup water

2/3 cup white syrup

1 t flavored oil

A few drops of food coloring

Powdered sugar

Boil sugar, water & syrup in a heavy bottom saucepan to 300 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to ensure proper cooking temperature. At 300 degrees (hard crack stage) add the oil and food coloring and boil until 310 degrees. Pour candy on clean & dry cookie sheet and let cool. Use the handle of a table knife to bust up the candy into small pieces. Drop into powdered sugar and toss well to coat, then sift off flour and store the candy in a ziplock bag or other dry container.

Warning: I know this is one of those "Well, duh" reminders, but DO NOT try to sample the candy while you're pouring it into the pan. It's kind of a cook's habit to dip a finger or spoon in to taste what you're preparing, but you cannot do that when making hard candy. It's like molten lava and will burn you. I know this from experience :-\

Chris

Chicken Sandwich with Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-11-20T13:00:00.003-06:00

Chicken Sandwich with Fried Green Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

This is unbelievably good! Crispy chicken combined with the sweet and tart of fried green tomatoes. Amazing!

Components
Chicken Strips/Filets/Patties
Fried Green Tomatoes
Sandwich Bun
Mayonnaise
Shredded Lettuce – optional
Hot Pepper Sauce – optional

Fry the chicken strips according to directions or use your favorite breaded chicken strip recipe. At the same time make the fried green tomatoes. Toast the sandwich bun.

Spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on the top and bottom sandwich bun. To assemble: place one or two chicken strips on the bottom bun, add two fried green tomato slices, garnish with lettuce and several dashes of hot pepper sauce, and finish with the top bun.

Serve immediately.

Makes 1 sandwich

I listed the hot pepper sauce as optional. But, it’s really not. I highly recommend it. You can leave the lettuce off if you want.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-11-07T17:15:00.001-06:00

Cast Iron Skillet - Fried Green Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

Fried Green Tomatoes are something most people did not know about until the movie with the same name. Even then some probably did not believe it was a real food. Everyone should give them a try. The sweet from the cornmeal and the tart from the green tomato make a great combination.

Ingredients
3 large firm Green Tomatoes
1 cup Cornmeal
½ cup All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
1 cup Buttermilk – shaken
Vegetable Oil
Hot Pepper Sauce – for serving, optional

Fill FryDaddy with oil to recommended level and heat oil.
Or in a large cast iron skillet add about ½ inch of oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot.

Rinse the green tomatoes, and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Discard end pieces.

It is entirely optional, for a nice even coating peel the tomatoes before slicing. The tomato skin is slick and the mixture does not adhere to it very well.

Pour the buttermilk into a small bowl. Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and the optional cayenne pepper if you want it. Dip tomatoes in the buttermilk and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Coat the tomatoes well. Gently place in the hot oil. Do not over crowd the slices in the oil. If using a cast iron skillet, fry in a single layer. May want to fry in batches. Fry for about 6 minutes, 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Carefully remove the tomatoes from oil and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Serve immediately with hot pepper sauce.

Makes 5-6 servings

For an extra kick add some hot pepper sauce in the buttermilk before you dip the tomatoes. Can also be served with ranch dip or a sprinkling of parmesan on top.

Fried Squash

2009-09-12T17:17:00.002-05:00

Fried Squash
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I’m on a little bit of a fried kick, which is fine with me. My friend Christine, who is an excellent cook, seems to think I eat too much brown food? I really didn’t understand what she was saying though? Fried Squash is another classic summer southern food. Fresh out of the garden, golden brown, and delicious.

Ingredients
2 or 3 large Yellow Squash
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Cornmeal
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
1 cup Buttermilk – shaken
Vegetable Oil

Fill FryDaddy with oil to recommended level and heat oil.
Or fill Dutch oven with about 2 inches of oil and heat to 360 degrees F.
Or add ½ inch of oil to a large skillet and heat till very hot.

Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or dish.

Wash squash, trim ends, and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds. There is no need to peel the squash. It is perfectly alright to use the entire squash, large and small ends.

Dip squash rounds in buttermilk then dredge in flour mixture until evenly coated. It is fine to press on the flour mixture so more adheres to the squash. Gently drop squash in hot oil. Do not over crowd the squash. For a skillet, fry in a single layer. May want to fry in batches. Carefully flip squash after 3-4 minutes to fry evenly. Fry squash for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. With a slotted spoon, remove squash from oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.

Makes 5-6 servings

If your flour mixture starts to run out or clump together add more of the ingredients or make a fresh batch. You can reuse cooking oil for frying more than once. Allow the oil to cool. Strain the oil through a strainer lined with layers of cheesecloth or paper towel. Store oil covered in a cool, dark place. Also, do not keep oil hot longer than necessary. Stop using oil when it gets a dark color, has a rancid smell or changes the taste of the food, or begins to smoke before heated to proper frying temperature.

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Bisque

2009-09-07T10:59:00.002-05:00

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Bisque, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Here's another simple 'unrecipe.' I got some beautiful heirloom tomatoes at Soulard Market on Saturday and didn't want them to go to waste, so I sliced the tomatoes; sprinkled them with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, thyme and olive oil; and roasted them in a 400 degree oven until they carmelized, about 45 minutes. Once those were finished I chopped & sautéed a leek, a carrot, and a celery stalk, a few cloves of garlic, and a little bit of poblano pepper until golden, about 10 minutes. I added the roasted tomatoes (and the cooking juices) to the pot and cooked until bubbling, about 5 minutes. I added in about 2 cups of chicken stock and brought the soup to a boil, dropped in a few sprigs of thyme & sage, and reduced to a simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often. I let the soup cool a bit, then ran it through my new food mill (LOVE it!), then whisked in some cream until it looked about right, and seasoned with salt & pepper. Delicious & simple!

Fried Okra

2009-09-02T15:00:00.002-05:00

Fried Okra
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

Being from the south, I love all things fried. And fired okra is very near the top of this list. I can recall (and still do) waiting for the okra to be ready and eating it right off the platter before it even reaches the table. And we love our FryDaddy which makes really good fried okra. One pound of okra makes 3 to 4 servings or it makes 1 if you’re me.

Fried Okra is also a nice appetizer. Serve it in the kitchen as folks are waiting on dinner. It’s so fun to nibble on, maybe with a little ranch dip. For fried okra in the winter when you can’t find good fresh okra see the freezing instructions at the end.

Ingredients
1 pound Fresh Okra
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
½ cup Cornmeal
1 tablespoon Salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
¾ cup Buttermilk – shaken
Vegetable Oil

Fill FryDaddy with oil to recommended level and heat oil.
Or fill Dutch oven with about 2 inches of oil (best if okra can float) and heat to 350 degrees F.
Or add oil to a large heavy-bottomed skillet and heat to very hot. For both the Dutch oven and skillet do not fill over halfway full.

Wash okra whole, remove ends, and cut into ½ inch pieces. Okra will shrink slightly when frying. Place cut okra in a colander over a bowl and pour buttermilk over okra until thoroughly coated. Allow to sit for a minute or two.

Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Toss okra in flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Gently place okra in hot oil. Do not over crowd the okra in the oil. No more then two pieces deep. May want to fry in batches. Do not stir or turn the okra for 4-5 minutes. Carefully turn okra after 4-5 minutes to fry evenly. Fry okra for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown. With a slotted spoon, remove okra from oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.

Makes 3-4 servings

If your flour mixture starts to run out or clump together add more of the ingredients or make a fresh batch. You will be able to fry two batches before serving. I recommend using the FryDaddy and then the Dutch oven.

Freezing Instructions:
Follow instructions up until frying. Place the flour mixture coated okra onto a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze. After frozen, transfer okra to a freezer bag and keep frozen until ready to use. Fry frozen okra as directed above.

Tapenade with Feta

2009-08-24T14:48:00.002-05:00

Tapenade with Feta
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I’m a big fan of tapenade. As you can see from here. Following is another variation on the traditional tapenade. I think olives and feta are a natural combination and work great together. They both remind me of Greece, even though they are found in many other cultures and types of cuisines. The white flecks of feta are a nice contrast to the dark color of the olives.

Ingredients
½ pound Kalamata or other good black olives – pitted
¼ pound good green olives – pitted*
1 tablespoon Capers - drained
2 cloves Garlic - minced
2/3 cup good Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed (about 1 small lemon)
2 teaspoons fresh Thyme - chopped
2 teaspoons fresh Oregano – chopped
8 ounces Feta (whole block if you can find it)*
Crackers or toasted sliced Baguette

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade pulse the garlic a few times to thoroughly mince. Add both types of olives and capers and pulse a few times more until very roughly chopped. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, thyme and oregano and process until just combined but still chunky. If you have a whole block of feta, cut feta into small cubes. Add feta to the food processor and pulse a few times more. You want to still be able to see small chucks of the feta in the tapenade.

Serve with crackers or toasted baguette. Makes a large party potion.

*If your market has an olive bar, check to see if it has a Mixed Olive with Feta Salad. Use ¾ pound of the olive feta salad (very heavy on the feta and heavy on the green olives) in place of the ¼ pound green olives and 8 ounces feta. Any oil that comes along with the olive feta salad, use with the extra-virgin olive oil in the tapenade.

I recommend cutting each olive in half before adding them to the food processor to check for missed olive pits. I find one or two pits about every time I buy olives. Also, see the crostini blog post that goes excellently with tapenade.

Trio of Sour Cream

2009-08-01T09:26:00.002-05:00

Trio of Sour Cream
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I like flights of food and drink where you get multiple small portions of the same item in different flavors. While this trio of sour cream is not a true flight, it is along the same idea. It is a great way to zest up sour cream and if you want to make something a little extra special. Varity is the spice of life. Goes great with Skillet Nachos.

Ingredients

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Cilantro – finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Lime Juice

Combine all ingredients and thoroughly whisk together. Refrigerate until ready to use. Garnish before serving.

Chipotle Sour Cream
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Chipotle Peppers – seeded and finely chopped (2 peppers)
2 tablespoons Adobo Sauce from can

Combine all ingredients and thoroughly whisk together. Refrigerate until ready to use. Garnish before serving. Find Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce in the Mexican food isle.

Herb Sour Cream
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley – finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Chives – finely chopped
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground Pepper

Combine all ingredients and thoroughly whisk together. Refrigerate until ready to use. Garnish before serving.

When serving all three sour creams at the same time, garnish each to help people know which is which. Suggestions: a lime wheel on the Cilantro Lime, a whole chipotle pepper on the Chipotle, and chopped chives sprinkled on the Herb.

Farmstand Asian Slaw

2009-07-26T11:51:00.003-05:00

Farmstand Asian Slaw, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I was inspired to make this slaw after reading this article in Food & Wine about quick pickles. I like to make pickles & relish, but generally process them in a waterbath; these are faster to make, but more perishable.

The beauty of making relishes like this is you can throw in whatever you have on hand or looks good at the market and then find the appropriate seasoning to mix with the veggies. At the Tower Grove Farmers' Market on Saturday I found really crisp cabbage sprouts, bean sprouts, carrots & red peppers, so I started thinking about an Asian slaw, plus I knew I had garlic, ginger & rice vinegar on hand.

Talk about simple - I washed & chopped all the vegetables into thin strips and placed them in 2 qt jars, and topped them with the Curry Quick Pickles brine recipe. This should keep for a month in the fridge. I tried it out this morning and the flavors are already there - tangy, sweet, salty, & peppery with a satisfying crunch from the fresh veggies.

A more zingy title for this might be "Country Kimchi" but since it doesn't have fermented cabbage it's not reeeeeally kimchi, so I didn't want to offend any purists.

Chris

Skillet Nachos

2009-07-17T17:45:00.002-05:00

Skillet Nachos
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I love nachos. They are one of my favorite foods. Whether as cheese dip, individual single layer chips, or piled high; they’re all good. I also love to grill. So, why not put the two together. Just assemble, heat on the grill, and dig in. These are a great outdoor party appetizer and everyone will rave and ask “why didn’t I think of this?”

Ingredients
1 ½ cups Tomatoes – diced
¾ cup Scallions, white and green parts – sliced
15 ounces Black Beans – rinsed and drained
2 cups finely shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ teaspoon Ancho Chile Pepper
3 fresh Jalapeno Peppers - sliced
Assorted White, Yellow, and Blue Tortilla Chips
1 cup Sour Cream

Preheat outdoor grill to Medium heat.

Combine the cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper, and ancho chile pepper in a small bowl and mix together. In a large cast iron skillet, 10 inches or larger, arrange a layer of assorted chips and top with 1/3 of each the tomatoes, scallions, black beans, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno peppers. Repeat with two more layers of chips and toppings. You may want to build a kind of “chip wall” around the outside edge of the skillet to keep toppings from tumbling off the sides.

Place skillet on grill and heat for 10 – 12 minutes with the lid closed.

Serve with sour cream. Makes 6 appetizer potions.

Feel free to adjust the heat with more or less cayenne and ancho chile pepper; more sliced jalapeno; or seeded jalapeno. Pickled jalapenos work just fine too. Don’t be worried if the outside edges of some of the chips get brown and burnt. It just adds to the flavor and experience of Skillet Nachos.

Maque choux

2009-07-10T22:34:00.003-05:00

Maque choux, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Here's another unrecipe for this simple & delicious Cajun staple:

Chop: 1/2 lb bacon, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 jalapeño pepper (seeded), 1 bunch parsley

Grill: 2 ears of sweet corn, husks removed to grill. Here's how I grill corn. Cut corn from the cobs.

Grab: 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 can of chicken broth & a 1/4 cup (or so) of cream

Fry bacon until crispy & brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2T of the oil. Stir in onions & red pepper, cook until softened but not browned. Add salt, cayenne, corn, garlic & jalapeño and cook 1min more (beware of burning the garlic).

Stir in 1/2 can of chicken broth, scraping up browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add in the cream (more or less depending on your desired texture) and heat through.

Serve it now or keep it warm & covered at the back of the stove. Monitor the liquid and add more broth or cream accordingly. Once you're ready to serve, stir in the bacon & parsley. This keeps well in the fridge for 2 or 3 days afterwards and even better, the flavors keep developing!

Margherita Orzo Salad

2009-07-08T19:10:00.002-05:00

Margherita Orzo Salad, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

This is one of those perfect salads/sides you can throw together in about 20 minutes. It's so simple it doesn't even need a proper recipe. Here goes:

Cook 1/2 lb of orzo in boiling, salted water. Drain well and toss with olive oil in a bowl. Add a pint of (washed & dried) cherry tomatoes to bowl. Chop 10 or so large basil leaves and add to bowl. Cut a large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese into bite-sized chunks (or use marinated bocconcini) and add to the bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and kosher salt to taste & mix well.

Makes 6-8 side dish portions.

Fines Herbes Ranch Dressing

2009-05-12T22:48:00.002-05:00

Salad with Fines Herbes Ranch Dressing
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I have been experimenting with classic herb combinations: Herbes de Provence, Fines Herbes. There is a reason these combination have been used for centuries, they work and have stood the test of time. Fines Herbes is a blend of parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil. Fine Herbes is great with chicken, fish, soups and stocks, salads, and very notable with egg dishes. Note: I love Penzeys Spices and am using their spelling.

Ingredients
2 cloves Garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Buttermilk shaken
1 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar or Champagne Vinegar
1 tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley minced
1 tablespoon Chives minced
1 tablespoon Tarragon minced
1 tablespoon Chervil minced

Add all of the ingredients in to food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse several times to completely combine. If the dressing is too thick, add more buttermilk 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time until you have the desired consistency.

Makes about 1 1/3 cups

If the garlic is not finely minced you may want to combine the garlic, salt, and pepper in the food processor first, pulse a few times and then add the remaining ingredients. This recipe uses all fresh herbs.

Fried Morels

2009-05-01T21:07:00.006-05:00

Morels/Fried Mushrooms, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

...or what Newsweek calls "Hillbilly Haute Cuisine"...

What you see above is exactly how I've always eaten morels - fresh out of the fryer, drying on paper towels, sprinkled with salt - YUM! I know there are all kinds of amazing recipes for the spring woodland delight - sauteed in butter with pasta, in a cream sauce, and heck even a duxelle, but growing up we had 'em floured and fried. That's how I want morels.

And that's how I prepared the AMAZINGLY generous gift Chris Cozzoni's parents gave me on Thursday, when they presented me with a beautiful batch of morels foraged from local Missouri woods. I've updated the batter a bit, but it's still an easy preparation - clean and slice the mushrooms, dip in egg + Tabasco, roll in flour+corn meal and fry. Simple. Delicious!

Ingredients
10 large morels - must be fresh, not dried & reconstituted! Seasonal only!!
2 eggs
Dash of Tabasco
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

If you've foraged them yourself:
Slice morels in half, or quarters for large 'shrooms. Brush off soil and bugs and things. Soak in a sink full of salted water (it kills the little slugs. eww, sorry, gross, I know) for 15 minutes. Using a net scoop the morels out and lay on paper towels to dry. Follow below.

If you've purchased fresh morels:
We'll assume the morels have already been brushed down and all soil and woodland critters removed. Slice them and soak them in a small pan of lukewarm water for 5 minutes, until slightly spongy. Remove to paper towels to dry. Follow below.

Heat FryDaddy, or large pan with 3"+ of oil.

Gently blot the morels with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a shallow dish, lightly beat two eggs and a splash of water and 2 dashes of Tabasco (or to taste). In another dish, combine flour, corn meal, salt & pepper. Dip morels into egg, then into flour mixture. Shake off excess and set on baking sheet.

Fry morels until golden, turning often in oil to ensure even frying. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

2009-03-02T19:54:00.002-06:00

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuit
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I love biscuits. And lucky for me, being a southern boy, we had them all the time. Hot out of the oven with butter or jam, that is heaven. Here’s the problem. Biscuits are a little tricky. There are few ingredients, a simple process, and somehow easy to miss the target. I may never be able to make biscuits like my Mama but, these are really good.

Ingredients
2 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus extra
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
¾ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons cold Butter
2 tablespoons cold Shortening
1 cup cold Buttermilk
1 cup grated White Cheddar or Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese, plus extra

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening till well mixed and resembles course crumbs. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add buttermilk. Stir a little then add cheddar cheese. Stir until dough just comes together. With your hands, try and form the extra dough pieces into the dough ball.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Dust top with a little flour and knead dough by folding and pressing dough over on to itself 6-8 times. Pat out dough to ¾-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with 2 to 2 ½-inch floured round biscuit cutters. Push straight down to board then turn slightly. Place biscuits about 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until tall and golden.

Makes 8-10. Server hot with butter, jam, or split apart and add extra cheddar cheese for a cheese biscuit sandwich.

I like the white cheddar for a milder morning biscuit and the extra-sharp cheddar for a lunch or dinner biscuit. If you do not have a pastry blender use a fork, two knives, or your fingers. If you use your fingers work quickly. You do not want part of the butter to melt. The cheese will cause the biscuits to stick slightly. Use a spatula and they will come off just fine.

For a traditional biscuit eliminate the baking soda and cheddar cheese; and use milk for the buttermilk.

Buttered Potatoes with Asparagus Leek Cream Sauce

2009-03-01T13:58:00.007-06:00

Buttered potatoes with asparagus & leek cream sauce, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

This dish was inspired by my recent trip to Copenhagen. I was there for my 'real' work (as opposed to this, my 'fantasy' work), and had the great opportunity to eat some delicious meals in the University of Copenhagen cafeteria near the Zoologisk Museum. No, really! The canteen, as it was called, had really excellent food; a far cry from the dorm food foisted on college students in the US.

Granted, my exposure was limited, but I'd say that Danish cuisine is about assembling several small plates of both hot and cold items, each featuring fresh vegetables and clean, bright flavors, to make a cohesive meal. The terms that keeps coming to mind when trying to describe the dishes we had are "honest" and "authentic" - each was prepared with fresh ingredients and done so in a way that highlighted the intrinsic colors and flavors of the dish's components, rather than hiding them under heavy spices. This particular dish was a standout because of its simplicity. I found it very easy to recreate back at home, and bet you will, too, if you give it a try.

Ingredients
3 lbs small yellow potatoes (Pearl work nicely, as do small Yukon Gold)
2 T butter
3 T Italian parsley
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce
2 T butter
1 medium leek, chopped & well rinsed
8 asparagus spears, cut lengthwise, then chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 T dry white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub potatoes and place them in a large pan. Fill pan with water until potatoes are just covered. Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil for 18-20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft throughout. While boiling, make sauce below. Use a colander to drain potatoes, then cover colander and potatoes with a cloth. Let potatoes steam and additional 10 minutes, then toss with butter, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

For sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is heated add leeks and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring often, until asparagus and leeks are fragrant and soft. Add flour and stir to combine, making a thick roux. Cook until roux is golden, but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add white wine and stir to incorporate, making a thick slurry. Then add chicken stock and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly (I use a spoon rather than a whisk for this because I don't want to shred the softened vegetables). Add cream, stirring, until well combined. Again bring sauce just to simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook until sauce is thickened, approximately 10 minutes (add more chicken stock, if needed, to thin sauce) - it should be thicker than a soup but not a gloppy gravy. Remove sauce from heat and taste, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sauce over potatoes, with a toss of chopped parsley on top and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Venison Chili

2009-02-11T20:59:00.005-06:00

Venison Chili, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Deer hunting is so popular where I grew up that it borders on religion; hunters have their tried and true rituals and favorite locations, honed over years (even generations) of practice and experience. Recipes for how to prepare "deer meat" (no one calls it venison in the country) have also been handed off over time. Most recipes feature slow roasting deer steaks in a thick gravy to add moisture and soften the meat, as it's fairly lean and can be a bit dry and tough if not prepared correctly.

While that method is a country classic, and one that my mom and aunt make with skill, I've become a fan of using venison in chili. Venison can be slightly gamey and I find it mellows really well when cooked with acidic foods like tomotoes, and with ground venison you don't have to worry about tenderizing it through a slow cooking process. The recipe below takes some cues from fairly traditional chili ingredients, but turns up the flavor with red wine and unsweetened chocolate, which also tone down the venison without completely masking its unique flavor.

Oh, and to obtain ground venison you can do what I do (have your dad apply for a license, make him sit in the woods on a cold autumn morning waiting for a deer to pass by, shoot it, field dress it, and then take it to a local butcher for processing) or buy it from online sources, such as this one http://www.venison-meat.com/html/suppliers.html.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
3 lbs ground venison
1 tsp whole cumin
1 large onion, chopped, divided in half
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder (or more for your desired heat)

1 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp ground pepper, to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine, additional as needed
1 lb tomatoes, diced or 2 cans diced tomatoes
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup water, additional as needed

Heat oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add half of chopped onion to oil and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add venison and cook until thoroughly browned. Tilt pan to allow juices to accumulate at the bottom and use a slotted spoon to remove venison and onion to a bowl.

Add another tsp of oil to pan if needed. Add cumin and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until cumin is browned and fragrant. Add remaining onion and red pepper and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes, until paste starts to thin. Add the red wine, stirring until contents of the pan are well incorporated and the sauce has a smooth texture. Return venison to the pot. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the chili starts to bubble. Reduce heat to simmer and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, then add chopped chocolate. Cook an additional 15 minutes (but the longer the better!), stirring occassionally, adding water or wine (your preference; guess mine) if the chili becomes too thick. Remove pot from heat and let chili rest a few minutes before giving a final stir. Serve with toppings.

Toppings/Sides

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Chopped green onions

Corn bread or crackers

Chicken & Sausage Hash on Crispy Polenta with Frizzled Sage

2009-01-19T00:17:00.003-06:00

Chicken & Sausage Hash on Crispy Polenta with Frizzled Sage, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Ingredients
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 lemon, ½ sliced, ½ squeezed
½ tsp olive oil
½ lb bacon, sliced
3 spicy Italian sausages (salsiccia or similar, can substitute with brats)
1 ½ cup onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
10 small new potatoes, unpeeled, cubed
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp fresh sage, chopped
¼-1/3 cup flour
¼ cup cognac
4 cups (or 2 cans) of chicken broth
1 cube of frozen pesto or 2 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 400.

Place chicken bone down on a baking sheet and gently separate chicken skin from the underlying meat to make a pocket. Place lemon slices under skin. Season chicken with salt & pepper and drizzle slightly with oil. Bake until chicken tests 170 degrees, approximately 40 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tent chicken with foil for 10 minutes. Let cool, then pull meat from the bones and shred into bowl. Save the skin and bones to freeze for stock. Discard the lemon.

In large dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the bacon. Cook until browned. Remove bacon from oven with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towels to drain. Add sausages to oven and cook until browned, then remove to paper towels. Add onions, red pepper, potatoes, salt and pepper to pot and cook until vegetables are slightly softened and browned, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and chopped sage and cook for 1 minute.

Add between ¼ and 1/3 cup of flour, depending on the amount of grease in your pan. You want enough flour to evenly coat all the vegetables and soak up all the grease, but not so much that it cakes up. Stirring constantly, continue cooking the flour until it becomes darker, but not burnt, and releases a nutty scent, about 5 minutes.

Add cognac and stir, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and stir until smooth, adding more stock if sauce is too thick. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. While sauce is cooking, cut sausage into 1 “ chunks and add to pot. Add drained bacon, shredded chicken, and pesto. Stir to combine. Cook uncovered 7-10 minutes, until sauce is thick and creamy.

Crispy Polenta
Heat FryDaddy (makes this a snap). Slice pre-made polenta into ½” rounds. Blot with paper towels to remove any extra moisture. Gently place in heated oil, frying until golden brown, turning once to ensure even frying. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Frizzled Sage
Wash 10-12 whole sage leaves. Blot on paper towels to dry completely. Place the individual leaves in hot oil for 10 seconds. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.

Serve hash on polenta topped with frizzled sage.

Alice & Julia's Apple Tart

2009-01-08T00:07:00.004-06:00

Apple tart with apple glaze, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Look, I’m going to cut right to the chase. I have taken the best parts of recipes from two very, very famous women – Julia Child and Alice Waters – and combined them for the perfect Apple Tart. It simply turned out to be the loveliest, most delicious apple pastry I’ve ever made…and I’ve cooked a lot of apple pies. This was hands down the best.

So here’s the recipe: Julia Child’s Pâte Brisée + the filling and glaze from Alice Waters’ Apple Tart, as described here. I get that as recipes goes mine isn’t much of one, but you know what? Theirs are classics, and they work perfectly together. I can't pass off some sad facsimile of them as my own, so go forth and conquer as I did with Julia and Alice’s help.

Black-Eyed Peas and Hog Jowl - New Year's Day Tradition

2009-01-07T23:18:00.004-06:00

Black-Eyed Peas and Hog Jowl
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

In the South, at least where I come from, you eat black-eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year’s Day to bring good luck for the upcoming year. Some regions are slightly different like Hoppin’ Johns, a black-eye pea and rice dish, or black-eyed peas and collard greens. But for me, we had black-eyed peas and hog jowl every January 1st. I like black-eyed peas, though I prefer purple hull peas. Hog jowl is from the jaw/jowl/check of a hog and is like fatty bacon (if that is at all possible). It can be a little difficult to find. I went into a grocery in one of the more affluent areas of St. Louis and after looking in the meat section and not finding it asked the butcher who gave me a little smirk and said “No, you will not find that in this store.” All I can say to you citizens of Frontenac is that 2009 will not be kind to you. Lucky for me, I did finally find some hog jowl and 2009 is going to be a good year.

This is not culinary masterpiece. Having it once a year will be fine for most. But, it’s tradition, fun to do, and it's for good luck. It can't hurt. I served mine with some picked onions I made a year or so back.

Ingredients
1 small slab of Hog Jowl
1 15 ounce can Black-Eyed Peas
Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper

Cut the hog jowl into thin bacon like strips. In a large skillet, fry hog jowl over medium low to medium heat until desired doneness and crispness. Place hog jowl on a platter lined with paper towel to drain. During this time, heat black eyes peas in a sauce pan over medium heat until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves good luck for 365 days

I find hog howl in a whole piece. But, I have read on other blogs where they have found it pre-sliced. I have never found it that way. If you slightly freeze your hog jowl, it will make slicing it a little easier – about 20 minutes in your freezer. You will get a good amount of fat renderings from the hog jowl and if you fry it too hot a lot of smoke.

Cowboy Caviar

2009-01-01T21:46:00.003-06:00

Cowboy Caviar, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Happy New Year, y'all!

Last night we co-hosted a New Year's Eve party with the Nemanicks at their house. I love all the preparations that lead up to a big party and it was great fun to be able to tackle the effort as a team of 4 (Chris & me, Rik & Dawn). Rik and I both love to cook, so we split the responsibilities for food prep. We went with easy dishes that can fuel a crowd; having thrown a New Year's Eve party for more than 5 years I've learned that people will politely nibble and graze up to midnight, then once the champagne kicks in they're diving into the food like they haven't eaten in weeks.

One of the dishes I made is a perennial favorite - Cowboy Caviar. Tagert actually introduced us all to this dish several years ago, and we've all started making it for parties. It's a simple yet delicious mix of black-eyed peas and spices that you can serve as a dip with chips, and since black-eyed peas are a New Year's Day tradition in many parts of the country, I thought this was a clever dish to crank out for a New Year's Eve crowd.

I always make too much, by design. The flavors continue to develop over a couple of days, so I use leftovers as a topping for chicken or rice. Oh, one last thing - I (we) use canned black-eyed peas. I've tried using the dried ones and preparing them from scratch, but honestly the flavor wasn't any better and it was WAAAY more complicated that just opening a few cans. I know, I know...but look, when you're cooking for a crowd you want to figure out some dishes that you can easily throw together with a delicious result, and this recipe definitely fits those requirements. Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 cans black-eyed peas, drained
2 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 T cilantro, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 T vegetable oil
2 T cider vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lime

Combine ingredients in a big bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop. Serve with chips, or as an accompaniment to meats or rice. (Told you it was simple!)

Tapenade with Sun Dried Tomato

2008-12-14T14:57:00.002-06:00

Tapenade with Sun Dried Tomato
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I’m a fan tapenade. And with the holidays upon us it is a great, easy to make appetizer spread. Everything goes in the food processor. No baking. Little fuse. But, not everyone likes olives and tapenade. My tapenade with sun dried tomato might just win them over. The sun dried tomato gives it a little bit of sweetness and cuts down on some of the briny olive taste. The sun dried tomato makes it a little extra special and the small flicks of red give it a little holiday festive flare.

Ingredients
1 pound Kalamata or other good black olive - pitted
3 tablespoons Capers - drained
2 cloves Garlic - minced
8.5 ounces Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil and Herbs, Julienne Cut - oil reserved
good Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons fresh Thyme - chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley - chopped
Crackers or toasted sliced Baguette

Combine olives, capers, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse a few times till very roughly chopped. Add enough olive oil to the oil reserved from the sun dried tomatoes to make ½ cup. Roughly chop the sun dried tomatoes. Add the sun dried tomatoes, ½ cup oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme and parsley and process until combined but still chunky. You still want to be able to see bits of the sun dried tomato.

Serve with crackers or toasted baguette. Makes a large potion enough for a good sized party.

I buy pitted olives and then cut each one in half. I find on average one pit per pound of olives. This recipe can easily be halved. Divide all the ingredients in half, just watch the amount of oil you add to get the consistence you want. To make a traditional tapenade: delete the sun dried tomatoes, use only olive oil, and add 10 anchovy fillets. Also, see the crostini blog post that goes excellently with this tapenade.

Grandma Ellen's Fudge

2008-12-14T13:30:00.003-06:00

Grandma Ellen's Fudge, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

My grandma Ellen has a legendary sweet tooth. To this day she will start a meal with a slice of pie or other dessert so that she can be sure to "have enough room for it." I inherited her love of sweets, and her solemn understanding that the most important part of a meal...no, of life...is a sugary confection, cake, or pastry.

Although she was reknowned for her pie-making skills (Best. Crust. EVER!), she was no shlub with candy either. One of her specialties was a rich, dense fudge that she made by the acre during the holidays. Now in her late 80's, she has given up cooking, but luckily my family and I have had a lifetime of working alongside her to learn her tips and tricks. One of the best lessons I learned from her was to experiment, and over the years I've figured out a few tweaks to her base recipe that sit well with my particular palette and culinary point of view. I now regularly include instant coffee and ground cardamom, both of which spice up the chocolate and really enhance the flavor of the fudge.

I naturally think of Grandma every time I make this fudge, and I pass it along here so that you can enjoy it as well. Fair warning: this fudge is really, really rich (which, come on, is NOT a bad thing when you're talking about fudge). You'll want a tall glass of cold milk onhand, and possibly some give in your waistband because I guarantee you'll eat several pieces. And you will be happier for doing so!

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1/2 lb unsalted butter
4 cups sugar
25 large marshmallows
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
12 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
12 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
1 T instant coffee
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
Pinch of salt

Butter a 9x13 glass baking dish and set aside.

Heat milk, butter, and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until dissolved (I use a 5qt enameled cast iron pot). Stir in marshmallows until dissolved, then bring to a slow boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and spices until well blended. Pour into the buttered baking dish and refrigerate 4-6 hours, until solid.

To cut, remove from fridge & bring to room temperature. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed paper. Store, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks. You can either serve it cold (meaning: eat it straight out of the container every time you walk by the 'fridge) or let it come to room temperature for a smoother texture. Either way it's delicious!

Alimentos en Buenos Aires

2008-11-23T17:03:00.004-06:00

Empanada con carne, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Or "Buenos Aires Food" (sorta). I just returned from a few days in Buenos Aires, which is a magnificent, grand, and beautiful city; I was thoroughly enchanted by its architecture and people. And the food! Of course, the food. So no surprise, we ate A LOT of beef - one day we had steak for lunch AND dinner - and it was fantastic. The phrase "beef eater's paradise" was mentioned more than once (of course quickly countered by "...and a cow's hell" by the vegetarians in our midst). Some culinary highlights:

Bife de chorizo - Sirloin steak. Fat on. Seared over an open flame. Perfection. Also of note, only once were we served a chimichurri (a fresh sauce made from parsley, garlic, and spices) alongside - I was under the impression that was a standard pairing, but not at the restaurants we dined in.
Alfajor - An alfajor, or alfajores, is a popular candy found at street kiosks and was first described to me as a moon pie. It's actually an apt description - 2 cookies with dulche de leche between, covered in chocolate. I love all things caramel-y, so I'm definitely going to try making some of these.
Empanadas - Sold as street food and starters in restaurants, empanadas are a filled pastry pocket...and are probably quite familiar to most Americans by now, given that they're available in QT of all places (hey, street food is street food). Popular combinations include Empanadas con carne (with beef, as photographed above, flavored with a hint of cinnamon) and Empandas con jambon y queso (with cured ham and cheese).

I'll see what I can work into some recipes over the next few weeks. The cinnamon-laced beef empanadas were especially memorable, so I'll probably tackle those first, unless, of course, the sweet alfajores beckon...

Cornbread Stuffing with Salsiccia & Apple Cider

2008-11-23T11:52:00.003-06:00

Cornbread, salsiccia (or other Italian sausage), and apple cider put an unusual spin on a Thanksgiving tradition:

Ingredients
1 lb (2 loaves) corn bread, cubed
3 lb salsiccia or other Italian sausage, casings removed
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 bag celery, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
12 large sage leaves
½ stick butter (1/4 cup)
1 cup apple cider, divided
½ cup chicken broth

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 °. Spread cornbread cubes in single layer on large baking sheet. Toast in oven for 35-40 minutes until cornbread is crusty on edges, stirring twice during baking.

Remove salsiccia from casings and brown in large skillet. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage from pan to large mixing bowl lined with paper towels, reserving oil in pan. Remove paper towel and add toasted cornbread to bowl.

Add chopped onion, celery, and red pepper to skillet and cook until golden (probably have to work in 2 batches – add oil to pan, if needed, during 2nd batch). Add ½ cup apple cider to skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Pour contents of skillet onto cornbread. Melt butter in skillet and add sage, cooking until leaves are dark green, about 3 minutes. Add to bowl.

Mix contents of bowl well. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Butter large baking dish and spoon stuffing into it. Drizzle remaining ½ cup apple cider and ½ cup chicken broth over stuffing. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 3-4 hours (can be made immediately, but flavors develop if you wait). Bake covered in 350° oven until heated through, 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until top starts to brown.

Roasted Fall Veggies (with radishes!)

2008-11-10T17:00:00.004-06:00

Roasted Fall Veggies, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I love roasted vegetables, and I especially love making them in autumn when there are all kinds of delicious root vegetables available. Making roasted veggies is like making chicken stock - you just throw in whatever you have on hand. Sure, there is the Holy Trinity of Carrots, Potatoes, and Onions, but other options abound like parsnips, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cauliflower...even radishes.

Now, if you've never had a roasted radish you are missing out on one of nature's most sublime roasted vegetables. I like raw radishes, but they do have a bit of a bite. A roasted radish is quite different. Like all roasted veggies it gets sweeter with roasting, but it also gets more...mellow...almost creamy. I've served roasted radishes to two different sets of (enthusiastically voracious) guests to rave reviews. Give 'em a try, either by themselves or with a mix, as below.

Ingredients
1 lb carrots, sliced
2 lbs small potatoes, quartered
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 head cauliflower, broken in florets
1/2 pie pumpkin, cut into squares with the rind off
1 bunch or bag radishes, tops & bottoms cut off
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop all veggies into pieces about the same size (you want them the same size so they roast evenly). Spread into a single layer in a roasting pan or baking sheet (or two). Drizzle with oil. Season evenly with salt, pepper, curry powder, and rosemary. Mix by hand. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until vegetables are browned but not burnt and tender inside, shaking the pan twice during roasting to make sure the veggies don't stick to the bottom.

Remove pan(s) from oven and place veggies on a large platter. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-11-02T18:01:00.006-06:00

Pumpkin Bread, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

When I was in Australia two weeks ago, pumpkin was turning up in the oddest dishes - on sandwiches and in quiches & stuffed pastas. This was a good thing, as Chris and I both love pumpkin, and it made me just the tiniest bit homesick to be missing out on prime pumpkin time in the States. So, as soon as I could find some time to cook something to blog about, I knew it would have pumpkin in it.

I went with a fairly traditional pumpkin bread, mostly because Chris Cozzoni listed it at the top of his favorite pumpkin dishes (I live to serve). I used one of my mom's recipes, but of course found a few ways to amp up the flavors by adding in some of my favorite pumpkin-enhancing spices (cinnamon, cloves, fresh ground nutmeg) and crunchy mix-ins and toppings (dried cranberries, walnuts, pumpkin seeds).

One last note: A good friend, and one of the original South Comptonites, Eric Becker, gave me a fantastic gift years and years ago. I was complaining that I didn't have any loaf pans and Eric, in all his generosity & wisdom, gave me 4 mini loaf pans (5.75 x 3.25 x 2.25-in.), rather than 1 or 2 of the regular sized ones. That random act of kindness has begat many more, as I now make 4 mini loaves of breads (pumpkin, banana, zucchini), save one for us, put one in the freezer, and are left with two to give out to friends and neighbors. I would definitely recommend that everyone have a set of 4 mini loaf pans on hand, in addition to 2 regular pans, as those around you will be happy to receive a little loaf of something from time to time.

Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

Remaining ingredients:
3 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin

Toppings & mix-ins:
-dried cranberries
-chopped walnuts
-pumpkin seeds (also sold as pepitas)

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Grease and flour 4 mini loaf pans or 2 regular sized ones.

In a large bowl, measure and combine the dry ingredients. Sift into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, or using a stand mixer, beat the sugar and oil until well combined. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin, then add flour mixture, stirring just until the dry ingredients are dampened. Pour mixture into prepared pans.

If you're going to go with the cranberries, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds (all three are great together, or mix and match your faves), add them to the top of each pan then use a knife to cut them into the batter. Sprinkle some on top of the batter, then bake for 1hr, or longer as needed. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the loaf; if it comes out clean it is ready.

Let loaves cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of loaf pans onto a rack. You can use a knife to separate the loaf from the pan, if needed, but the grease + flour should make them pop right out. Let the loaves cool to room temperature, then wrap with aluminum foil. These loaves are actually better the second or third day, so try reeeeaaaally hard to resist cutting into them straight away.

Halfway around the world on a full stomach

2008-10-16T00:37:00.005-05:00

Sydney Opera House from Harbour Bridge, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

G'day mates!

I haven't been cooking much since September because I haven't been at home much! I've been travelling for my job since the last week of September and will continue at this pace through Thanksgiving. Right now I'm in Sydney with my partner on a week's holiday before heading on to Perth/Fremantle for a conference. Then in November I'll be in Buenos Aires, with 2 stops in Woods Hole, Mass., in between. A hectic schedule, for sure, but exciting!

Inspiring, too. One of the aspects I like most about travelling (both domestic & foreign) is the opportunity to sample new tastes & techniques for incorporation into my own cooking. This trip to Sydney has given me several new ideas, what with Australia's beguiling and delicious mix of Asian, Indian & European cuisines. So, I thought I'd take a few seconds to jot down some of my favorite dishes now, then try to work out the recipes once I'm back home after Thanksgiving.

Here are some of my favorites:

Lamb skewers with a chili/lemongrass/tamarind dipping sauce at Pink Peppercorn in Darlinghurst. This is a fantastic restaurant featuring 'modern Laotian' cuisine...so good we went twice! This starter was amazing - savory, sweet and smoky all at once!
Roast beef & pumpkin sandwich with caramelized onions on Turkish bread at CQ Cafe on Alfred Street near the Circular Quay stop (hence the 'CQ'). It's spring here in Sydney, yet pumpkin is showing up all over menus. I was intrigued by the thought of roasted pumpkin on a sandwich, delighted by the taste.
Tomato, onion, and gruyère quiche at the Wayzgoose Cafe in Leura. We took a day trip to the Blue Mountains (one word: spectacular!) and stopped at this cafe for a late lunch after a looooong day of hiking trails. There really wasn't anything unusual about this dish per se, just a sublimely seasoned & executed dish that hit the spot. Quiches are popular lunches at most cafes and restaurants we visited, and this one was the best I had. Light, airy, perfect.
update: Zucchini, gorgonzola, and sun-dried tomato pizza at Little Creatures in Fremantle. I know those three flavors wouldn't normally jump to mind when thinking of pizza, but the long, papery thin slices of zucchini were absolutely delicious on this rustic, sauceless pizza. Just a brushing of olive oil on the dough with the veg & cheese...yummy! Little Creatures is a really cool brewery; they make a fantastic Pale Ale - finally, an Aussie beer darker than a lager!!
update: Bacon & Pumpkin Quiche (pic) at The Merchant Coffee Co. Again with the quiche, again with the pumpkin. But this time with bacon!! And panache. LOVED it!
update: Lemon Lime Brulee Tart at Dome Coffees (pic). I know this is a franchise, so maybe not so intriguing, but I really liked the idea of caramelized sugar on a tart. Very light, very tasty.
update: Lemon Lime & Bitters. OK, so this is a commercial drink made by Angostura, but it was unique to me since we don't have it in the States. It would be so easy (and refreshing!) to make - I think the sum total of the ingredients would be 7up with bitters on ice, or you could get all fancy and do a tonic with fresh squeezed lemon & lime & bitters. Regardless, delicious.
update: Kangaroo. OK, look - I couldn't travel to Australia and NOT try kangaroo. I had it twice; once slow roasted in a brown gravy like venison, once smoked and sliced like a cold cut. I didn't particularly care for either. It's gamey, which I'm actually OK with, but it had a particularly strong aftertaste that I didn't care for. Looking at a kangaroo you can imagine that it's all dark meat. Turns out it is. Turns out I don't like it.

I'll blog other fun dishes during my travels for future recipes & inspiration. I know I should have taken photos of them, like my foodie buddy Martin Kalfatovic over at UDC 641, but in nearly every case the plate looked so good I had to dig in immediately! Until next time,

Chris

Bacon & Blue Cheese Coleslaw

2008-10-05T00:43:00.003-05:00

Bacon & Blue Cheese Coleslaw, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

This one's super simple and super tasty. Sometimes I like to spend hours working on a dish, and sometimes I just need to put something together quickly. This recipe falls in the latter category - I just got back from travel and needed to take a dish to a family reunion that would work for 20-30 people, so quick & quantity were the keywords. I've made fancier versions of this recipe before with my own dressing (and will blog them soon), but this fast-and-furious one works really well and gets good reviews from even picky eaters. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 head green cabbage
1 lb baby carrots
1 bottle prepared Coleslaw dressing, or Ranch dressing
1/2 lb bacon
4-6oz. crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola

Cook bacon to crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.

Using a food processor, grate the carrots and slice both cabbages into a big mixing bowl. (If you're making this in advance, keep the red cabbage out for now and mix it in shortly before serving; it turns everything a bit pink if it sits for more than an hour.) Add the bacon, dressing, and blue cheese, and mix well.

Serves 16-20.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

2008-09-21T23:01:00.005-05:00

Peeling apples for Slow Cooker Apple Butter, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

"Ma & Pa", my partner's grandparents, have made homemade apple butter for years, and it's my favorite. Their specialty is making very large batches in an old copper cauldron over an open fire using a wooden paddle to stir (and stir, and stir, and stir) the apples until thick & caramelized. While it's fun to make apple butter that way, it's also an enormous ordeal. So much so that as they've gotten older they've taken to making smaller batches of apple butter on the stovetop. It's just as delicious and so much easier, which suggests to me that good apple butter has more to do with good apples & solid flavorings than a particular cooking technique.

In the spirit of simplifying, I was curious if there was an even easier way to make apple butter. I had picked up a peck of fresh Macintosh apples at Curtis Orchard when I was in Champaign, Illinois, last week with the intention of making apple butter. But then I started reading recipes and they all seemed complex...until I ran across a couple different ones (here and here) that used a slow cooker. Sounded fun & different, so I took those recipes as a starting point and threw in some flavors I like for an urban twist on a country classic.

Ingredients
1 peck cooking apples (most anything besides Granny Smith; I used Macintosh because I am a computer nerd with a sense of humor)

Juice of 2 lemons
5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vanilla sugar
--or 6 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2" piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Peel, core and slice the apples (I use the $20 gizmo shown above to make fast work of this). Toss apple slices in a large bowl with lemon juice. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to apples and toss to coat. Spoon apples & sugar into a large slow cooker and drop the vanilla bean on top. Cover and cook on high 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is bubbly & brown, about 10 hours.

Remove lid and cook for another hour on low heat, allowing water to evaporate and the mixture to thicken. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds back into the apple butter, stirring well. If you accidentally overcook and it's too thick, just add some apple cider, apple juice, or water to bring to the right consistency. Once cooking is complete spoon the apple butter into prepared half-pint jars and process in a water bath for 5 minutes. Ensure jar is sealed and store in a cool, dark place up to 2 years. Any jars that don't seal should go into the 'fridge for immediate use.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27@gmail.com

Chicken Pesto Tortellini

2008-09-19T07:37:00.009-05:00

Chicken Pesto Tortellini, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

This is a dish I make all the time - we probably have some variation on "One Bowl Chicken Pasta" a week. It's simple, quick, and easily improvised based on whatever you have in your pantry or 'fridge. And this week (and for weeks to come) I have our new batch of pesto, so I threw that in for an example of how you can use all those ice cubes of pesto you have sitting in your freezer.

(BTW: This is a great meal for a working couple. You've got 2 large portions to serve for dinner and 2 smaller portions for lunch the next day.)

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 can diced tomatoes (or equivalent fresh chopped)
1 T tomato paste
1 cube frozen pesto, or 3 T fresh pesto
1 bag frozen tortellini

After cutting chicken, dry it with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Prepare pan of salted water for boiling frozen tortellini. Begin heating the water to boiling now.

On another burner, heat oil in a heavy skillet (I use my trusty cast iron skillet for this) over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 7-10 minutes, stirring until chicken is browned on all sides. Remove chicken to a bowl using a slotted spoon.

Add onion and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute - beware of burning the garlic!

Deglaze the pan by stirring in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook & stir until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring until mixture is well incorporated. Add the chicken & any juices in the bowl back into the sauce.

Bring to a simmer, until tomato sauce is just starting to bubble in several spots, then reduce heat to low. Add the cube of pesto after the sauce has cooled slightly, stirring it in as it melts. Continue cooking on low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the frozen tortellini according to package instructions. I prefer the frozen tortellini to the dried kind because it cooks faster - you can use whichever you prefer, or have on hand. Add to a medium sized bowl and toss with a splash of olive oil.

Give the sauce one final stir to make sure the pesto is fully incorporated, then pour onto the pasta. Stir to coat and serve with parmesan cheese.

4th Annual (we think) Fest o' Pesto

2008-09-16T21:08:00.003-05:00

Pesto, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Several years ago as summer wound down Tagert and I realized that we had each planted far too many basil plants - it was after Labor Day and we still had huge plants covered in leaves. So, we decided to try making several batches of pesto as a way of keeping & storing the excess.

It was a sloppy job & we were woefully short on key ingredients like pine nuts and oil (!!), but the pesto we were able to complete turned out great. We froze the pesto in ice cube trays, which made for easy storage and a convenient serving size to drop into sauces or pasta.

So, the year after that we planted even more sweet basil & got neighbors Rik & Dawn Nemanick into the festivities. Dawn planted & cared for their plants and her husband Rik helped Tagert and I make the pesto. We ended up with tons of pesto that year - so much that everything in my freezer tasted like basil while the pesto was freezing...including the ice cubes!

Then there was the year that I froze everyone's pesto and our refrigerator died before I passed it out. That was a sad, pesto-free year.

Last year we got more organized by, you know, making a list of ingredients and stuff, and buying in bulk. By the time we waded through the pine nuts and oil we still had about 2 plants' worth of basil left to process. We let that go to compost...

I think this year we topped our previous efforts in getting organized and having enough ingredients on hand. Everything went smoothly and we ended up producing more pesto than ever before. Maybe next year we'll get really organized and try to come up with a recipe based on weight of the leaves and process in big batches. But, because we use our own Cuisinart choppers, for now we're kind of limited to smallish batch sizes (5 cups of leaves or smaller).

The other fun thing we've tried the past couple of years is to mix in different ingredients or switch up existing ones. We start off with Ina's basic pesto recipe (as with most Barefoot Contessa recipes it's awesome) and jump off from there - this year Tagert made a sundried tomato pesto that promises to be really tasty, and I swapped out the traditional shredded Parmesan cheese for asiago, which I prefer. We also made small batches with Lemon Basil & Thai Basil, the latter including chopped lemongrass (which I also had in abundance this year).

Regardless of the recipes you try out I think we've found the right approach, which is to do it all in one big, messy day. It's quite an ordeal, what with picking and washing leaves, prepping ingredients, chopping it all up, and trying to neatly spoon the pesto into ice cube trays & plastic containers...but at the end of the day you'll have enough pesto to share with friends and plenty to keep for your use throughout the next year.

One last note - we've realized that making pesto is kinda expensive. The basil is incredibly cheap, but add in pine nuts & walnuts (Ina's recipe calls for both), good olive oil, and Parmesan cheese and you can easily hit $100+ in supplies. But, compared with the outrageously priced containers of herbs in the produce section, your homemade dollop of frozen pesto is a delicious steal.

Ingredients & Instructions
1. Prep basil

Cut the plants off at the ground.
Pick off the leaves and put them in a large tub or bin
Rinse & drain leaves at least twice
If you have the manpower & an extra container to spare, start one person on the job of drying the basil leaves using a salad spinner (or two). It helps to divide the labor when you're making big batches, as opposed to each person working his or her own batches through from start to finish.

2. Prep ingredients

Toast walnuts & pine nuts.
Shred parmesan wedges in food processor using the chopping blade. It's noisy, but an incredibly simple, quick way to complete what is normally a slow, painful job!
Chop garlic.

3. Make pesto

We recommend Ina's basic recipe for pesto that she uses in her Pasta, Pesto & Peas. Ina rocks!!
Substitutions we like:

Cut the 1 1/2 cup of oil back to 1 cup for a thicker pesto.
Asiago instead of Parmesan cheese.
Use lemon basil instead of sweet basil, or add lemon juice & zest to sweet basil.
Add chopped sundried tomatoes before pureeing leaves.
***BUT DON'T DO THESE ALL AT ONCE! Try one, maybe two, substitutions per batch, as the original recipe is really such a classic and you can easily veer off into some odd pestos by mixing up too many flavors.

4. Freeze pesto

Using a spoon, drop pesto into clean, dry ice cube trays.
Air will turn your lovely green pesto black, so cover each cube with a drizzle of olive oil.
Wrap trays in plastic wrap.
Stack and freeze.
After set, you can either leave them in the trays or pop them out and throw them into a big freezer bag.

Spoon the pesto into small airtight containers.
Use these larger portions to make a big batch of pesto pasta.

Homemade Pickles

2008-09-12T06:34:00.006-05:00

Homemade Pickles, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Let me preface this by saying that I am an amateur canner. No one has died from my canning...yet...

That said, the canning I did this year has turned out remarkably well! The Summer Berry Jam has been a big, big hit with everyone, and my latest batches of dill pickles and other pickled veggies have also been delicious.

I say "latest" batches, but I actually made these about 6 weeks ago when pickling cukes & okra were in abundance at the farmers' markets. That's the part about making pickles that I have a problem with - the waiting for the pickling to occur, for the flavors to develop. I'm kind of an impatient person, and this whole 'delayed gratification' thing you have to accept with homemade pickles is, well, hard to accept.

But it's sooooo worth it! Homemade pickles, whether made from cucumbers, okra, green beans, or other veggies, are really delicious and so much more flavorful (and dare I say 'fun') than store bought. Plus, when you're making your own you can try different spices and seasonings and really come up with something unique...for instance...

Cardamom is my secret weapon in spicing up homemade pickles, specifically green cardamom pods. Cardamom is a small seedpod frequently ground or stewed in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, and it adds a really...sultry...flavor to many dishes. (Heck, I even put it in chocolate cake!) You can find cardamom pods in specialty markets; skip the ground, bottled stuff in the spice rack for canning - you want the whole pods.

The recipe below can be used on any veg that will stand up to pickling (and that's most, but crunchy green ones are the best). I used the same brine & seasoning to make pickled okra and cucumbers (as you can see in the photo above). I go light on the dill because I like the other flavors, but that's just a personal preference. Again, part of the charm of making your own homemade pickles. Give it a try - you'll become a convert like me!

Ingredients
The brine*
5 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorns (I use a mix of green, white, red & black)
5 cups water
3 T fresh dill

*This will make enough brine for about 4 pint jars, depending on the veg you use in the pickle.

The pickle
1-2 lbs fresh, washed vegetables (enough to fill the 4 pint jars)
4 cloves of garlic
4 teaspoons peppercorns
4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed open
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, divided into 1/8 tsp
4 small heads of dill, totaling about 1/4 cup in all

Prepare your canning jars and lids as instructed by the USDA. Serious stuff here, so really take care to have a clean, sterile environment for your canning.

Cut the vegetables as needed to fit the jars. If you're pickling okra DO NOT cut them open...the gelatinous goop inside that makes gumbo so thick & rich will make your pickles, well, icky.

To make the brine, boil all its ingredients for 3 minutes.

Into each of your hot, prepared jars put 1 clove of garlic, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1 cardamom pod, and 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes. Then add your veggies, then add 1 head of dill, pushing it slightly down into the veggies so that it's not alone by itself at the top of your jar. Using a canning funnel, fill the jar with the brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the jar and the rim, place the canning lid & ring, and prepare in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Allow flavors to develop for at least 4 weeks before opening. But as soon as that 4th week is over crack one of 'em babies open & crunch away! These are great served as part of a ploughman's plate or cheese spread, or of course just by themselves. They will keep up to a year in a cool, dark place, and up to a month after opening in the 'fridg.

*Brine recipe adapted from one of the most fascinating cookbooks I've read in a long time, Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by Michael Ruhlman (Author), Brian Polcyn (Author), Thomas Keller (Foreword).

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Butter

2008-08-24T09:37:00.004-05:00

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Butter, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I grew up in the middle of a cornfield in Illinois. Corn everywhere. The unpalatable, 'agricultural-industrial complex' kind of corn that Michael Pollan writes about in The Omnivore's Dilemma, destined to be made into high-fructose corn syrup, packaged foods, and all kinds of bad things. Imagine being surrounded by corn you couldn't eat all summer, like being thirsty in the ocean. I hated that corn.

Sweet corn...well, that's another story. Just-picked sweet corn is the best food on the planet, I think. Sweet and crunchy, it's even good raw, right off the ear. Go ahead, try it! Cut it into a salad and you'll become a convert. Of course growing up we'd do the traditional preparation - throw it in boiling, salted water for a few minutes, then slather it with butter. Perfection.

You could stop reading right there. Boil corn, butter it, eat it, or eat it raw. Blog posting over! But, given that our charge is to update farmhouse classics, I'll tell you how I do corn now: I grill it and brush it with seasoned butter, to raves.

I first read about this approach in Bon Appetit, and have since come up with my own way of making the Chipotle butter that I think works better than the original recipe - I season the butter in a ramekin and brush it on the corn as it grills, then squeeze a lime over the corn once it's done and finish it off with a flick of kosher salt. There's just something so wonderful about the sweet smokiness of the grilled corn that matches well with the bright flavors of the lime and the warmth of the chipotle and butter. Sweet corn is delicious on its own; this preparation takes that base flavor and cranks it up to 11. Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 ears sweet corn, husks and silks removed
1/2 stick butter, softened to room temperature
Juice and zest 1/2 lime, reserve other 1/2 lime
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t Chipotle Chile powder

Remove the husks and silks from the corn.

Cube the butter into a ramekin or other heatproof container. Let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to soften. Top with the salt, Chipotle, lime zest and lime juice, and mash together with a fork to combine.

Brush one side of the corn with butter and place buttered side down on a medium-hot grill. Brush and turn the corn while it grills, about 3-5 minutes, until the corn is evenly cooked (a little char is perfect - adds to the flavor). Remove from grill, squeeze reserved 1/2 lime over corn and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve immediately. Pass out toothpicks after dinner. Receive congratulations from your guests.

Reunited and it tastes so good...

2008-08-16T14:15:00.004-05:00

Dear Sourdough Starter,

I'm glad I gave you one more chance. This time you gave back!

I'm sorry I doubted you, and that I threatened to throw you out. You know I'd never do that. It was a wake-up call, Sourdough Starter, and I'm glad you've woken up. Can we forget all that ugliness?

Sourdough Bread, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Love always,

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Homemade Ricotta & Heirloom Cucumber on Crostini

2008-08-10T12:59:00.005-05:00

Homemade Ricotta & Heirloom Cucumber on Crostini, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Last night we had Tagert & Mikey and Sharon & Mark over for a quick, throw together meal. It was a lovely time. Today I went scrounging for leftovers and pulled together a delicious lunch from bits of the antipasto platter, with my homemeade ricotta and heirloom cucumbers, and some chimichurri sauce I had served with grilled steak.

To be honest, the ricotta needed something. It was my first batch, so didn't know how much, if any, salt or other seasonings to add. The creamy texture was perfect, but it needed something to punch up the flavor.

So, I added a 3T of chimichurri and about 4T of heavy cream to 1 cup of ricotta and mashed it together with a fork. I let that sit for an hour to let the flavors develop (I bet it will keep getting better the longer it sits), then spread it on crostini & topped with fresh sliced heirloom cucumbers. The bright flavor of the chimichurri really helped bring the ricotta to life and turned it into a delicious spread that I can guarantee I'll make again and again...

This is a fun counterpoint to the radish sandwich I made a while back (and have kept making) , and in fact I think I'll serve them together sometime.

Homemade Ricotta

2008-08-10T11:32:00.006-05:00

Making homemade ricotta, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

As you know I've been having trouble getting a sourdough starter to start. It's been depressing. So, I decided to leave breads behind for a bit and try my hand at another farmhouse staple - homemade cheese.

The latest issue of Saveur has an article on making ricotta. It sounded amazingly simple. Then, I read this bit in the NY Times which made it sound even easier. I also got some encouragement from Veronica Baetje, of Baetje Farms, who gave me some pointers and a good tip I'll pass on in the next recipe, with thanks. After my *weeks* of failure (sob) with sourdough, the prospect of making something traditional, yet cool, in about an hour sounded like just the thing to bring back my countrypolitan mojo. So I gave it a go.

OMG (as the kids say)! Not only was the ricotta easy to make, but it tasted so incredible - really creamy and fresh. I had folks over for dinner last night and served the cheese as part of an antipasto platter. I think they were suitably impressed and we came up with some suggestions for how to flavor & season the next batches. I can't wait!

Ingredients
1 qt whole milk
1 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup heavy cream

Heat milks and cream in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to keep the milk from scorching. Use a candy or instant-read thermometer to heat to 180 degrees. Stir gently as the curds start forming around 175 degrees. Once the mixture reaches 180 degrees use a fine mesh sieve to scoop out the curds. Drop into a ricotta mold or colander lined with cheesecloth. Let drain for a couple of minutes, then gather the edges of the cheesecloth and twist together. Hang over a bowl to let the remaining whey drip from the cheese, about 1 hour. Gently remove the cheese from the cloth and serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from NY Times & “Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking” (Chronicle, 2002).

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Sourdough Starter, we have to talk...

2008-08-08T07:11:00.003-05:00

Sourdough Starter, Day 2, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Dear Sourdough Starter,

Where to start? These past few days have been great, but I feel like this is a one-sided relationship. I provide - I give you a warm place to live, food once a day, I check in on you regularly, I even talk to you sometimes - and you never give back. You're a taker, Sourdough Starter, and I've had enough.

I thought you were ready to move on to the next stage in our relationship. Last night you were bubbly and practically frothing at the mouth of the jar. I was so happy.

So, I proofed you and made you into dough. Once again I spent more time than I should have kneading and flouring and shaping you into something you're apparently not. I left you to rise for an hour and came back to check on you (once again, me checking on you!). You were just...lying there. No rising, nothing. Just sitting there, flat and heavy as a doorstop. I waited longer and still nothing! I don't need a doorstop, I need bread!

Sourdough Starter, what happened? We were going great, I thought. Sure, you kinda had a funky smell but I was willing to look past that. I thought that one day you'd grow out of it. That you'd mature. But no. I guess I was just projecting.

I've come to realize that I tried to make you something you're not. You're just not ready to become Sourdough Bread, and I'm going to have to deal with that. I've come to realize that you're just flour and water. Do you know what else is flour and water? Paste! That's right, Sourdough Starter, you're just paste!

Don't worry about me (not that you would). It may take some time, but I'll move on. I may try with another Starter...maybe even one from the internet. I hear you can get them on Craigslist for free.

I just want to say that I've had fun with you. But I can't keep up this charade. You'll never be what I want you to be, and so I'm just going to have to move on. In fact, I already have. I called ahead to Panera and they've...man, how do I say this?....they've set aside a loaf of Sourdough Bread for me. I know it's commercial, but it's better than the nothing you've given me.

So that's it, Sourdough Starter. We're done. It's time for me to move on. I'm going to go console myself with Commercial Bread...

And just to make you feel bad, I'm going to do all things with Commercial Bread that I never could with you, like thump your bottom to see if you're hollow, spread you with butter and jam, and share you with friends. That would have been great, Sourdough Starter, but you ruined it...so down the drain with you!

Love always, but not forever,

Chris

Parsley Potatoes with Lemon

2008-08-03T22:51:00.003-05:00

Parsley Potatoes with Lemon, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I have a vivid memory of the first time my mom made this dish. Not so much the time (although I was probably around 15 or 16) or place (and therefore living at home), but the mouth-watering reaction I had to the salty, creamy, buttery potatoes mixed with fresh chopped parsley recently cut from our herb garden. It was a revelation in 4 ingredients - potatoes, salt, butter, parsley - that helped form my culinary point of view. I've added a 5th, fresh squeezed lemon juice, to give the potatoes even more zing. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 lbs small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered into chunky bites.
3 T butter
3 T fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 t sea salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Drain, then place in a medium bowl. While warm, add butter, salt, parsley, and lemon juice. Stir gently (try not to mash the potatoes) until the butter is melted and the parsley and salt are evenly distributed throughout.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Summer Berry Jam

2008-07-28T07:28:00.004-05:00

Summer berry jam, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I bought a variety of summer berries at the farmers' market for a dessert I planned to make on Sunday. But, it was reeeeeally hot in St. Louis this weekend and we ended up going for ice cream instead. So, what to do with 2 qts. of beautiful berries?? Make like a rock band and jam!

Jams, jellies, and preserves are the country way of, well, preserving sweet, ripe fruit at their peak. Macerating and cooking fruit releases pectin, a naturally occurring thickener found in fruits' cell walls, which magically "sets up" the sweet fruit syrup and turns it into a spreadable mixture. You'll find recipes that include a commercial pectin like SURE-JELL, but I prefer to make this without. There's enough pectin in the fruits to make a semi-solid spread, which is the consistency you're going for - the gloppier the better.

I put a 'politan twist on this country staple by adding balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper, two oddballs that partner exceptionally well with strawberries. They add a tart and tangy kick that keeps the jam from becoming overly sweet, and makes for an interesting flavor combination. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 qt strawberries, sliced in half
2 pints of other berries
--At this writing I used 1 pint blackberries and 1 pint blueberries because they were the freshest and ripest.
Juice of 2 lemons
4 T balsamic vinegar
2 t fresh ground black pepper
4 cups sugar

Prepare six 8oz. canning jars and put a small plate in the freezer (go with me on this).

In a large, non-reactive pot, add the berries and cook over medium-high heat 7-10 minutes, lightly mashing the berries to release their juices. Stir frequently to ensure the fruit on the bottom doesn't burn. Stir in the lemon juice, vinegar & pepper, then the sugar. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently and skimming the foam from the top of the cooking mixture.

To test how well your jam is jelling, take the plate out of the freezer (see, there was a reason) and drizzle out a bit of the liquid. Wait 30 seconds or so and see if it's starting to set up by tilting the plate. If it runs it needs to cook a bit longer, if it holds its basic shape then it's ready! You want it to be a little runny but firm around the edges.

Spoon the hot jam into the prepared jars. Really, spooning is best - the thick chunks of fruit will make the jam splatter everywhere if you try to pour (again, trust me on this). Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean damp cloth, then seal and process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

Cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella salad

2008-07-27T13:02:00.002-05:00

Cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella perlini salad, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

We're just now starting to get fresh, ripe homegrown tomatoes at our farmers' markets here in St. Louis. I live for this moment all year long as there is nothing more delicious and satisfying than sweet, sunny tomatoes. Tagert had a BBQ last night and I was on the hook for a veggie side so I pulled together this salad, variations of which I've made for years.

NOTE: I used a packaged mozzarella in tiny 1g balls called 'perlini'. If you can't find those, slices of fresh mozzarella will work just as well.

Ingredients
2 pints cherry tomatoes (I made this with one pint of yellow & one pint of orange for color)
2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
1 8oz. container of mozzarella perlini

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
3 T white wine vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T chopped fresh basil
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Combine tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella in a medium bowl. In another both, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt & pepper until blended. Whisk in chopped herbs. Pour dressing over tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella and stir gently with a large spoon, making sure the dressing is evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate, or serve at room temperature.

Salsiccia, goat cheese, and 'Mostarda di Beddu' on Crostini

2008-07-21T14:59:00.004-05:00

Salsiccia, goat cheese, and 'Mostarda di Beddu' on Crostini, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

One of the best outcomes of a weekend full of cooking (just take a look at my & Tagert's recent posts!) is good leftovers to take to work. I was able to pull this delicious & simple lunch together from pieces of meals I'd prepared over the weekend. The ingredients included:

'Mostarda di Beddu' from Salume Beddu
Salsiccia from Manzo's
Goat cheese from Baetje Farms
Sundried tomato from Schnucks
Crostini

I've become a fan of Mark Sanfilippo's artisan Italian salumi. The only current retail location for Salume Beddu, as his company is called, is the Tower Grove Farmers' Market and supplies are limited, so you have to get there early to get any of his hand-crafted meats. Alas, I arrived late this past Saturday and he & his wife were already sold out of everything except two spreads - 'Mostarda di Beddu' & 'Cannellini alla Toscana.' I went with the 'Mostarda' because it was a sweet, savory, & salty (my favorites!) spread featuring dried figs & other fruits, red chile, white wine, and mustard seed. I knew it would pair well with the goat cheese I had on hand, so into my lunch bag it went.

Mark may have been out of salsiccia but luckily Manzo's Importing was not. If you've never made the journey to Manzo's at Macklind & Devonshire in South St. Louis then you're missing out on one of the more interesting speciality shops St. Louis has to offer. I've known owner Pete Manzo for years, and have been a fan of the salsiccia he & his family produce for just as long. They do several different kinds of salsiccia, all good, but I'm a fan of their Traditional Salsiccia which has a wonderfully subtle fennel flavor. I had grilled some salsiccia for an appetizer that I took to a dinner on Sunday and luckily had some leftover. I threw those in the lunch bag, too.

I also had a chunk of Baetje Farms' Coeur de la Creme left from a few days back. I've blogged about this fantastic chevre-style goat cheese before, which I still have no qualms about declaring as one of the best cheeses I've ever had. One of my favorite aspects of their cheese is that it keeps really well - up to 2 weeks in the fridge...although I've never been able to keep it for more than a few days because I can't stop sampling!

I rounded out the "nibbly bits" lunch with some sundried tomatoes I had from Schnucks and some herbed crostini I'd made on Sunday with some 2-day-old baguette. Assembly was a snap - I spread the goat cheese on the crostini, layered on a sundried tomato & a slice or two of salsiccia, and topped it all off with a spoonful of the 'Mostarda.' The result was fantastic - crunchy, creamy, meaty, salty, tangy & sweet in every bite! Everyone should have leftovers this
tasty at work!!

Chris
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Grilled Cantaloupe

2008-07-21T07:39:00.002-05:00

Grilled Cantaloupe, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I had folks over for dinner on Friday and banged out a pretty good meal (if I do, ever so humbly, say so myself). I'll blog a bit later about the Chicken with Tarragon Vinegar Grilling Marinade I fixed, but for now I'll start where I finished - grilled cantaloupe for dessert.

I've grilled pineapple & peaches before, to raves, but had never tried a melon. It seems to be all the rage this summer, and I'm never one to let a bandwagon pass me by, so I hopped on. I tried grilled watermelon and grilled cantaloupe. In fact, I paired them on the plate with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Sounds fun, looked great, but to be honest the pairing was off. I did not care for the texture or flavor of the grilled watermelon; to me the smokiness of the grill just turned the normally bright, crisp watermelon into a warm mush.

However, the silver lining here is that the grilled cantaloupe was fantastic! Cantaloupe has a meatier flesh than a watermelon, so I guess it should have been no surprise that it held up well to grilling.

This one is really easy - I just slapped 1/2" slices of cantaloupe across a hot grill, 2-3 minutes each side, until grill marks started to form. I served it drizzled with local wildflower honey and some chopped mint from our herb garden, and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. From slicing to plating this dessert took less than 15 minutes to prepare and was a fun way to play with a summertime favorite.

Crostini

2008-07-20T14:40:00.002-05:00

Crostini
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

Crackers and are great for cheese plates and spreads. But, sometimes you want something different, a little special, something you made yourself. These crostini fit the bill. I make them fairly often. They are easy and people love them.

Ingredients
1 loaf French Bread or Baguette
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the French bread or Baguette into ½ inch slices on the diagonal. Arrange on a baking sheet. Brush the top of each slice with olive oil. Liberally sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. Bake 10 to 20 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.

Serve at room temperature. Makes between 25 – 40 pieces

There is no need to brush olive oil on both sides of the bread or flip the slices during baking. A loaf of French bread is larger then a baguette cut it slightly on the diagonal too much and the slices may be larger then you need. This makes nice firm crostini that are very good for serving with dips and spreads. Crostini made with the baguette will be even more firm that hold up to dense and hard to spread cheeses.

Cherry Clafouti

2008-07-08T23:45:00.005-05:00

Cherry Clafouti
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

Clafouti is a traditional French dessert made with cherries. But, it’s a little difficult to find a cherry version. Everyone does some other type of fruit. So, I made this cherry version. Clafouti is not a dessert I had growing up. It was the odd name that drew my attention to it. Now, I like the rusticness and comfort of it. It is something I could see having on the farm if we ate rustic French peasant desserts.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/3 cup Sugar
3 extra-large eggs – room temperature
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose Flour
1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon grated Lemon zest
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons Cognac
2 cups pitted Cherries
Confectioners’ Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 10 x 1 ½ - inch round baking dish or equivalent size oval baking dish, sprinkle dish with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Beat eggs and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in bowl of an electric mixed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On low speed mix in the flour, heavy cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt and cognac. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Pit 2 cups of cherries. Evenly place cherries in baking dish. Pour batter over cherries and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Servers 8

The 10 minutes while the batter sits is a good time to pit the cherries. You have the time. You can either pit cherries or do a little kitchen cleaning? Your Choice. Also, cherries can be very messing in the pitting process.
Do not over cook. It should be somewhere between custard and a very moist cake a little closer to custard. Over cook and it will be the wrong texture, closer to rubber.

Champagne Cocktail Gift Basket

2008-07-07T22:32:00.004-05:00

Champagne Cocktail Kit Gift Basket
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

It was my friend Chuck’s birthday and I needed a gift. Chuck is hard to buy for. I know everyone is hard to buy for. But, Chuck has two interests: theater and opera. He has tickets to everywhere and owns every recording know to man. Chuck does like champagne and a champagne cocktail occasionally. So, I assembled this Champagne Cocktail Gift Basket. Regardless if the person makes the champagne cocktails at home, it is still a nice gift with the bottle of champagne, flutes, and zester. How much does a box of sugar cubes cost and bitters is always good to have on hand. Well, at least in my house.
Both, the items in the gift basket and cocktail recipe follow.

Components
1 Basket with assorted tissue paper and ribbons
1 bottle Champagne/Sparking Wine
1 bottle Angostura Bitters
1 box Sugar Cubes
Several Lemons
2 Champagne Flutes
Citrus Zester
Assorted basket stuffers such as chocolates, fruits, candy, whole nuts, etc

Decoratively arrange items in basket. Present.

Makes 1 Champagne Cocktail Gift Basket

Ingredients
1 Sugar Cube
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Champagne/Sparkling Wine – chilled
Lemon Twist

Place the sugar cube in a champagne flute; to the sugar cube add a few dashes of Angostura Bitters. Slowly add champagne/sparkling wine to the flute. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Makes 1 Champagne Cocktail

Some recipes call for adding brandy on top of the champagne.

Caprese Salad Kabobs

2008-07-06T09:35:00.006-05:00

Caprese Salad Kabobs, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

This bite-sized appetizer perfectly captures the wonderful flavors of a Caprese salad. It's simple, summery, & delicious - enjoy!

Update 11/23/2008: Food & Wine just published a recipe for "Margherita Skewers" using marinated bocconcini. Mmmm hmmm....I've been making these for years...

Ingredients
Small tomato (cherry-sized or smaller; grape work best)
Basil leaf
Marinated Mozzarella Bocconcini, or a chunk of fresh mozzarella
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Toothpick

NOTE: I didn't give out quantities for the ingredients because this is such a simple recipe. Determine how many pieces you want to serve (allow up to 4 per person - really!) and that's how many tomatoes, bocconcini, basil leaves, and toothpicks you'll need.

Using a toothpick, spear the mozzarella, then one end of the basil leaf, then the tomato. Wrap the basil leaf around the tomato and spear the other end of the leaf. Arrange on a serving plate - I find that the shape lends itself well to overlapping circles, pictured above. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Marinated Mozzarella Bocconcini

2008-07-06T09:14:00.003-05:00

Marinated Mozzarella Bocconcini, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

According to Epicurious.com, bocconcini means "mouthful" in Italian. These bite-sized morsels of fresh mozzarella are delicious and their diminutive size makes them perfect for appetizers. I buy the plain ones packed in whey and marinate them myself with whatever fresh herbs I have on hand. They can be used in so many ways - thrown in a pasta salad, eaten plain, or used in an appetizer, like in a Caprese Salad Kabob.

If you can't find bocconcini, cut down a round of fresh mozzarella into small chunks. It's the flavors that are most important here, not the shape of the cheese!

Ingredients
16oz bocconcini
4 T chopped fresh herbs, including:
-Italian parsley
-basil
-chives
-oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T white wine vinegar
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Drain whey from bocconcini. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop, stirring occasionally.

Booze 'n Berries over Lemon Poppyseed Muffin

2008-06-30T07:31:00.003-05:00

Booze 'n Berries, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I'm a berry freak. It's genetically coded into my DNA, but it skipped a generation. Let me explain: Growing up, my grandfather had a u-pick strawberry patch. He loved it; my father, who (to hear him tell it) spent his entire childhood toiling in the berry patch under the hot Midwestern sun, most emphatically did not! Since I never had to work in a berry patch, I have only vivid and fond memories of my cousin Holly and I walking the rows and eating handfuls of sweet, warm, juicy strawberries right off the runner. To me, strawberry = summer.

I call this "Booze 'n Berries" because I kick up the flavors by adding in Cointreau and Creme de Cassis, two of my favorite liquors to use in desserts. This is a great topping for pound cake or ice cream, or in this case over a store-bought Lemon Poppyseed Muffin (if you can make your own, go for it; if not, don't sweat it and just by from the bakery!). You can make it with just strawberries, but I like to add in blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries (sometimes all 3!) depending on what looks good at the market. I love to make this because it's an easy, no fuss dessert that your guests will wipe clean off the plate!

Ingredients
1 qt strawberries, sliced thick & chunky
1 pint blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar, depending on ripeness (use less if the berries are already sweet)
1/2 lemon, zest & juice
1T balsamic vinegar
2 T Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 T Creme de Cassis
1 T mint, chiffonade
4 Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, sliced in half down the middle

Slice strawberries into a large bowl. Add in other berries, sugar, lemon, vinegar, liquors, and mint. Stir gently, so as not to mash the berries. Let the berries macerate (juice) and the flavors develop in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Serve on top of pound cake, ice cream, muffins, or heck just eat it plain with a spoon.

Grilled Shrimp Po' Boy

2008-06-27T08:26:00.004-05:00

Grilled Shrimp Po' Boy, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Day 5 at the beach. Made another trip to Joe Patti and picked up a pound of 26/30 count shrimp. Peeled and deveined them, grilled them brushed with melted butter, and served them on a hoagie with lettuce, tomato, and some Creole Mayo for a simple and delicious lighter take on a classic - a Grilled Shrimp Po' Boy.

Ingredients
4 hoagie buns
24-30 shrimp, peeled & deveined, heads and tails off
2 T butter, melted
1/2 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Creole Mayo

Heat grill to high. Peel and devein shrimp, removing tails. Thread onto skewers and grill, covered, for 2 minutes, brushing with melted butter. Turn and brush other side with butter. Grill for 1-2 minutes more until shrimp are firm, pink, and opaque. Remove from grill. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over shrimp and serve immediately, 6 or so to a hoagie dressed with lettuce, tomato, and Creole Mayo.

Serves 4.

Duo of Crabby Patties

2008-06-24T09:58:00.005-05:00

Duo of Crabby Patties, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Chris and I are in the midst of our annual vacation at Pensacola Beach, a low-key, relaxed beach community along the Gulf Coast in Florida's panhandle. It's heaven - beautiful white beaches and incredibly fresh seafood.

I was inspired to make crab cakes after watching Spongebob Squarepants. For those of you who aren't famliar with the cartoon (shame on you), Spongebob is a frycook at the Krusty Krab making crabby patties. I had crab cakes on the brain, so I made a trip to Joe Patti, Pensacola's famous fish market, to pick up jumbo lump crab meat.

I also watch reality cooking shows like Bravo's Top Chef. I've learned a bit about presentation from those shows, and have always liked how they do duos or trios or flights of things. I thought it would be fun to throw all of these ideas together into a Duo of Crabby Patties - two appetizer-portioned crab cakes on water rolls, one topped with a cucumber mango salsa, one with Creole mayo.

These turned out great, if I do say so myself, and are actually really easy to prepare. You'll get raves and won't ever break a sweat!

Ingredients
2 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T course ground mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 scallions, chopped
2 T parsley, chopped
2 T dill, chopped
1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat, picked through for shells
1/2 cup Panko (substitute with breadcrumbs), plus extra for coating
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter & oil
8 water rolls or other small roll

Lightly beat eggs with whisk. Whisk in mayo, mustard, and lemon juice. Using a wooden spoon, stir in scallions, parsley, and dill. Add crab, Panko, and salt and pepper and gently fold with spoon, being careful not to break the crab into smaller pieces. Gather crab mixture into small palm-sized balls and gently pat into a small rounded patty. Dredge in additional Panko and place on wax-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat butter and oil in large skillet. Cook 4-6 crab cakes at a time, depending on the size of your pan. You want to have room between each cake for even cooking. Cook 4 minutes each side, then drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately with lettuce, tomato, and buns and top one each with Cucumber Mango Salsa and Creole Mayo.

Serves 8.

Cucumber Mango Salsa

2008-06-24T09:55:00.002-05:00

Cucumber Mango Salsa, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Ingredients
1/2 English cucumber, seeded & cubed
1 mango, peeled & cubed
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 lemon, zest & juice
2 T cilantro, chopped
2 T parsley, chopped
1 T dill, chopped
2 T white wine or 1 T champagne vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes for flavors to develop. Keeps refrigerated up to 2 days.

Creole Mayo

2008-06-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 T Creole seasoning
1/2 lemon, juiced

Mix ingredients & store refrigerated up to 2 days.

Lemongrass-infused Vodka

2008-06-15T09:19:00.002-05:00

Lemongrass-infused vodka, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

We've planted lemongrass in our herb garden for the past couple of years and I honestly don't know why. It's a great plant, with its grass-like stalks and lemony essence, but I've struggled with what to actually do with it.

St. Louis has numerous authentic, delicious, and inexpensive (my holy trinity) Vietnamese & Thai restaurants, which is where many people get their first exposure to lemongrass. But because our local restaurants are so good & affordable there's little reason for me to make sub-par home versions spring rolls or Tom Yum soup, the dishes lemongrass usually turns up in.

Instead I decided to try infusing vodka with lemongrass. The young, tender sprigs are perfectly sized for a 750mL bottle of vodka. I've read different recipes that use the more woody stalk, but because this is early in the herb season I've only got the young shoots in my garden. I'll try using the stalks later and compare, but until then:

Ingredients
1 750mL bottle of good vodka (I like Ketel One or Grey Goose)
3 young stalks lemongrass

Wash & dry the lemongrass. Place in vodka. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 days and up to 1 week. Strain the vodka & return to its bottle.

Once this has steeped I'm going to try it in a variety of Thai- and Vietnamese-inspired 'tinis and 'tails - check back!

Southern Greens

2008-05-26T22:29:00.003-05:00

Southern Greens
Originally uploaded by TagDragon

I liked greens when I was a kid growing up in the South. They were always part of the summer garden and dinner table; and always served with hot pepper sauce. My mother planted turnip, mustard, and kale and would occasional pick polk salad from fields around the farm. Greens are a very traditionally southern dish and not seen in the midwest or north.

I was at a birthday dinner party at Terrene and the side vegetable was a mixture of greens. They were very, very good and it took me back to my childhood. The trainer at the gym has also told me I need to eat more green, leafy vegetables. Although I’m not sure he meant with bacon. The picture is of a mixer of kale and swiss chard about a third of the way through the cooking process.

Ingredients
2 to 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 to 4 slices Bacon - diced
½ Onion - diced
4 large bunches of Greens – Kale, Mustard, Turnip, Collard, or Swiss Chard
2 cups Water or Chicken Broth
½ to 1 teaspoon Salt
½ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground Pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon Sugar

Wash greens thoroughly, remove stems and ribs, and roughly chop. In a larger stock pot or dutch oven add olive oil and fry diced bacon until fully cooked. Add onion to bacon renderings and sauté until soft and translucent. On mid-high heat add greens to oil and bacon and allow to wilt slightly. Add water or chicken broth, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 to 2 hours until tender.

Sever with hot pepper vinegar. Servers 6 to 8.

I like to mix and match the different types of greens, usually kale with one of the others. Use ½ of one type and ½ of another. If you are really adventurous and can find it, try with Polk Salad. Tougher greens like swiss chard will take longer to cook. Also, if you are using greens from your garden they will be much more tender then those purchased at the market. They will cook faster and you may not have to remover the stems and center ribs.

Fresh Radish Sandwiches with Sunflower Sprouts and Goat Cheese

2008-05-23T15:10:00.005-05:00

Fresh Radish Sandwich with Claverach Sunflower Sprouts and Baetje Farms' "Sainte Genevieve" Cheese, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Early summer radishes are just now starting to make their appearance in our St. Louis farmers' markets. I was never a fan of radishes growing up, but as my palette has matured I've discovered that I really, really like the peppery little guys.

Radishes have a lot to offer - they're visually striking (especially when you mix and match colors), they have a unique flavor, and they add a pleasing crunch to every dish they're in. Roasted radishes are also amazing, but I'll leave that for another post.

My grandfather, a farmer, had fresh radish sandwiches with butter whenever they were in season. Big, hearty, crunchy sandwiches - a far distant relative to those fussy little radish sandwiches served at teas.

I thought of making this sandwich because 1) the radishes looked lovely at Soulard this morning, and 2) Veronica Baetje of Baetje Farms introduced me to her latest goat's cheese offering. The "Sainte Genevieve" is, from the label, a:

"...delicate round of cheese [that] was inspired by the French cheese 'Chaource". Chaource has been made in France since the 14th century and is traditionally made with cow's milk. We have given this old cheese a new twist making it with our own Saanen Goat milk. "

When I sampled it, I immediately thought "Butter, but better." The cheese is creamy like softened butter, but has a nice tangy flavor you'd expect from a goat's milk cheese. It's very mild, and would work well paired with fruit.

But since I had radishes on the brain, and a new buttery, tangy cheese to sample, I put them together with Black Bear Bakery's Pumpernickel bread and Claverach's Sunflower Shoots - sunflower sprouts are another new revelation - both of which I purchased at Local Harvest.

The last instruction on the label said to "Enjoy!" And I did! And so should you! This cheese was just introduced to the market today, and it's a real treat to be able to use it in a recipe that's so seasonal and fresh. If you're a fan of goat cheese, rush down to the Baetje Farms stall at Soulard Market and pick up the Sainte Genevieve, or another of their delicious varieties. You'll love them!

Ingredients
Fresh pumpernickel bread, lightly toasted
Baetje Farms' "Sainte Genevieve" cheese, softened to room temperature
-substitute with a mix of 4 parts chevre to 1 part butter
Red Radishes
White Radishes
Sunflower sprouts
Salt and pepper

Slice the radishes very thinly with a mandoline or slicer. Lightly toast the bread and spread liberally with the cheese. Place the radish slices in a single, overlapping layer on the bread, alternating colors. Top with sunflower sprouts, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to wipe the summer off your chin.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Locashopavore: Viviano's on the Hill

2008-05-16T07:43:00.007-05:00

Locashopavore: Viviano's on the Hill, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

St. Louis has dozens, if not hundreds, of specialty food stores thanks to its diverse international population. I thought it would be fun to choose one store and improvise a recipe from its shelves (and my pantry) - going in without a preconceived notion of what to make for dinner that night, just playing with whatever they have that's fresh or interesting.

I'm going to call this my 'Locashopavore' experiment - when you can't get something locally produced, get its replacement from a local store - and I'm starting it off with Viviano & Sons, Inc., on the Hill.

View Larger Map

"The Hill" neighborhood in St. Louis is a haven for the serious gastro-shopper. It's always been (and continues to be) a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood, and as such the specialty stores and restaurants are famed for their pastas, meats, and breads. One of the most popular and best known shops is Viviano & Sons, Inc., more commonly known as just "Viviano's".

The store has a nice selection of all things Italian - sauces, pastas, deli meats, wine. It was early morning when I went in, and the store was relatively empty, so I asked for some assistance from the very helpful woman behind the counter. After explaining my quest, she gave me a quick tour of some of the highlights & recommendations. I chose the following:

Ingredients

Pancetta
Viviano's White Cream Sauce
Louisa's Cheese-filled Spinach Tortellini
Locatelli
Arugula - from my pantry (fridge)

To start I got a pot of water boiling for the tortellini, defrosted the frozen white sauce, and washed the arugula.

Then, I chopped a slab of pancetta into thick pieces and fried them in a tiny bit of olive oil. Once browned, I drained the pieces on a paper towel and poured off all but 1 Tsp of the drippings.

I added 2 handfuls of arugula to the sauce pan, covered, and removed from heat for 1 minute to wilt the arugula. I stirred the arugula into the drippings (yum!) and covered for another minute, until the arugula was soft but not limp.

I returned the sauce pan + arugula to the burner and stirred in the white sauce. While I got that simmering, I added the frozen spinach tortellini to the boiling water and cooked it for 7 minutes. I drained the tortellini and let it rest for a minute. I stirred the pasta into the sauce, then served in a big bowl with the locatelli, which is a nice salty cheese.

I must say that Viviano's cream sauce is heaven, and certainly kicks the garlic off any I've ever made. I am sure I will use it again, and will keep a couple of containers on hand in the freezer. All said, this was a really simple meal to pull off, and it tasted fantastic! You could omit the pancetta & arugula and make an even easier & faster dish...but why would you??!

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Baetje Farms' "Coeur de la Creme" Tart with Kimker Hill Farm flour crust

2008-05-10T14:37:00.015-05:00

Baetje Farms' "Coeur de la Creme" Tart, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I recently finished The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and though I do tend towards hyperbole, I have to admit this book has changed my life...or at least my views towards food, specifically the food I prepare to feed myself and others.

I've been shopping at two of St. Louis' interesting seasonal farmers' markets, the Tower Grove Farmers' Market and Soulard Market, for years without really understanding *why* I enjoyed the food I prepared from ingredients purchased seasonally and grown locally. The Omnivore's Dilemma, which I highly recommend you read, helped crystallize my thoughts around being responsible for the meals I cook, and one of the conceits of the book centers on meals prepared from locally hunted, gathered, or farmed ingredients. I wondered if I could do the same thing in St. Louis. I decided to start with a single dish, a goat cheese tart, inspired by my favorite new ingredient.

Baetje Farm's "Coeur de la Creme" chevre-style goat's milk cheese is, in a word, sublime. It is the most satisfying cheese I've had in a long time, for both gustatorial and ethical reasons. Steve & Veronica Baetje live and work on their goat farm in Bloomsdale, Missouri, about 55 miles south of St. Louis. Their cheeses and production were recently featured in Sauce magazine [will link once available] and also in a local business journal, which provided a glimpse into the life of what appear to be the happiest goats in the world, frolicking in green pastures and producing some of the best goat cheese I've ever had. The cheese is molded into a heart (hence the "Coeur"), and can be rolled in a variety of organic herbs - for the purpose of my dish I wanted just the plain, which is such a misnomer because the flavor is tangy and the texture is just right for the tart I was envisioning.

I like to make my own pie crusts, having learned from my Grandma Ellen how to make a flaky, buttery crust for both savory and sweet pies. At the Tower Grove Farmers' Market I found locally milled flour from Kimker Hill Farm in St. Clair, Missouri. After talking with owners Denise & Dan Wissman, and explaining the kind of dish I was preparing, I was guided to purchase their 10 Grain Flour and Oat Flour for the tart's crust. Following the classic recipe for Pâte brisée from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I mashed the two flours together with butter, shortening, salt, and water and turned out a really flaky crust.

I also wanted to use farm-fresh eggs, and I was lucky enough to find Sheri's Poultry at Soulard Market. They had organic eggs that were laid that morning, so I bought a dozen of the slightly speckled, slightly smallish eggs.

Finally, I used another local ingredient from Greenwood Farms - BACON!! I love bacon, and this from the Atkinson family in Newburg, Missouri, had a great smoky flavor.

The rest of my ingredients were purchased at Soulard Market, with the exception of the cream and butter, which I purchased from a local supermarket. Next time I'll try to get some fresh cream and churn my own butter. No, really, I'm going to try!

Here's a map of the farms and markets that helped in the preparation of this dish:

View Larger Map

***

Ingredients
For Crust
1/4 cup Oat Flour from Kimker Hill Farm
1 3/4 cup 10 Grain Flour from Kimker Hill Farm
-or 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 sticks chilled butter, cut in 1/2" pieces
4 T shortening
1/2 cup iced water, plus more as needed

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Place in a 2qt. or larger food processor with the slicing blade on. Pulse once or twice to smooth out the dry ingredients. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 4-5 times, until the flour mixture starts to pull together into small pearls. Turn the blade on and add the water in one fell swoop, stopping the blade just after and pulsing another 5-10 times until the dough just starts to come together around the blade. Do not overmix!

Pull the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly form into a ball, working fast to stop the butter from melting due to heat from your hands. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours and up to a day in the refrigerator. The dough will freeze for quite some time if carefully wrapped.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface to just larger than 9". Carefully transfer the dough to an 8" tart pan rubbed with butter. Gently press the dough into the edge of the pan, forming the bottom and sides of the tart. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the tart and fill with beans to keep the tart from puffing during baking. Bake on a sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and carefully remove the aluminum foil and beans. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust in several spots, then return to the oven for another 8-10 minutes. Remove when center is firm and edges are just starting to brown.

For Filling
1/2 lb. bacon lardons - I used Greenwood Farms' smoked bacon
1/2 cup sliced fresh green onions, green and white parts
4 cloves minced garlic
4 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried
9oz. Baetje Farm's "Coeur de la Creme" cheese (1 1/2 hearts)
-substitute with your favorite chevre
2 T softened butter
3 T heavy cream
2 large eggs
pinch of Penzey's French Four Spice
-substitute with fresh ground nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Heat a dash of olive oil in a large skillet and add the bacon. Stir over med-high heat until the bacon pieces are browned and crispy. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 1 T drippings. Stirring quickly, add the green onions and the garlic. Heat for 30 seconds until the onions start to open up, then add the spinach. Cover and remove from heat. Let the spinach wilt for 1 minute, then stir to begin mixing in the onions, garlic, and oil. Cover again and wilt for 4 minutes. Stir again and let cool (preferably to room temperature but it can be a little warmer if you're rushed for time).

Mix the softened goat cheese, butter, and cream with a fork until lightly blended. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the cheese and mix well until smooth. Season with a pinch of Penzey's French Four Spice and salt and pepper to taste.

Fold the wilted spinach into the cream mixture. Scatter bacon pieces on the bottom of the cooled tart crust, then gently spoon in the cream mixture, smoothing with a spatula. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until center is light and puffy and the top is just starting to brown. A knife to the middle should come out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then gently remove the sides of the tart pan. Cool to room temperature, then slide the tart off the bottom of the tart pan. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

www.flickr.com

Flank Steak & Chorizo Mixed Grill

2008-05-04T12:27:00.007-05:00

Flank Steak and Chorizo Mixed Grill, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

The following is an unofficial rule of country parties: Someone will bring a layered taco dip - you can just count on it. I understand the allure of taking a taco dip to a party because 1) it's tasty, 2) it's easy, 3) it can be made ahead. I, myself, have taken many a taco dip to parties, especially our neighborhood Cinco de Mayo party.

But this year I wanted to make something a little more interesting for our neighborhood "Cinco de Tres." And yes, I know it should have been "Tres de Mayo" but I didn't plan the party... Anyway, I think of this as an "unlayered taco dip" or an "open face taco". You could just as easily serve with warmed tortillas for a real taco.

One note: there's a somewhat special ingredient in here called crema mexicana, a sweet and creamy cultured milk product that is similar to crème fraîche. It really does add a certain zing to the dish, but you can just as easily substitute sour cream if you're not close to a Mexican grocery store (in St. Louis we are lucky to have several).

Ingredients
Marinade for flank steak
1 lime, zest and juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
3T oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cumin

Marinade for vegetables while grilling
2 T butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin

4 lbs chorizo
2 lbs flank steak
3 ears corn
2 Vidalia onions, thick sliced
2 red bell peppers, thick sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup crema mexicana

Combine ingredients for steak marinade in a bowl. Muddle slightly using the back of a wood spoon to open up the onions and cilantro. Spread 1/2 cup of the marinade in the bottom of a 9x13 glass dish. Place flank steak on top and spread remaining marinade on steak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 12.

Bring grill to medium high heat. Microwave ingredients for grilling marinade to melt butter, or warm on the grill in a ramekin or inexpensive pie plate. Place vegetables on grill in single layer and brush with butter marinade. Turn once veggies start to char and brush with remaining marinade, about 5-10 minutes total depending on grill heat. Remove veggies to pan. Grill chorizo until cooked through, turning during cooking, about 7-10 minutes. Grill flank steak for 5-7 minutes on each side, until center reaches desired temperature (I like it a little on the medium rare side).

Cut flank steak and chorizo into bite-sized pieces, cutting on the diagonal. Cut corn from cob into a large bowl. Chop grilled onions and red peppers and place in bowl with corn. Chop remaining cilantro, green onions, and garlic and place in bowl. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place meat in bottom of a large dish. Top with dollops of crema mexicana. Cover that with large spoonfuls of the roasted vegetable salsa. Top again with dollops of crema mexicana.

Check out the finished product in my Flickr photos.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Rosemary & Orange Mint Julep

2008-05-02T22:50:00.011-05:00

Rosemary Orange Mint Julep, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

That's (Rosemary) + ((Orange) Mint) = Julep.

Here's a great way to jazz up a traditional mint julep for a Kentucky Derby party. I really like the idea of combining savory herbs in simple syrups to cut the sweetness of the syrup itself and to provide a deeper base for the drink. Rosemary tastes great with citrus, and citrus tastes great with bourbon, so this seems to be a win-win from all perspectives!

Ingredients
Serves 8
2 cups bourbon
3 cups rosemary and orange mint syrup

Chill bourbon and syrup. Place about 1" of orange peel plus 4-6 orange mint leaves in each glass. Muddle, with syrup. Ice glasses with shaved ice and pour in bourbon and syrup mixture. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Rosemary and orange mint syrup

Rosemay Orange Mint Julep for the Kentucky Derby, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 sprig rosemary
1 orange, peeled
10-12 orange mint leaves

Bring sugar and water to a low boil in a saucepan. Sitr in rosemary, orange peel and mint leaves, and boil for 3 minutes. Cover and remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Strain syrup twice, first using a sieve or colander to remove the herbs and orange peel, then again with cheesecloth to remove small sediment. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow flavors develop. Keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Chocolate Covered (Dried Tart) Cherries with Vanilla Cream

2008-04-11T02:02:00.003-05:00

Chocolate Covered (Dried Tart) Cherries with Vanilla Cream, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I love chocolate, I love cherries, and I love vanilla, but I'm not a big fan of them all thrown together into chocolate covered cherries, at least not the cheap store-bought ones with that day-glo red cherry and the sugary goop inside. I decided to try making a version with dried cherries, dark chocolate, and a thicker vanilla creme. They were really simple to make and turned out delicious. Next time I'm going to try soaking the dried cherries in brandy first (yum!).

Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream
1 T butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag dried cherries (I like Sunsweet's Sweet & Tart Cherries the best)
2.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1 tsp light corn syrup

Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat in cream, butter, and vanilla extract, adding more cream if needed to give the mixture a smooth but firm consistency. Using the dried cherry as a scoop, cover half of it with the vanilla creme mixture and place it on a small baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the vanilla creme has solidified.

Melt the chocolate and light corn syrup over a double boiler with barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove the top part of the double boiler and allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly. Keep the water simmering in case you need to rewarm the chocolate as you cover the cherries. Remove the cherries from the refrigerator and working one at a time, drop the cherry into the chocolate mixture and lightly roll until covered. If the vanilla creme melts or becomes runny let the chocolate cool a bit more before proceeding. Use a fork to extract the cherry from the chocolate dip, shaking off excess chocolate. Place chocolate covered cherry on another baking sheet lined with wax paper and once completed, refrigerate until chocolate is solid (at least 1 hour).

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Yukon Purple Sweet Potato Gratin

2008-04-06T16:10:00.007-05:00

Yukon Purple Sweet Potato Gratin, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I had a surplus of purple potatoes from last week's Purple Potato Soup, so I used them with sliced sweet and Yukon gold potatoes to make a tasty and visually pleasing gratin. I like to add Gruyère to the traditional nutmeg-laced milk sauce for a richer, cheesy flavor.

Ingredients
6-8 Yukon Gold Potatoes
3-4 Purple Potatoes
2 Sweet Potatoes
2 cups milk
2 sprigs sage
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 T salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup Gruyère, grated
2 T butter

1/4 lb bacon

1 cup cream

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Peel scrubbed potatoes and slice thinly using mandoline. Butter 13x9 baking dish. Place potatoes in single layers by color: starting from the bottom, Yukon, Purple, Yukon, Sweet, Yukon.

Bring milk, garlic sage, nutmeg, salt & pepper to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup grated Gruyère until it melts. Pour over potatoes in dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 50 minutes, until milk is almost evaporated.

While the gratin is baking, cut bacon into lardons and cook in medium pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels and reserve.

Remove gratin from oven and remove foil. Bring cream to boil in saucepan, pour onto gratin, and sprinkle top with remaining cheese and crispy bacon lardons. Bake uncovered until top is slightly browned, about 20 minutes. A quick blast under the broiler might be needed.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Purple Potato Soup

2008-03-29T17:16:00.009-05:00

Purple potatoes, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

2008 is the International Year of the Potato (yes, really) and our friend Mark threw a Potato Potluck. I had a hard time deciding what to take because I've never met a potato dish I didn't like. I was thisclose to making my infamous "Aunt Pittypat's Yam Cake" (which I'll blog about soon), but decided against it for 2 reasons:

1. My friend Mikey eats gluten-free and I don't think I can make a flourless version of a yam cake, and

2. Yams aren't potatoes. Yams aren't sweet potatoes either, even though we Americans tend to use the term interchangeably. And to cap it off, sweet potatoes aren't potatoes, or at least not the kind being fêted during the International Year of the Potato. Sigh.

I work at a botanical garden and manage IT projects for taxonomists. That second part is a big, big deal. The International Year of the Potato is celebrating Solanum tuberosum, which is in the family Solanaceae. That family has some other fun members, like peppers (Capsicum), tobacco (Nicotiana), and deadly nightshade (Atropa). The genus Solanum itself contains 2 of my other favorite economic plants, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena).

The sweet potato, much to the surprise of many, is not just a variety of potato. The common sweet potato found in stores is usually Ipomoea batatas, which is in the family Convolvulaceae, making it kin to morning glories (species in Ipomoea and Convolvulus). Yams are yet again in another family, Dioscoreaceae, and there are several species of yams used in food preparation, although they are all in the genus Dioscorea.

Confused yet? Don't worry - there's no test later. Just remember that botanically speaking potatoes are closely related to tomatoes, sweet potatoes are like morning glories, and yams are, well, something else entirely, even though we call them sweet potatoes. The fact that they are all delightfully edible is simply an example of the way plants have evolved mechanisms (like tastiness) to enlist animals to perpetuate their species. Smart guys, those plants.

Oh right, this is a cooking blog and not a science lesson. Sorry, but my personal and professional interests converge sometimes, and this happens to be one of them! Enough with the botany - on with the eatin'!

So instead of making a yam cake I decided to cook a potato soup, but wanted to do something fun with it. I love purple potatoes and just to get in one last botanical bit, they are a cultivar called 'Vitelotte' or 'Vitelotte noir' (sorry, really done with all that now). Besides having a beautiful color, they have an earthy flavor that's quite different from a Yukon gold or a russet. I use them in potato salads, where they make a great contrast with green celery.

I'd tried to make Purple Potato Soup once before, but used vegetable stock because a vegetarian friend was coming over (when I cook for a group I try to accommodate those on the fringe; gluten-free one day, lacto-ovo vego the next). Vegetable stock tends to be really golden in color and it turned the soup mauve. I hate mauve. The soup tasted good, but it looked terrible. This time around I was cooking for carnivores, so I made it with chicken stock. It turned out a lovely shade of lavender. I think I may experiment some more and try beets to give an even bolder color blast. But for now, here's my recipe for Purple Potato Soup.

Ingredients
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into lardons
1 T butter
2 leeks, white stalks rinsed and chopped
1 cup mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3 lbs. purple potatoes, cubed (I prefer to leave the peel on)
1 T salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp French Four Spice from Penzeys
1 cup white wine
2 14oz cans chicken broth
1 pint heavy cream

Garnish:
1 cup chopped parsley
Sour cream

In a large soup pot, brown the bacon over medium high heat. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 T of the drippings and add the butter. Brown the leeks and mushrooms in the pot until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and French Four Spice and cook until the potatoes are softened, about 7-10 minutes, stirring often to keep the leeks from burning. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Add one can of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from burner and allow to cool.

At this point you'll have a pot full of some pretty ugly looking vegetables. Don't worry - you're going to puree them all together into a beautifully smooth soup. Get a blender and a big bowl. Working in batches, puree the potato mixture until smooth, adding in more chicken broth if needed during blending to smooth the mixture. Pour each batch into the bowl after blending.

Rinse out your soup pot and return to stove. Add cream and bring just to a simmer. Whisk in batches of the potato puree until the soup is combined and smooth, adding more chicken broth (or wine, or water) until you reach your desired consistency. Adjust salt and pepper and serve. You can also let the soup cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for up to 2 days, reheating when ready to serve (you'll want to add more liquid during warming if you refrigerate the soup).

Scoop into large bowls and garnish with the bacon, a dollop of sour cream, and parsley.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Preserved Meyer Lemons

2008-03-09T15:33:00.008-05:00

Preserved Meyer Lemons, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

Meyer Lemons are an odd citrus. They look like a lemon and taste like an orange...a kinda lemony orange. According to Wikipedia they originated in China, where they are grown as ornamental plants, and were introduced into the US in 1908 by Frank Meyer, who worked for the US Department of Agriculture. They are thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange or sweet orange.

So, ok, they have a cool horticultural background and all, but what the heck do you do with them? Especially 2 bags of them?? (I'm a sucker for "2/$5" kinda sales, by the way, and often find myself overstocked like this.) I turned to the internets for help and found a good recipe for Preserved Meyer Lemons from epicurious.com (Gourmet December 1999). My thought here was "If I can't think of what to do with them now, I'll preserve them until I can." That and Tagert's been making marmalade lately, so I had to get in on the fun of not canning things in Ball jars, too.

I made a batch as written and they turned out great. In this preparation they're almost like olives because they're in a lemony brine and the rind of the lemon really softens. Be careful, though! Don't pop an entire chunk in your mouth like Tagert did - they're reeeeeally salty and strong.

I read the reviews and saw some chatter about adding other ingredients to the brine. That sounded fun so I made another batch, but this time added the following to each jar:

2 crushed green cardamom pods
1 tsp multicolor peppercorns (black alone will work just fine)
1 dash red pepper flakes
1 sprig of fresh thyme

I removed the thyme after the 5 day brining period. I thought it might not hold up for the year (with refrigeration) indicated in the article as the Use By date. I dunno...I'm certainly no expert on this and would hate to be handing out botulinum-laced hostess gifts.

I've added chunks to dishes that needed to have their acidity and flavor cranked up a bit. Oddly enough I have yet to try the recipe for Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Meyer Lemons and Green Olives from the original article.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

There Will Be Blood (Orange) Milkshake

2008-02-21T20:06:00.014-06:00

A Bloody Mess, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I was thinking about Oscar party food themes on my drive to work today, should anyone decide to host a party on Sunday (hint, hint Tagert). You know I like a good mashup and so was thinking of dishes inspired by the Best Picture nominees. This was my favorite.

There Will Be Blood is a rip-roaring good film. I liked it A LOT; Paul Thomas Anderson is a genius. Thanks to some good promos and the There Will Be Milkshakes video, by now you know that Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview delivers these crazed, amazing lines about a milkshake. The thought of blood milkshakes seemed a little too much...too...earthy...so early in the morning, but blood orange milkshakes sounded intriguing. Turned out to be super easy and delicious - juice some oranges, grate some ginger, whir in a blender with a pint of vanilla bean ice cream, add some whole milk to smooth it all out and a shot of Cointreau for sweetness and zing.

And of course, you must listen to Jonny Greenwood's amazing score for the film while prepping the shakes. I had it cranked. Screw the Academy rules - this is brilliant music and deserves to win (let alone be nominated).

Ingredients
1 pint vanilla bean ice cream, softened
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 blood oranges, juiced & strained
1 shot Cointreau or other orange liquor

Add ingredients to blender and puree until smooth, adding more milk to desired consistency. Garnish with a wedge of blood orange. Serve with a straw. Resist the urge to yell "I drink your milkshake. SLUUURRRP! I DRINK IT UP!"

Up next in the PT Anderson Recipe oeuvre: Boogie Nights Sausage Rolls with Coke...

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Vanilla sugar

2008-02-19T15:26:00.006-06:00

Vanilla sugar, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

So this is the easiest, tastiest way to dress up sugar, ever. Put sugar in an airtight container, bury a piece of vanilla bean in it, and store in a cool place away from direct light. From time to time, shake the container to stir up the contents. After a week or two you'll have vanilla flavored sugar, perfect for adding some oomph to coffee or dressing up whipped cream.

Trust me, you'll love this sugar. And it smells like heaven.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Scharffen Snap Pie

2008-02-17T10:40:00.005-06:00

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Snap Pie, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

My grandma used to make the best chocolate cream pie. My grandma made great pies period, but her chocolate was my favorite. I had been looking for a good chocolate cream pie recipe and found one in the Feb 2008 issue of Food & Wine - Chocolate Cream Pie. The whole point of the article was to take a dish and make 2 versions; one upscale, one down home. Hmm....what a novel concept. Their upscale chocolate cream dessert was a chocolate souffle with vanilla creme anglaise. Nice and all, but I wanted an upscale chocolate cream pie. So, I took the basic recipe and twisted it up a bit to make Scharffen (Berger Chocolate Cream Ginger) Snap Pie.

Follow the recipe, making the following additions and substitutions.

-Use ginger snaps instead of chocolate wafers in the crust. I think the combination of ginger & chocolate is really nice, and a bit unusual.

-Steep the whole milk used in the filling with a vanilla bean. Take a 2-3 inch section of vanilla bean and split it down the middle. Add it to the 2 cups whole milk in a pan. Bring just to a simmer, cover and steep off heat for 20 minutes. After steeping, remove the vanilla bean pod and scrape the tiny seeds into the milk and stir. Strain the milk to remove any solids and continue using in recipe as instructed.

-Use really good chocolate. I used Scharffen Berger, which is fantastic. There are really so many good chocolates on the market now that finding one isn't hard; finding one you like is...but what a fun taste-test!

-The recipe calls for 4 ounces semisweet and 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate. I used 2 ounces semisweet, 2 ounces bittersweet, and 1 ounce unsweetened. I threw in the bittersweet because I like a darker, stronger chocolate flavor.

The pie turned out really, really well. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Chicken & dumplings, sorta

2008-02-07T17:59:00.002-06:00

Chicken & dumplings, sorta, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

I've been sick the past couple of days and have been craving a really good chicken soup. I finally felt well enough to cook and so decided to fix this unusual take on chicken & dumplings.

Tortellini is an extremely versatile base for many recipes. I particularly like the frozen cheese tortellini available in most supermarkets because it cooks fast. I use it in this chicken soup in place of a traditional flour dumpling, which makes for a really filling soup. My brother actually came up with the basic premise of this recipe (Go, Scott!) and I've adapted it with some mexican heat.

Ingredients
2 tsp oil, separated
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
3 chicken breasts
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, whole
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 large can of chicken broth
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 bag frozen cheese tortellini
1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, quartered

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot. Add bacon and brown, removing to paper towels. Add chicken, browning 4 minutes each side. Remove chicken to plate. Pour off all but 2 T drippings. Add celery, 3/4 onion, 2 chopped carrots, ground cumin and ground coriander. Cook until vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and chopped jalapeño, cooking for 2 minutes. Add wine and deglaze, scraping up browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Return chicken, bacon and juices to pot. Add chicken broth and more wine if needed to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.

Remove chicken to plate and shred into large chunks using a fork or fingers. Strain off cooking liquid and discard solids. Strain cooking liquid again through cheesecloth to remove extra fats and solids.

In pot heat 1 tsp oil. Add cumin seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes, until seeds become aromatic. Add remaining carrots, onion, and whole jalapeño and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Deglaze with white wine. Add shredded chicken and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Add frozen tortellini, cilantro, and lime, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through. Let rest off heat 5 minutes, removing lime and jalapeño, spooning off any fat that accumulates on the surface. Serve in large bowls with a dollop of sour cream.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Cafe Du Monde Beignets for Mardi Gras breakfast

2008-02-05T07:25:00.003-06:00

Cafe Du Monde Beignets for Mardi Gras breakfast, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

St. Louis has a big Mardi Gras celebration and this year was especially fun. For the past couple of years our neighbors Rik and Dawn have driven us down to Soulard and dropped us off - so convenient, so nice. Rik was kind enough to fire up the Shuttle again this year, so I thought I'd make a New Orleans-inspired treat as a thank you - Cafe Du Monde beignets. I made them a little smaller than the originals, and from what I sampled they were good!

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Indochine Chaat Mix

2008-02-03T06:24:00.001-06:00

Who doesn't love a good Chex mix? I remember making it when I was a kid in the early 80's and it's still one of my favorite party snax. It shows up at most country shindigs (especially abundant during the holidays, for some reason) and everyone has their own spin on the recipe. This is my take, inspired by a recipe my sister gave me at Christmas, spiced up with Indian and Asian flavors (thus Indochine; I'm a big fan of neologisms).

Chaat is a term for savory snacks sold in roadside food carts or stalls throughout India and South Asia. They are generally small servings intended to carry you through to the next meal, or you can make a meal out of several, like tapas. Chex mix is like that, too. You can have a little handful, or you can eat the entire bowl...

The best thing about this recipe is you can really just throw in whatever kind of cereal/nuts/snacks you have on hand. Keep it loose and have fun with it!

Ingredients
Seasoning:
1 cup oil
1 small package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Chinese Five spice
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 lb pretzels (about half of a big bag)
2 cups Rice Chex
2 cups Corn Chex
2 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup cashews
1 cup Spanish peanuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup wasabi peas
1 cup sesame sticks

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk seasonings together and pour over dry ingredients in a large bowl. Turn to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheet(s) and bake for 1 1/2 hours, shaking the sheet halfway through baking to separate the mix. Cool on paper towels and store in an airtight container.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

In Pursuit of the Perfect Pot Roast

2008-01-29T07:16:00.001-06:00

So I've learned the secret of making a killer pot roast - steam. Braising is a technique where tough meat is cooked with moist heat until the connective tissue literally melts away, leaving you with velvety meat that's so tender you can pull it apart with a fork.

I'll be honest from the start: this is a monster recipe. It takes a good 5-6 hours from start to finish, which is why I almost always fix this on a Sunday. But I love it because there's just something so...homey...about puttering around the kitchen all day, and the results are amazing.

And so what makes this recipe "countrypolitan" instead of just a "traditional" roast? I use pancetta instead of bacon, and amp up the flavor with cardamom pods and juniper berries. They add just enough of a twist to make this a bit unusual, while still staying true to recipe's roots.

I know lots of people who swear by their crock pot (and I used to be one) but really, once you try this roast you'll never go back. I promise!

Ingredients
1/4lb pancetta, thick sliced and cubed
3-4lb beef roast, top or bottom round are my favorites
1 large red onion, chopped
1lb bag of carrots, chopped and separated
4 potatoes, chopped and separated
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Maker's Mark, or other bourbon/whiskey
1 cup dry red wine
2 cans beef broth
4 green cardamom seeds, crushed
4 juniper berries
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp cornstarch or flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Using paper towels, remove as much moisture as possible from roast. Season all sides of the roast with salt and pepper. Tip: Drying the roast is important because removing the moisture will allow the meat to sear, giving a really nice browned crust.

Brown pancetta in large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Brown roast, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to plate and tent with foil.

Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of the drippings in the pot. Add onion, half of the carrots, half of the potatoes, and 1 of the parsnips to the pot and cook until onion is golden and vegetables are slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Add Maker's Mark to deglaze, scraping up browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Let alcohol cook off, about 1 minute.

Return roast to pot. Add red wine and enough beef broth to cover half of the roast. Add cardamom, juniper berries, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Cover with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid. Tip: This is the really important part. You've got to cover the pot with foil and a lid to keep in the steam, so that it can break down the connective tissues.

Cook in oven for 1 hour per pound of meat. Turn roast every 30 minutes, adding more broth or water if needed to keep the roast half-covered in liquid during cooking. The roast is done when it's fork tender.

Remove roast to a plate and cover with foil. Using a strainer and bowl, drain off cooking liquid and discard vegetables. Return broth to dutch oven, add roast and remaining vegetables, and bring to a boil on stovetop. Simmer, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender, approximately 30 minutes.

This may seem confusing - why discard vegetables and then add in new ones? The ones cooked with the roast have fulfilled their culinary destiny (to flavor the broth) and after 3+ hours of braising will have turned to mush. Adding the second batch of vegetables will ensure that you have perfect, tender veggies to serve with your perfect, tender pot roast.

Plate the roast. Strain off vegetables and plate with roast, covering with foil. To make gravy, pass liquid through strainer covered in cheesecloth to remove all solids (and a good amount of fat) from the broth. Pour liquid into large saucepan and boil until reduced by 1/3. Turn heat to low and skim off any additional fat that has accumulated on the surface. Ladle out a serving of the liquid into a glass or mug, and add the cornstarch (or flour - I use cornstarch because my friend Mikey has celiac disease and has to eat gluten-free). Mix with a fork to make a slurry, then stir back into the rest of the liquid. Do this again if you need to thicken the gravy more. If you thicken too much, stir in some beef broth or water. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Serve alongside roast and vegetables.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

The Story of Cinco

2008-01-13T11:38:00.000-06:00

Cinco is a piñata that has become our neighborhood mascot. Chris, Tagert and I got it for Sharon at the Latin grocery stores down on Cherokee Street as a decoration for her Cinco de Mayo party 3 years ago. We filled it with candy and thought it'd be great fun to beat open after a cocktail. We also thought that Sharon would volunteer to go first and whack out a neighbor or two while under the guise of being "blindfolded". But no! Sharon thought it was so pretty that she wouldn't let us break him open. So we left that night expecting to never see him again.

I had a Memorial Day BBQ a couple of weeks later and guess what Sharon brought - that damn piñata! She informed us it would be our party idol and we'd pass him from house to house as people had gatherings. I passed him to Tagert for his birthday party a few weeks after that, and then he started moving all around the neighborhood. Richard and Karen, after having him for St. Patrick's Day, came up with the idea of adding a new piece of flair from each party before passing him on, so he's quite decorated now.

Cinco's Migration:
Sharon's Cinco de Mayo party, 2005
Chris & Chris' Memorial Day party, 2005
Tagert's Summer party, 2005
***
Karen's St. Patrick's Day party, 2006
***
Sharon's Holiday party, 2006
Chris & Chris' New Year's Eve party, 2006-2007
Brinker's Skyline Chili party, 2007
***
Sharon's Cinco de Mayo party, 2007
***
Shane & Tom's Halloween Party, 2007
Brinker's Skyline Chili party, 2008

Brinker's Skyline Chili Party

2008-01-13T11:17:00.000-06:00

David Brinker is from Cincinnati, and apparently people in "Cinci" (that's sin-see) have a thing for Skyline Chili. It's really not chili, not at least the kind I grew up with in the country; it's more of a spicy brown gravy to put on spaghetti or hot dogs with a distinctive, cinnamon-based flavor. It's good stuff, and now the residents of St. Louis have come to know all about 3-ways (spaghetti with Skyline Chili and cheese), 4-ways (beans or onions added), and 5-ways (beans and onions both).

I made Ina's Lemon Yogurt Cake, which was so easy to make and turned out awesome, and Tagert brought some delicious mini-cupcake-muffins.

In other happy news, Brinker got Cinco!

Spiced Chocolate Sheet Cake

2008-01-13T10:51:00.001-06:00

I have a no-fail Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe that came to me from my Aunt Kay, who had an over-the-top personality and could make a mean Texas Sheet Cake. I took her recipe and added in cardamom and cinnamon to warm it up a bit. This cake can be made several days in advance and continues to get better each day. It freezes well, too. It really is the best chocolate cake recipe ever, I think.

Spiced Chocolate Sheet Cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 T Dutch-processed cocoa (regular is fine if you're in a pinch)
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (Use a strongly spiced one like Vietnamese Cassia)
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Butter and flour a sheet pan.

Melt butter, shortening, cocoa and water in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Cool slightly off heat. Sift remaining dry ingredients in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture, then dry ingredients until just combined. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared sheet pan and bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. While cake is warm ice with:

Chocolate icing
4 T Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup cream
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl. Melt cocoa, cream and butter in saucepan, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over sugar and beat to smooth consistency. Let cool slightly and beat again. Pour over cake with both are still warm.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Almost Tandoori Chicken

2008-01-13T10:34:00.000-06:00

I don't have a tandoor, the clay oven traditionally used to make this dish. But, I've found a way to roast the chicken at high heat in the oven then finish it off over a grill that comes close to producing the same smoky flavor and creamy texture found in the traditional recipe.

Almost Tandoori Chicken
2 cups plain whole yogurt
3 T tandoori seasoning
8 chicken breasts, thawed
1 each juice and zest of lime

Pound chicken between two pieces of wax paper to slightly flatten. Cut into strips. Mix yogurt and tandoori seasoning in large bowl. Add chicken and combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. If preparing ahead, omit the juice and zest of lime until 1 hour before continuing. Beware - anything that touches this sauce will turn pink, including your hands!

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes, it's hot!). Skewer the chicken into an S shape with metal skewers. Prop one end of the the skewers onto the side of a 9x13 pan or baking sheet, so that the yogurt drips off the chicken as it cooks. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and grill over high heat for 5 minutes, or until done. The oven roasting makes the meat tender and the grilling gives it a nice smoky flavor. If you want to simplify you can just roast the chicken for 15-20 minutes in the oven.

Serve with a cucumber cilantro salad and raita.

Raita

2008-01-13T10:28:00.001-06:00

Raita is a delicious yogurt sauce used to cool and refresh the mouth while eating spicy dishes. It's a wonderful accompaniment to meats and fresh vegetables. The fenugreek leaves (also known as methi) are the only ingredient you might have trouble finding, and can be omitted, although they do give an interesting maple flavor to the sauce. Pinch and grind the fenugreek leaves in the palm of your hand before adding.

Raita
1 each juice and zest of a lemon
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 english cucumber, deseeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 T cilantro, chopped
Fenugreek leaves (methi), pinch
2 cups plain yogurt

Mix ingredients and serve.

Lamb Shami Ka-meatball with Bombay BBQ Sauce

2008-01-13T09:54:00.001-06:00

I mashed up 2 different recipes to pull this together. I used a traditional meatball recipe but swapped in components from Lamb Shami Kabobs - lamb and seasonings like cumin, mint, and garam masala give this dish a distinctly Indian flavor. The Bombay BBQ Sauce can be as difficult or easy as you want to make it (and when you're crunched for time, I vote for easy).

Lamb Shami Ka~~bob~~meatball
2 eggs
2 cups oatmeal
12 oz can evaporated milk
1.5 lb ground beef
1.5 lb ground lamb
1 cup chopped red onion
5 T mint, chopped
2 tsp salt (I prefer kosher in this dish)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 green chilies, minced and deseeded
4 T almonds
1 each zest & juice of lemon
2 T poppy seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 T garam masala
1/2 cup plain yogurt

In large bowl, beat eggs, then add oatmeal and evaporated milk. Stir to combine. Add ground beef and ground lamb and mix until oatmeal is well distributed throughout all the ground meat. Add remaining ingredients and fold over evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be made a day in advance; omit the lemon juice and zest until 1 hour before continuing preparation if you're going to marinate this overnight. The acid in the lemon juice will cook the meat and give it a gray appearance and flavor.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shape mixture into balls using a small scoop and line up without touching in a large baking dish (probably will need 2 or more). Bake each pan uncovered for 30 minutes (you will know if your oven can do more than one at a time). Drain and combine into a single pan. Stir in Bombay BBQ Sauce and bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, until sauce is thick and bubbly.

I serve this in a crock pot on low heat. Set out toothpicks for people who want to spear a single one and a spoon for those who want a couple.

Bombay BBQ Sauce
There are 2 ways to make this, and your good judgment will tell you which version to prepare. Both are good.

Version 1: Time Crunch
2 bottles honey BBQ sauce, or other tangy variety
2 jars mango chutney

Mix together in large saucepan. Bring to boil while stirring, combining completely.

Version 2: Time to Prepare
4 cups ketchup
3 cups brown sugar
1 red onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 jar mango chutney

Mix together in large saucepan. Bring to boil while stirring, combining completely.

Break out the Bolly(wood)

2008-01-13T08:44:00.002-06:00

New Year's Eve 2007 - 2008

I have always loved New Year's Eve (NYE) parties, especially ones held in someone's home. I have a really vivid memory of being at a big NYE house party with my parents and their friends; the crowd were raucous and as they belted out the countdown I remember it being so loud I had to cover my ears. It was delirious fun, capped by a big guy running around kissing everyone, slurring, "I can't believe it's 19 f*'n 82, man." This party defined NYE for me. I was 6 years old.

So since NYE 2002-03 my partner Chris and I have thrown a party. We started doing it because:

We hate being out on NYE. Too many crazy people (see above).
Our neighbors with kids weren't going out either.

We've done themes before, but this year I wanted to challenge myself with a new cuisine - Indian. I've taken an Indian cooking class and have been practicing with recipes from Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni for more than a year, which is woefully inadequate training and preparation to pull off authentic dishes. I was really nervous that I was going to muck it up big time, and while the food is not the feature of a NYE party (it's the champagne!), it should at least be edible!

So in the true spirit of "Countrypolitan Cooking" I pulled together some tried-and-true recipes from parties past, many of which are southern or country party staples, and updated them with Indian flavors, spices, and cooking techniques. The results turned out great and everyone had a smashing time, so I would definitely recommend these for your next cocktail party or small gathering.

Menu:
Indochine Chaat Mix
Lamb Shami Ka-meatballs with Bombay BBQ sauce
Almost Tandoori Chicken with Raita
Curried Chicken Salad with Butterflake Rolls
Crudites with Curried Dip
Cheese plate
Spiced Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ginger Donuts - from Bon Appétit | January 2002

Throw an instant dinner party for 9

2007-12-17T06:54:00.000-06:00

Step 1. Host a party for 30 the night before.
Step 2. Take leftovers to neighbor's house and fill out with salad, bread, side, and a dessert.

Sounds easy, right? Tagert had his annual holiday party and, as is usually the case, invited 30 and cooked for 45. Tagert usually serves a turkey breast and a pork loin that guests can carve themselves for sandwiches and he always cooks extra. He also had leftover cheese and crackers (who doesn't have leftover cheese and crackers from a party? They hang around for weeks!), a tapenade, a killer spinach artichoke dip, and a few other nibbly odds and ends. So he loaded all that up and took it over to Sharon's. Sharon prepared a caesar salad and bread, I brought a sweet potato gratin I'd been wanting to try out, and Karin brought a great pineapple angel food cake. We served 9 with minimal fuss, thanks of course to all the fuss Tagert put into preparing most of the food for his party.

Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin
from Bon Appétit | November 2005

The most difficult part of this dish is peeling the pounds and pounds of potatoes, then running them through a slicer or mandoline. Once you get past that it's actually a really easy recipe to make and the results are incredible.

I'm not going to copy the recipe because I really just added a few things, so follow it as linked above. I did make just a few modifications: 4 cloves of garlic instead of the 1 in the recipe, as was suggested by users; I didn't have thyme, so I used a bit of rosemary instead; and I added about 2 cups shaved gruyere into the warm cream that you pour on the gratin before its final round in the oven. It turned out really well - Karin's son AJ had seconds, and he doesn't even like sweet potatoes.

Speaking of Karin...she is known for her baking skills, and she brought another great dish to top off the meal. Her Pineapple Angel Food Cake was really simple yet amazing.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 box Angel Food Cake mix
1 large can pineapple chunks, in juice (not syrup)
1 tsp vanilla

Add ingredients and stir to blend. Pour into prepared angel food cake pan and bake as instructed on mix. Serve with a dollop of whip cream (fresh is best, drop in some vanilla bean to really take it over the edge).

Vanilla Bean Caramels with Fleur de Sel

2007-12-07T08:12:00.002-06:00

My mom has a killer recipe for Vanilla Caramels. They're really easy to make, and your friends will be so impressed. I took her traditional recipe and punched it up a bit by steeping a vanilla bean in the cream (so the caramels would have those gorgeous little brown flecks in vanilla bean ice cream) and by replacing the standard iodized salt with Fleur de sel. Oh, and I swapped out vanilla extract for a jigger of rum or bourbon - either one (but not both!) add a really mellow richness to the candy. If you want to make the traditional version, skip steeping the cream (and the vanilla bean entirely, making this a MUCH cheaper recipe), and substitute with the ingredients indicated in parenthesis below.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup white syrup
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 tsp Fleur de sel (or 1/2 tsp standard iodized salt)
1 cup cream
1/2 of a long vanilla bean, split (or omit)
1 jigger of bourbon or rum (or 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
whole cashews, optional

In a small pan, bring cream just to simmer. Split the vanilla bean along its side and place in the cream. Cover and steep off heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and skim off any film that has formed on the cream. Remove the vanilla bean from the cream, and using a knife scrape the centers of each bean back into the cream, discarding the bean when done. Stir to spread the vanilla throughout the cream. Omit this entire step if making the traditional recipe.

Pour sugar, syrup, butter, Fleur de sel and cream into a medium saucepan. Cook, using a candy thermometer, to 248 degrees (firm ball stage), occasionally scraping down the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon - but resist the temptation to stir! Remove from heat and let cool slightly, 2-3 minutes. Slowly stir in bourbon/rum/vanilla. Pour into a buttered sheet pan for thin caramels or a 9x13 pan for thick caramels. Cool until starting to firm, 1-2 hrs. Cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper or candy wrappers. For a fun option, after cutting press a whole cashew into the caramel square and roll it into a delicious, cashew-centered ball of chewy goodness.

Chris Freeland
cfreeland27 (at) gmail.com

Urban Tailgate

2007-12-07T07:12:00.001-06:00

So we went to the Nemanicks' last Saturday to watch the Mizzou football game. It was a disappointing loss, but at least the food was good!

Rik brined 2 pork tenderloins, then roasted one with ginger, the other with rosemary. Both were divine.

Sharon brought a kick ass chili cheese dip - what we all like to call 'crack dip' because it keeps you coming back for more....again....and again.

Tagert made some really amazing Mediterranean sausage meatballs with feta and olives.

I made Ina's Apple and Pear Crisp, minus the pears. Tagert tried this one out at our neighborhood Thanksgiving and the pears were, well, problematic. Chris Cozzoni doesn't like pears anyway, so I left them out. I think it was just as good, although I wouldn't recommend using Granny Smith apples in this. Go for something a bit softer, like a Gala, as the citrus zest and juice + tart apples can be a bit overwhelming. This recipe has an amazing crumble, which I'm sure to use on other dishes.

Somewhere between the farmhouse & the townhouse...

2007-12-06T21:00:00.009-06:00

"Countrypolitan Cooking" is an approach to cooking and entertaining that my friend Tagert and I live by.

That's Tagert making croutons he served along with an amazing chicken one Friday night.

That's me, Chris Freeland, on the right, carving a gourd at Sharon's Annual Pumpkin Carving Party. That's my partner, who is also named Chris, on the left.

We both grew up in the country on and around farms (I'm from Illinois and Tagert's from Arkansas) and learned how to cook traditional farmhouse foods from our moms and grams (and aunts, cousins, and yes, even dads). Growing up at my house we'd have an extended family dinner nearly every Sunday with at least 10 people and two tables' worth of homestyle cooking like homemade yeast rolls, ham or turkey, my grandma's mac & cheese (a Velveeta-infused delight, and a forthcoming recipe), noodles, mashed potatoes, and sweet corn as well as desserts like chocolate cream pie (see how I updated that one), rhubarb pie, apple, cherry...you get the picture. It was a sneeze guard away from a Bob Evans buffet, but in a really good Home-Sweet-Home-comfort-food kind of way.

Well, like many country boys, we both moved to the big city. And in this case we both landed in (don't laugh) St. Louis. Don't laugh, seriously - St. Louis is a REALLLY big place compared to where we both grew up (1 hr. from the nearest mall, 2 hrs. from the nearest airport).

Also, St. Louis is a quietly cosmopolitan town, which does surprise many visitors from far-off lands...like the Isle of Manhattan. It's a very urban city with beautiful Victorian architecture and a mix of neighbors from diverse cultures and social backgrounds all mashed together. It's fun, and one of the best parts of that cultural diversity are the many authentic ethnic restaurants we have - in one stretch of road alone there's Japanese, Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, Persian, Ethiopian, Afghani - heck, there's even a 24-hour diner and a few martini bars. But the really best part is that the whole city is like that - there are amazing restaurants everywhere. And believe me, we partake of this bounty whenever possible.

As Tagert and I have started having dinner parties and backyard BBQs with our groups of (now almost totally intermingled) friends, we naturally pulled from cooking techniques and recipes from our country backgrounds, but updated them with spices and flavors and approaches to food preparation we've experienced here in the city. We call this "Countrypolitan Cooking" and we hope you'll enjoy the recipes and menus we plan to share here.