Pistachio brittle

Pistachio brittle, originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002.

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups toasted pistachios, chopped
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla

Toast pistachios on baking sheet in 300 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from oven and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Butter the bottom of a large baking sheet. Set aside.

Stir sugar, syrup, water and salt together in heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Using candy thermometer, bring sugar mixture to 240 degrees (soft ball stage), stirring frequently. Stir in butter and pistachios, and bring to 280 degrees (soft crack stage).

Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda and vanilla, just until mixed through. Immediately pour onto buttered baking sheet and spread out to desired thickness. Just before candy hardens (30 seconds or so), sprinkle kosher salt lightly across the top. Let cool and break into bite-sized chunks.

Keeps for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Warm Artichoke Dip

Artichoke Dip, a photo by TagDragon on Flickr.

4 7.5 ounce jars Marinated Artichoke Hearts, well drained
2 4.5 ounce jars Chopped Green Chiles, well drained
1 8 ounce package Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
3 cloves Garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Butter, melted

Topping
1 ½ cups French Breadcrumbs
½ cup fresh grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons Butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove any tough leaves from the artichoke hearts and chop the artichoke hearts. In a large bowl add the artichoke hearts, green chiles, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and combine thoroughly. Watch for clumps of cream cheese. Grease baking dish with melted butter. Place artichoke mixture into baking dish. For topping mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan, and melted butter. Carefully spoon over artichoke mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve warm with pita chips or crackers.

Makes 4 cups.


Note: To make French breadcrumbs tear off pieces of French bread and pulse in a food processor until crumbs form.


Via Flickr:
Made for Sharon's Pumpkin Carving Party

Jicama ginger slaw

1 head cabbage, sliced
1 medium jicama, peeled & julienned
1 lb bag baby carrots, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2" chunk of peeled ginger, diced
1 jalapeño, deseeded & diced
2 limes, zest & juice 
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup bottled poppyseed dressing
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 T black sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Use a food processor to slice the cabbage & shred the carrots. Peel jicama and cut into matchsticks. Chop green onions into small rounds. Place all in large bowl with diced ginger and jalapeño. 

Zest & juice 2 limes into a smaller bowl. Whisk in rice vinegar, oil, dressing, salt & pepper. Pour dressing on top of slaw and mix.  Add more of each ingredient in the dressing to your taste.

Let sit for at least an hour for flavors to develop. Stir before serving.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers, a photo by TagDragon on Flickr.

My friend Sharon has a Cinco de Mayo party each year. It’s always a lot of fun and there are some great memories and stories of previous parties. I made these bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers for this year’s party.

Ingredients
8-10 large Jalapeño Peppers
8 ounces Cream Cheese (1 package), at room temperature
12 ounces of finely shredded Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheese - divided
(can also use Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese)
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 pound hardwood smoked regular sliced Bacon (1 pound has approximately 16-18 slices)

Preheat the over to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl combine together the cream cheese, 8 ounces cheddar & Monterey jack cheese, and garlic powder. Mix until blended and manageable.

Rinse the jalapenos and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins with a paring knife or spoon. Rinse off any remaining seeds. If you like the heat and hot foods leave in the veins and seeds.

Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture. Fill full but do not over mound the cheese mixture. Wrap each stuffed jalapeno with a slice of bacon. Start at the top of the jalapeno and wrap around the jalapeno slightly overlapping the bacon. Try and encase the jalapeno and cheese mixture as much as possible. Skewer or toothpick the wrapped jalapenos if needed.

Place the wrapped jalapenos on a rack on a baking sheet. Do not crowd or have them touching on the rack. Lightly sprinkle the top of each jalapeno with more finely shredded cheese.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes until the tops are lightly browned. Watch the jalapenos in the last few minutes of cooking. They can go from done to bursting cheese mixture very quickly.

Carefully remove from oven (there will be hot bacon fat in the baking sheet), allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a platter lined with paper towel to drain.

Makes 16-20 bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers


I leave the stems on. If you remove them don’t cut off the entire top of the jalapeno.

Caution: Jalapenos can cause burning sensations on the skin. Wear rubber gloves if you have sensitivity skin and keep away from the face and eyes. Do you touch your face or eyes for several hours after working with jalapenos. Wash hands thoroughly after finished handling peppers.

Strawberry Pie

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

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

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

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

Venison chili
Originally uploaded by chrisfreeland2002

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

A Year of Not Blogging

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.