Chicken fried Liver and Onions

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Eew!  Yuck!  Gross!  OK, OK, get it ALL out of your system now.  Ready?  When you've finished with all the histrionics we will proceed.

Remember what your mother said, "eat your liver!  It's good for you!"..."there are starving kids in *Africa, India, China* who would love to have that (OK, Mom - give it to them!)"...or, "so help me, if you don't stop calling the Belgian Embassy to report your own kidnapping from the Royal Family by Gypsies" (oh, wait, that was MY mom).

For those of you who were adults about the title of this post, I thank you.  Just bear with me.  Maybe have an open mind.  Anyway, this is another re-invention of a standard.  I've craved comfort food lately, and haven't had liver and onions for a while.  It's good protein, and a great source of iron.

I thought this dish would be good and I was pleasantly rewarded.  I don't know if KFC will be suing for patent infringement (mine only has 5 herbs and spices) but it fried up a beautiful golden brown with a crunchy texture.  I've set it atop a bed of sauteed onions, and smothered it with a simple white onion gravy. 

The liver is double breaded with an egg wash in between and dropped into frying oil (320 - 350 degrees Fahrenheit).  Check the texture of the liver steaks by pulling back on a thick corner to avoid overcooking (which is PROBABLY why some of you didn't like liver as kids!).  So dive in and give it a shot!

THE RECIPE

1 very large onion, sliced 1/8th in. thick, rings separated
1/2t cumin powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
2T butter
2T extra virgin olive oil

Over medium high flame, melt butter and add oil.  Sautee the onions and season.  Continue to cook until soft, approximately 8-10 minutes.  Set on plate(s) in oven set on warm.  Meanwhile, prepare the liver.

1# beef liver
Vegetable oil for frying

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1T smoked paprika
1T dried oregano leaves
1t cumin powder
Sea salt (I used an alder wood smoked salt) and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Cup buttermilk
1 egg
3-4 dashes chipotle Tabasco sauce

Pat the liver dry with paper towels and set aside on a plate.  In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together flour and seasonings.  In a separate dish, whisk together buttermilk, egg and Tabasco sauce.

Heat oil in a pan to a depth of 1/2 in. over high flame.  Bring to 320-350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Dredge the liver steaks in the seasoned flour; dip into the egg wash and dredge a second time in the flour.  Press the breading onto the surface of the liver.  Set aside on a platter.  Repeat until all the pieces are breaded.  When the oil has reached temperature, carefully set the steaks in to fry.  Cook approximately 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked throughout.  Check doneness with a thermometer (160 F) or by visual sampling.  Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels on a platter.  Transfer to the heated plate on top of the onions.

During this process, start the gravy.

1/2 bunch scallions sliced; white and light green pieces for the gravy and dark green pieces for garnish
2-3T butter
2-3T flour
1 Cup whole milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the butter and scallions over a medium high flame; slowly whisk in the flour.  Stir for approximately 1 minute.  Add the milk in small increments.  When you have achieved a thick sauce, season with salt and pepper and pour over the fried liver.  Garnish with the scallion leaves.

I'm telling you, if you do not overcook this, you can't tell the difference in texture between these and recipes using round steak, and the flavor is richer!

Charro beans -- a faithful sidekick

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Of course, with the puerco adovada from the previous post, we will need some beans.  I am preparing simple charro (also known as "cowboy") beans.  These beans, like so many other recipes, are subject to individual interpretation in terms of heat and "must have" ingredients.  Dress up or down the recipe as you wish, but the common elements in most versions are onion, garlic, chili pepper, tomato and cilantro.  These beans are simmered and served whole.

I always use a cured pork product to start my beans.  It can be anything, such as a ham hock, fried bacon, ham pieces / bone, salt pork or pork belly.  Why?  Because that's the way Mom did it.  OK, also because it adds a nice smoky flavor.  If you use this tip, go easy on the salt; the salt from these products leaches into the beans as they simmer.  With salt pork or cured pork belly you may even opt to skip any salt until the beans have simmered for an hour or so.

Other than this, do what you like: use mild or hot peppers, add chili powder or other herbs.  I also use these as my recipe for refried beans, reducing or removing most of the liquid.  I then mash the beans leaving 1/4 whole and add LARD, yes LARD (3T heated just to the point of smoking per pound of beans) in small increments.

One can omit the meat for a completely vegetarian preparation.

Sort through the beans to remove any debris and soak in water overnight, covered with a dish towel.  Prior to cooking, drain the soaking water.  As I started a bit late today, I used the quick soak method, soaking for 2 hours and keeping them just below a rolling boil until done.

Charro beans can be garnished with cheese, onion, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, salsa -- go nuts!  Serve them with plenty of warm tortillas beside your favorite entree.

THE RECIPE

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked
Water, to cover
1 medium onion, diced
4 oz. cured pork or one smoked ham hock
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 jalapenos, divided -- one cut 1/2" from stem to tip left whole, and one minced
salt, to taste
1T dried oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
1t baking soda
2T cilantro leaves chopped, heavy stems removed
1 large tomato, diced

Place pinto beans into a 2Qt. saucepan, add water to cover.  Add all other ingredients except cilantro and tomato.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer until beans are tender (1.5 - 2 hours).

Add only as much water as may be needed during cooking to replace evaporated liquid.  After one hour of cook time, remove the meat.  Adjust seasonings as needed.  When beans are tender, add cilantro, diced jalapeno and tomato; simmer 15 minutes more.  Serve in bowls; garnish as desired.

Mi Adovada

I'm back home, and enjoying my last day of  a 5-day break.  I am tackling my version of a recent favorite dish.  With football season quickly approaching, this puerco adovada makes an incredibly versatile stuffing / filling / topping / base for any number of sandwiches, tacos, tortas, sopes, burritos, tamales, tostadas, nachos, dumplings, piroshky -- (get the picture?) QUICKLY and EASILY (two words you won't read often on this blog!) prepared once you have the base product.  The adovada is a rich, spicy, satisfying pulled pork which has been simmered in a Dutch oven or crock pot.

I was introduced to this New Mexican variant of the adobado preparation by sampling a packaged mix (all hail the work of the good folks at Pig Boy Willy) www.pigboywilly.com and it's a great product -- all natural spices and easy to prepare.

But of course, I can't leave well enough alone.

My take on the dish includes garlic, onion, herbs, tomato and wine -- and, of course, MORE chilies.  For convenience I have simmered the pork in a crock pot.

THE RECIPE

3- 5 pounds boneless pork butt roast or country style pork ribs (start out with large chunks)
1/2 brown onion, minced
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
6T New Mexico chili powder (absent in the photo; I used the last of it)
2T dark chili powder
2T dried oregano
1/2 t cayenne powder
3T flour, all-purpose or whole wheat
Sea salt, to taste (start with 1/2t; I used Sel Gris)
1 pasilla chili, cut into slices
1 jalapeno chili, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water
2T sherry
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1T crushed red pepper flakes

Line the bottom of the crock pot insert with half of the garlic, onion and peppers.  Add the pork; top with the remaining ingredients with the exception of the cilantro and crushed red peppers.

Cook on HIGH for approx. 6 hours.  Stir every two hours.  When the meat is just tender and can almost be shredded with a fork, add cilantro, crushed red pepper, simmer for 40 minutes and remove from heat.  remove meat with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

Shred the pork with two forks

and use as a filling for burritos or any of the goodies mentioned above.  Tonight's portion (top picture) was served over a polenta cake with warm tortillas and charro beans.

Side project -- I reduced the extra liquid from the crock pot to use as a sauce base for future use.  To this you can add barbecue sauce, salsa or even teriyaki or hoisin, for an Asian flavor; it's versatile, spicy goodness!

Savory shrimp slaw in a jumbo artichoke bowl

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This is a combination of some of my favorite ingredients.  In my humble opinion, thyme is the best seafood herb ever, and I've worked it in with spinach and a little basil.  You can substitute a can of tiny or broken shrimp as a time saver.  You can prepare the slaw ahead in order to meld the flavors a bit more if you have the time.

Oh, yes -- and this is one of very few dishes I've posted without beets or bleu cheese (though I may rework it!)

THE RECIPE (per salad portion)

1 jumbo artichoke, steamed or boiled in brine (recommended, recipe below)

Water to cover the artichoke(s)
4T sea salt
1T sugar
1t black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1t coriander seeds
1t mustard seed
1/2 t crushed red chili flakes
3oz. distilled white vinegar

Steam or boil the artichoke until tender when pierced with a fork (anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes).  Do not overcook.  Set aside and refrigerate to cool.  Meanwhile, prepare the slaw.

SHRIMP SLAW


3/4 pound shrimp, 26/30 size peeled, sand vein removed.  Steam for 2-3 minutes only; remove just as soon as they turn pink and white, DO NOT overcook.  Chill, split lengthwise, then cross cut in quarters for pea-sized pieces OR 1 can broken or tiny shrimp
Leaves from 2-3 sprigs thyme, chopped
6-8 basil leaves, finely chopped
1/8 head purple cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup spinach leaves, chiffonade sliced
White inner sections of the artichoke leaves closest to the "choke" and inner portion of the stem
1 clove garlic, grated
2/3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2/3 dashes Tabasco sauce
1T apple cider vinegar
1/2t white pepper
Sea salt, to taste
1 Dash lime juice

1/4 cup mayonnaise (adjust to volume of product)
1/4 cup sour cream (adjust to volume of product)
Stir together all ingredients up to the lime juice, then add mayo and sour cream; taste and adjust seasonings.  Chill at least 2 hours, or overnight.

When the artichokes have cooled enough to handle, trim the stem up to the base of the bulb so it will sit flat on a plate.  Remove any outer leaves which detract from the presentation.  Trim off the coarse outer portion of the stem and chop the inner portion.  Remove the innermost leaves and trim off the pure white inner segments; chop and add to the slaw along with the stem as described above.  Scoop out the "choke" with a teaspoon, and pull out any inner leaves needed to construct a bowl within the artichoke.

Portion the slaw into the artichoke, garnish with lime juice, spinach, cabbage or herbs and serve.  Cool tasty bliss on a warm (pseudo-) summer day!

New York steak pigs-in-a-blanket

I'm trying to figure out which influenced me more to create this dish; we are so often pressed at work to reinvent the original, or to put a new spin on traditional comfort foods, so we bounce ideas off each other and the results are sometimes wacky.  OR, was it just recently reading Nelson De Mille's The Lion, and revisiting the lead character (John Corey's) fixation on pigs-in-a-blanket?  OR, was it a combination of my love for Beef Wellington and a lack of time and energy on a late night with a need to satisfy the creative spark?

No matter, if turned out well if I do say so myself.  I have a grown-up version of the kid friendly favorite and you owe it to yourself to give it a try!

THE RECIPE

We start with a batch of buttermilk biscuit dough -- WAIT, WAIT, if you are pressed for time (as I was on this recent evening with office hours until after 8PM) by all means feel free to substitute your favorite CANNED biscuit in a tin and roll them out to the desired thickness.

But for the purists, please read on:

3 1/4 Cups all purpose flour plus 1/3 cup for kneading
3 teaspoons baking powder
 1cup buttermilk
1T butter
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup oil or shortening
 

Combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add the oil or shortening slowly, working it into the dry ingredients.  Add buttermilk and butter, stir well and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead briefly, adding flour as necessary until a thick consistency (like modeling clay) is achieved.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll out to approx. 1/2 in. thickness.  Cut out individual biscuits using a 3-4 in. diameter drinking glass.  Re-roll the sheet of dough and cut out additional biscuits until used up.

Proceed from here to roll the biscuits to fit around the steak fingers.  Follow to end of directions.

SO, for those of you joining us in progress...

1 boneless New York steak (1 pound or larger), cut into pieces approx. 1" X 4"

Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

Dash Worcestershire sauce 

1/2 bunch scallions, green and white pieces separated and sliced thinly

3-4T bleu cheese crumbles

Biscuits, one per piece of steak

1 egg and a drop of water, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Beef demi glace (I will have to elaborate on this recipe after I do my segment on stocks; I keep demi in my freezer after freezing it into ice cube trays a` la Anthony Bourdain)

Butter, 1T per cube of frozen demi glace

Season the steak fingers with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Sear in a cast iron pan or over grill for approximately 30 seconds per side.  Sear the ends as well; set aside.

Roll out one biscuit per steak finger large enough to fit the ends of the pieces; lay steak into the center of the biscuit and sprinkle with white scallion pieces, bleu cheese crumbles and a light drizzle of demi glace.  Wrap the ends up and press one over the other.  Brush the seams with the egg wash and lay seam side down on a non stick baking sheet.  Brush egg wash onto the other side; continue until the steak pieces have been used up.

Bake approx. 15 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown and steak reaches an internal temperature of 125 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit

While these were baking, I worked up a fresh green bean side dish.

1/2 pound green beans, ends snipped and threads pulled

1 small shallot, minced

1t olive oil

1T butter

1/2 t white truffle oil

1/8 t chili oil

1T Marsala wine

Sautee beans and shallots in olive oil and butter for 2-3 minutes over high heat; reduce heat and add truffle and chili oils, sautee for another minute.  Add Marsala and reduce for 3 minutes.  Plate alongside the pigs-in-blankets.

Just before service, warm the demi glace over low heat and whisk in cold butter - this technique is known as "monter au buerre" and allows us to thicken the sauce without making a roux.  Remove from heat.  Drizzle as described in the last step below.

I didn't like the looks of the "pigs" on their own so I cut them on the bias and stood them upright on the plate.

Sprinkle with the green scallion slices and drizzle the rest of the demi glace on the "pigs" and on the plate.

Please let me know if you try this one, and how you like it!

Indo - European beef short ribs

Braising is an incredible technique to make the most of inexpensive cuts of meat.  It is nearly a set-and-forget dish, once you are satisfied with the seasonings and braising liquid.  The meat becomes completely tender as it breaks down over hours of simmering.

I found some short ribs at the market and toyed with ideas for their preparation.  I had been strongly inclined to do an Asian fusion recipe, but settled on a curry flavor with rustic roots.  I incorporated red wine, mirepoix vegetables and lots of spices.  They are simmering as I write this, and the aromas are just wonderful.

THE RECIPE

3-4 pounds beef plate short ribs
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for sauteeing
1 large shallot, minced
4 cloves of garlic, grated
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2T curry powder
1T garam masala
1/2 t cayenne powder
1/2 t white pepper
2-3 cups dry red wine
1T champagne vinegar

HP sauce, to taste

Heat a skillet or small Dutch oven over high flame.  Season the ribs on both sides with the salt and pepper.

Add a few drops of oil to the skillet; brown the short ribs starting with the bone side down.  First, don't be afraid of seasoning and don't be afraid to BROWN the meat.  Turn the ribs to brown all sides.  Remove the ribs and reduce flame to low.  Add the shallots, garlic, carrot and celery.  Turn for a couple minutes then add wine, vinegar and dry spices.  Stir to combine and return short ribs to pan, meat side down; add a little water if necessary to cover at least 3/4 of the ribs.  

Cover and simmer until tender, anywhere from 2-4 hours.  Here they are at the halfway point:

Remove from the pan, remove the meat from the bone (when they are tender, that simply means pulling the bone out of the rib meat) cool, and trim the fat from rib meat.  The braising liquid infused wonderful flavor and aroma into the short ribs, but is rather intense on its own.  I have opted NOT to reduce it for sauce and instead used a little HP sauce to play off the sweet spices in the garam masala.

I'm going with a simple starch and vegetable to showcase the ribs.  I'm just doing a little polenta and steamed cauliflower.  (Yeah; use a GREEN vegetable if you're using your flash to do photos.)  Grits would do well in this presentation as well but sadly, I'm out.

BUTTERY POLENTA

Corn meal

Water

(These two ingredients are roughly in a 2:1 ratio of water to polenta; calculate your portions according to the number of servings you are preparing)

Pinch salt

+/- 2T unsalted butter

Snipped scallion greens

Bleu cheese crumbles

Boil water and add salt; slowly add the corn meal, stirring constantly.  Reduce flame to medium and stir constantly until the polenta thickens.  Form some polenta into a patty on the base of  each plate, sprinkle with scallion, center short ribs on this, pour HP sauce and sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles.  Oh, yeah!

Lactic Fermentation, Chapter 2 - Garlic Dill Pickles

I've always loved good, deli-style dill pickles.  I typically eschew the vinegar cured dills so prevalent in the marketplace.  Following my axiom, "you can never have too much garlic", these really delivered.  Also known as "half sours", fermented pickles are crisp and tart.  There are some recipes which use a much stronger brine which require rinsing or soaking in fresh water before they can be consumed; but maybe we'll look into these some other time.  

The pickling cucumbers I got were rather large, so I was only able to get about 4 pounds into the crock.  It was warm while I cured them, so I went a bit heavy on the salt, and only cured them for two weeks.

THE RECIPE

3-5 pounds pickling cucumbers, based on the volume of your crock; washed and stems trimmed

Cloves of one head of garlic, crushed and roughly diced

1 large bunch dill (flowering if possible)

8-10 dried bay leaves

1T mustard seed

1T coriander seed

1T whole black peppercorns

Brine to cover approx. one inch above the weights -- This ratio was 1.25 T salt per cup of water

Pierce one end of each cucumber with a skewer (this allows the release of gases); I don't know what would happen if one of these babies explodes, but I don't want to find out!  Place the cucumbers into the fermenting vessel horizontally or vertically, based on volume.  Work the spices in evenly.  Cover with brine, place the weights on top of the produce and seal the container.  

 

Check the pickles after 5 days; adjust the salt if needed and nick off a piece of pickle to check flavor and texture.  Remove and store the pickles (while still crisp) with some of the brine in refrigerator.

Last month, I made another batch of pickles using some Persian cucumbers I found at an Asian market.  I managed to fit in about 6 pounds into the crock using basically the same formula.  Flight - great taste.  Flub - I kinda forgot to pierce them.  I lost some presentation points, but they made great spears.  Two weeks of fermentation did the trick; and here they are -- give them a try!

Lactic Fermentation, Chapter 1 - Giardiniera mix

I love pickled vegetables -- deli style cucumbers, sauerkraut, beets, kimchi -- the whole spectrum.  Only this last year have I given it a try, and I am so pleased with the results so far.  I have prepared several batches of kraut (white and red), two types of pickles, and now my current project. 

This is so appealing as the fermentation process is completely natural -- you control the ingredients and once you achieve the correct environment, the microscopic critters do all the work.  Fermentation is as old as civilization; lactobacilli are everywhere around us.  They are essential in making yogurt, and convert malic acid into lactic acid, which gives some Chardonnays a buttery flavor.  The lactobacilli break down the cellulose structures in the vegetables, making them tender while the salt preserves the product inside the fermenting vessel.

The process is simplicity itself; select the freshest ingredients available, add herbs and salt or brine, and enclose in an anaerobic container which allow for the escape of gases.  I have a 5 Liter Harsch stoneware crock (available online - I got mine from Cabela's, thanks to brother Mike) which has so far been bulletproof.

It features a water channel which keeps oxygen from entering the vessel, and fitted weighing stones to hold the vegetables beneath the surface of the brine / juice while the dimples in the lid allow for the gases created by the cellular degradation to flow out.

The trade off for this EASY TO USE product is the start up cost; however, many other constructs are available.  Folks use everything from Mason jars to larger jars, on up to 5-gallon plastic buckets as well as some clever kludges with the addition of airlocks.  It is all a matter of preference, budget and ingenuity; the important elements are: an oxygen barrier, weight to hold down the product, and the ability to release pressure outward.

Traditionally, once the ferment has been achieved, the product is stored in the crock in a cellar or other cool place (below 60 degrees).  Not so in sunny Southern California, so I'm amassing a tidy little fleet of Tupperware and Ziploc bags in my fridge.  I will branch out into Mason jars soon.  Ferments keep well for a long time under refrigeration.

So give it a try!  It's nice to have some of these goodies on hand.

Trust me, after the Zombie Apocalypse, you'll need provisions.

Giardiniera mix has long been a favorite of mine; I am attempting a home-fermented recipe to see if I can beat the vinegar-based store version.  STAY TUNED as I should have some results in about two weeks...

THE RECIPE

2 heads cauliflower, rinsed and cut into florets
6 carrots, waffle cut 1/4 in. slices
1 large English cucumber waffle cut 1/4 in. slices (hahaha, my mandolin love / hate relationship continues)

6-8 ribs celery, cut lengthwise then cross-cut into 1/4 in. slices
1# pearl onions, peeled
1 can baby corn, sliced in half
1/2 cup peppers (I have no use for pimientos, as seen in the store product, so I just sliced up some roasted red and yellow bells) sliced into 1/4 in. strips
6-8 cloves garlic, grated

Place the above ingredients into separate bowls.  Now for our supporting cast: the seasonings.

1 bunch baby dill, cut through 3/4 times
8 dried bay leaves
2T mustard seed
1T whole black pepper
Sea / Kosher salt, for sprinkling and for the brine

Place the produce into the crock / vessel in layers; top with some of the seasoning and a light sprinkling of salt; repeat until vessel is filled or produce is used up.

Prepare the brine with cold water and pour over the vegetables.  Cover approximately one inch over the weights and cover.  Keep in the coolest place in your home.  Check the product after 5 days, adjust salt if needed (more on that to follow) and remove and store in refrigerator when desired texture / flavor is attained.

I am making this batch without heat, so I can share with folks at work, but if it were for my own consumption I'd be adding yellow chilies and some crushed red pepper flakes.

I am going a bit heavy on the salt and looking at a short ferment time.  This is due to the warm summer temps.  In colder months, one can cut back on the salt and ferment longer.  This brine is:

1.5 T salt to 1 cup of water

Thanks for advice and tips from Sandor Katz and the community on Wild Fermentation ( www.wildfermentation.com ) , a great resource for all things fermented.

More to follow...