"with Mango Salsa"

2 fresh ripe mangos (I used champagne mangos)
⅓ cup red onion, finely diced
6 scallions, sliced
¼ cilantro, chopped
2 pinches salt
½ tsp sugar

Cut the mangos on each side of the pit. Then scoop out the fruit like you would an avocado. Cut the mango into a large dice. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Now you’re done.

Blackened Mahimahi with Mango Salsa

Yep, this was my “birthday dinner”. Here’s the recipe for those who dare! The mango salsa is a great condiment. There is something about the sweet mango with the hot chilies and the fish that make this combination very special. It is a great balance.

Blackening Spice Mix: (or just use Paul Prudhomme’s mix)
4 tbsp paprika
3 tsp sea salt
2 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp (or more) ground hot red pepper (I used Mojave’s Chili de Arbol)
2 tsp ground coriander (toast and grind whole seeds for the best result)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano

In an appropriate sized bowl, add the paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, and freshly ground black pepper. In a coffee grinder, grind about four chilies. These do not have to be completely powdered; somewhat flaky is fine. Add the ground chilies to the mix. Next, in a small skillet, toast enough coriander seeds to make two teaspoons when ground. Grind the toasted seeds and add to the mix. Finally, partially grind the thyme and oregano leaves and, you guessed it, add them to the mix. Now give your grinder a break. Stir the spices and set them aside. Or, skip all this trouble (if you see it as such) and let Prudhomme do the work for you.


6 Mahimahi fillets, cold
¼ cup butter
¼ cup olive oil
Blackened spices mix (above)
Mango Salsa

Melt the butter and add the oil to it. Pour half of the spice mixture onto a plate. Dip a cold fillet into the butter and oil, letting some of the excess drip off. Place the fish into the spices and flip it to coat all sides. You might even toss the spices onto it. Just don’t get too much on the counter or floor. Set the seasoned fillet aside and repeat the dipping and dredging process with the rest of the fish.

Meanwhile, a large cast iron pan should be heating up on the stove. They say it can’t be to hot when it comes to making blackened fish. Make sure your range fan is on high and a window is open before you begin the cooking. Once the pan is hot, lay a few of the seasoned fillets into the pan. Cook each side until they look like, well, like the picture. If you think they are getting too black and yet are still somewhat raw, turn the heat down a bit or place them in the oven to finish. Don’t leave the other fillets uncooked! Cook those too in the same pan after the other ones are done!

Okay. Serve em’ hot…with the mango salsa. You could wedge some limes too.

Dec: Persimmon Cranberry Sauce

This is a great holiday recipe. I originally created this to go along with pumpkin pie. To use a word people use to refer to something tasting special, this sauce is quite "yummy". :)

This sauce works best made with Fuyu persimmons. I've tried making it with the slightly larger, oblong-conical variety (Hachiya), but those persimmons are way to pithy.

3 Fuyu persimmons (peeled)
5-6oz cranberries
1½ apple cider
1/3 can cranberry sauce
1 small cinnamon stick
1 pinch salt
½+ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Peel the persimmons with a sharp knife and cut them into 8 wedges. Put them in a skillet with everything else except the vanilla. Cook until the persimmons are soften and easily pierced with a fork. Then add the vanilla and turn off heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and pour into a blender or the bowl of a hand blender (see the end of this post). If using the hand blender you will need to do two batches. Blend the sauce until it is smooth.

The sauce is ready to serve or it can be jarred and refrigerated for up to a couple weeks (maybe more).

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Nov: Pita Bread

Here's the Pita recipe I promised you. It comes out of The Armenian Table. Pita is super with Hummus, either fresh or toasted. And I think the effort is worth it. Not every time you make Hummus, but sometimes.

Makes twelve 8 inch pita breads

2 cups warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp active dry yeast
3 more cups all-purpose flour

If you have a Bosch or other kitchen mixer, add the water, oil, sugar, and salt and spin. Add the first three cups of flour and mix to combine. Add the yeast and mix. With the motor running, add the last three cups of flour until the dough pulls from the side of the bowl. Knead for five minutes.

Dump it out and form into a nice tidy ball. Put it into an oiled bowl and oil the top of the ball. Cover and set aside in a warm place for an hour or so until it is doubled in bulk.

Punch it down and let it rest for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 500°F. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. On a floured surface roll out each portion to make an 8 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick (get your tape measures ready :). Let each pita rest for about 10 minutes before putting them in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, until the pitas are beginning to turn golden but not at all crispy. Halfway through cooking check the pitas to make sure they’re cooking evenly…you might need to rotate baking sheets or something. Of course, you don’t have to bake them all at once. Bake them in batches Roll out the last ones while the first ones are baking.

The pitas may be served right away or toasted to get a nice crispy effect (which is quite good for Hummus). Or, cool completely and store in plastic bags at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Hummus di Tahini

Lets go for another recipe! Over the past few months I’ve been enjoying experimenting with making Hummus. Hummus is a Middle Eastern condiment or dip and is made up primarily of chickpeas, Tahini (sesame paste…see below), lemon juice, and olive oil.

With our Middle Eastern roots (Armenia) I have enjoyed exploring its cuisine. Hummus is a staple in Armenia. Hummus and pita (or other crispy type stuff made with grain) not only makes for a great addition to your Mediterranean meal but also works with many other menus or just as a snack. I’ve made it a number of times and we all enjoy it...practically all of us anyway. Aaron’s like, “who wants to eat puréed beans?”.

I must confess I do use the canned, already cooked chickpeas when I make Hummus. Not only are they much more readily available than dried ones, but they are a whole lot more convenient. Whenever you feel like Hummus, just pop open a can and blend it up...you can skip the whole bean cooking process. Although I’m sure cooking them yourself will be more authentic tasting. So, I recommend doing that…even though I don’t myself! :) Where on earth do you buy dried chickpeas anyway? If you have a good resource then let me know.

So what does it take to make good Hummus? Well, you need a blender. You also need practice. Make a few batches and get the amounts dialed in to you liking. How much and how little of the different ingredients to use is really a subjective thing. You might like the consistency more thin than thick, you might like it extra lemony, or you might like only a hint of the Tahini. After you’ve made a few batches you’ll get a feel for the amounts, but here’s something to go off of to get you started.

Basic Hummus Recipe
I think maybe this probably might make about 3 cups. Perhaps. Maybe more? Maybe less?

2 cans of cooked chickpeas (reserve the juice from one of the cans)
3+ garlic cloves
¾ cup olive oil, extra virgin is cool if you have it (you could skimp on this if you don’t want to put that much in, once I totally forgot it!)
-½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup Tahini paste (see below)
1+ teaspoon kosher salt
Reserved chickpea liquid as needed
Cumin

Put all the ingredients in a blender and let it rip. Yahoo! I like it smooth, so I run that baby for a little while. If the blender is having trouble, there’s no problem in thinning it out with a little of the reserved liquid from the chickpeas. I like to add some fresh ground cumin to taste and drizzle olive oil on top. You could also sprinkle some chopped parsley on top.

So there you have it! That’s the trick. It’ll keep in the fridge for at least a week. That is if everybody doesn’t scarf it up right out of the blender! And if it does make it to the fridge, no guarantees it will be there in a week…it might be just what that hungry refrigerator prowler was looking for. :)

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Now I want to share with you some ways to spice it up a bit.

This is where it gets fun. What I gave you was a basic foundation, and don’t get me wrong, that’s good just by itself like that. But how about adding another element? Another flavor? Yeah, that sounds good! What would be good to add? Well here are some suggestions. Most of these I have done.

Kalamata olive: Hand chop some Kalamata olives (like a ½ cup of whole, pitted olives) and stir them in at the end. See the end of this post to learn about Kalamatas. This Hummus is one of my favorites. You can top it with some parsley.

Roasted Garlic: Roast a head of garlic and lightly blend it in at the very end. You might even just chop it by hand and stir it in.

Roasted pepper: Either use a red bell pepper or somethin’ with some spice like an Anaheim or a couple Jalapeños. Burn the skin of the peppers underneath your broiler, over your gas stove, or on the grill. Then peal the burnt skin off and remove the seeds if you haven’t already. Lightly blend them into the Hummus.

Lime Sub-lime: It’s not Jamba Juice, but it’s good! Substitute lime for lemon in the basic recipe. You might use a little less lime. Top the Hummus with cilantro.

Sun-dried Tomato: Lightly blend in some sun-dried tomatoes at the end!

Spicy: Spice it up! Add a ¼ teaspoon or so of cayenne.

Have fun experimenting and enjoy.


Tahini (Sesame Paste)

All Tahini is, is hulled sesame seeds that have been ground up. It’s kind of like peanut butter only sesame. Tahini is really not very good eaten by itself (it’s a little bitter) but you gotta have it in your Hummus. If you can find it, get it unsalted.

Which brings us to our next topic: where do you get it? We actually have gotten ours from the Azure Standard food co-op. I really like and recommend the MaraNatha brand Tahini that they sell. So buy that kind. Then you can say, “I have the kind that Peter recommended.” And that would just be really cool. If you don’t do Azure, you can pick it up here. Whole Foods also sells Tahini under their 365 brand.

What else is Tahini good for? If you interested here’s Wikipedia on Tahini…see “Uses”. The MaraNatha jar says, “Dress up your dressings by adding a bit of Tahini…”. Personally, I don’t think that would be very good if they mean salad dressings. But there you have it. :)

There is such thing as Asian Tahini, and that is made with unhulled seeds.

Congratulations for reading this far!
Go to the comments for a couple tips and tricks!

My Armenian Grandpa enjoying a Sundried tomato Hummus that I made. He remembers eating Hummus growing up.

Homemade Mint Chip Ice Cream

We made this Ice Cream for the fourth and it turned out (or churned out) exceptionally well. This recipe makes a large, family sized batch, so, unless you have a big enough ice cream maker, you might cut it down a bit. Or, if you’re having a party, make a couple batches!

We have had problems, and maybe you have too, with the ice cream freezing too hard. This recipe with this preparation froze to a really nice consistency. There is some left over in the freezer right now and it’s still quite soft.

I used almost a half pound of Trader Joe’s 72% dark chocolate. It was awesome, especially if you like chocolate. Some thought it wasn’t sweet enough and that there was too much. And then some, myself included, thought it was just right. If you're using a chunk of chocolate like I did, slice / shave it, then chop it up a bit. You should know when it is chopped to the right size...just feel it. (: After you have shaved and chopped the chocolate, you'll notice that there is a powder that as accumulated. I think it is best to sift that out...you just want chunks in the ice cream; you don't want that powder to turn it in any way brown. It was super easy to sift it out just using an ordinary plastic strainer (a sieve would probably work too).

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Makes 6 quarts

4 cups (2 pints) whipping cream
1 qt half and half
6 cups whole milk

17 egg yolks
28 oz sugar

3 tsp peppermint extract (flavorganics is what we used)
6 to 8 oz chopped dark chocolate
12 drops of green

Heat the milk ingredients to a low simmer. Meanwhile, separate the egg yolks into a medium to large sized bowl. Wisk the yokes until they have lightened in color and about doubled in volume. Add the sugar slowly to the yolks.

Scoop out some of the milk (a quarter to a third) and slowly pour it into the yolks to temper them. Be sure to be whisking the yolks while pouring the hot milk into them, it works best with two people. Now stir the tempered mixture into the rest of the hot milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170° to 175°. Turn of heat and pour into a refrigerator proof bowl with a lid. Chill the mixture for 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Churn the ice cream in your maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and blah blah blah. Now you can either add the extract, chocolate and green in a little before the ice cream is done churning and let the ice cream maker do the work or you can stir it in yourself. We had to stir it in because we didn’t get it in the maker soon enough. And when our ice cream maker stops, it stops.

Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze it for at least 4 hours before serving.

Life’s short. Enjoy eating ice cream. And by the way, happy Independence Day!!

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Apr: French Baguettes

Really I'm not much of a baker, but I can make a thing or two, including these wonderful loaves. I hope you enjoy them. I think it is very important to do the glaze. It not only adds visual appeal, but also gives it a nice salty bite on the crust.

Makes 2 loafs

for the bread:
5-51/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt
21/4 tsp yeast
2 cups warm water

for the glaze:
1 egg white, beaten
11/2 tsp sea salt

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or Bosch, combine the water and salt. Then add 3 cups of flour and mix to combine. Now add the yeast and mix. With the mixer running, add the remaining flour. If the dough hasn't pulled away from the sides of the bowl after 2 minutes of kneading, add a little bit of flour until it does. Knead for another 6 minutes until the dough is elastic.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and form into a nice ball. Oil the inside of a glass bowl, put the dough in it, and cover it with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place and let rise until doubled, 45-60 minutes.

Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and knead for a few seconds. Pull dough apart into two equal sized pieces. Begin to roll each piece out using a back and forth motion, with your hands parallel to each other, starting in the middle and working your way to the edges (come close to the edge but don't roll your hands over them).

Spay a baguette pan or sheet pan with a little oil and sprinkle some cornmeal on them. Place loaves on the pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Beat the egg white with a fork until it smoothly and evenly slips through the tongs of the fork when lifted up. Mix in the salt.

With a sharp, non-serrated knife make three shallow diagonal cuts on each loaf. Brush the loaves with the glaze once and put in the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes until brown. Halfway through the baking, brush again with the glaze.

When loaves are done, transfer them to a wire rack, and let them cool off for a little while (at least five minutes). Cut diagonally and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Apr: Roasted Acorn Squash with Soy-Maple Glaze

I also said I'd give you this recipe. I received it from my aunt and it's quite good, especially like I said with the curry. The porous flesh of the squash will soak up the glaze and its flavor will infuse the entire vegetable.

2 tbsp oil (olive or vegetable)
2 lb Acorn Squash (1 medium or 2 small)
Salt and Pepper

for the glaze:
3 tbsp 100% maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp grated ginger

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Brush the oil all over the cut sides of the squash and season them with pepper and a little salt.

Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position in the oven. Place the squash, cut side down, on an oiled sheet pan and place in the oven. Start checking for doneness after about 20 minutes. Cook until a skewer inserted into the squash meets little resistance.

While the squash is cooking, stir together the glaze.

Remove the squash from the oven and cut each side in half (if you are using one large squash, cut each half in half then in half again...got that?). Flip it cut side up and brush with the glaze. Return it to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until the maple mixture begins to caramelize. Brush another time with the glaze during the final cooking.

Serve each person a section.

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Apr: Curry Powder

I sort of promised you this recipe so here it is. It's from the CIA's book, "The Professional Chef".

Makes about 1 ounce

3/4 0z cumin seeds
1/3 oz coriander seeds
1 tsp whole mustard seeds
4 small dried red chilies, or to taste

1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 oz ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground ginger

Combine all the seeds and chilies. Roast in a 350ºF oven for 5 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Split the chilies and remove the seeds.

Grind the whole spices, ground spices, and chilies in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle until evenly blended.

NOTE
Add paprika, cloves, or fresh curry leaves to the blend if desired.


MY NOTE
An old coffee grinder like this one really comes in handy when grinding whole spices. They are very fast and efficient for the task.

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Feb: Chicken Curry with Basil

Ahh, the long awaited curry recipe. Curry may be unfamiliar to some of you...but may it never be! I enjoy curry...although I will say it's kind of something you have to be in the mood for. Don't look at curry as being unapproachable and difficult to prepare. This recipe is a great introduction if you haven't made curry before. And yet it also tastes so good you can make and enjoy it many more times. I hope you try it.

For a very yellow meal, serve this dish with the roasted acorn squash (recipe to follow). No really, I was quite pleased by the combination and would very much suggest you try it. To make this curry dish extra spicy, add some fresh Thai chilies (should be available at your local grocery store) or crushed red pepper flakes (yeah, like the kind you get at the pizza parlor). I also really like adding basil to this dish. Thai basil is more pungent in taste...a taste that sort of resembles that of licorice.

This dish can be prepared with other meats such as beef, lamb, and pork...just simmer them longer (1+ hours) in the stock before you add the coconut milk. The longer cooking time will further tenderize those other types of meat. Aside from that, the preparation should be the same, starting with the marinating process. Also add the flour, which will help the meat brown and act as a thickener when you add the liquids.

Another way to ensure the browning of the meat is to make sure it isn't too crowded in the pan when sauteing it. You'll likely need to brown the meat in about three batches. If using a pan other than a nonstick, you'll notice a good fond (browned bits the meat leaves behind) has developed after you've finished the first batch. Something I do between batches is degrease the pan with some stock (and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon) then poor the liquid off into a bowl and reserve it for the sauce. Then I would prepare the pan again for the next batch. It may seem like a somewhat cumbersome process but it really isn't that hard.

Ingredients:
serves: 8-10

6 (3 lb) chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), cubed
5 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp ginger, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp pre-made curry powder (or make your own...recipe to follow)
1/3 cup flour

Peanut oil, EP coconut oil, or other oil
1 large yellow onion, 1/4 in. dice or julienned
2-3 carrots, 1/4 in. dice or julienned
1 bell pepper, diced or julienned (optional)

Optional, 3-8 Thai peppers and/or crushed red pepper flakes (1-2 tsp)

2 1/2+ cups chicken stock (use more if using another kind of meat)
3/4 12oz can coconut milk (click)
2 tbsp fish sauce (see "special ingredient")
2 tbsp more curry powder as needed

2 cups somewhat packed whole basil leaves (preferably Thai or purple basil)
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Combine the first five ingredients and let marinate for twenty minutes or so. While they marinate, put a couple tablespoons of oil in a skillet or saute pan and heat until it slides easily across the pan. Add the carrots and cook over medium-high heat for about five minutes, and then add the onion and cook until the onion is somewhat softened (another three min). Remove the vegetables from the pan.

Add some more oil to the same pan and let it heat up. Add the flour to the chicken and stir it around. Add the chicken to the skillet and saute until golden and pretty well cooked (make sure not to crowed the chicken in the pan...you'll need to do 2-3 batches). When all the meat is cooked, return it all back to the pan. If you are using peppers or flakes add them at this time. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk. Stir and then cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Taste and stir in some more curry powder as needed. Add the fish sauce and cook for anther minute or two.

Add the sauteed vegetables and the basil. Cook a little bit longer until the basil is just barely wilted. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with additional fresh basil and chili flakes. Warn people about the highly fiery chilies and serve hot.

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Special Ingredient: Fish Sauce
Beware! This stuff stinks! Don't worry, it cooks off. Fish sauce is actually made by a process of pressing and fermenting small fish (like anchovies). The juice is extracted and boiled. Good fish sauce should be clear and brownish in color. Fish sauce that has been only briefly fermented has a pronounced fishy taste, while extended fermentation reduces this and gives the product a nuttier, cheesier flavor.

This ingredient is essential in Thai cuisine and is often substituted there for salt and soy sauce. Thai food just wouldn't be the same without it. Fish sauce is also popular in Vietnamese, Filipino, Lao, and other Southeast Asian cooking.

Jan: Cranberry Hot Sauce

I actually like to make this with the cranberry chutney. It's very easy to make if you have already prepared the chutney...simply put it in a blender with some vinegar, garlic and Habanero. A hand blender (see below) works great for this recipe. When blending, do not incorporate too much air into the sauce.

To make with the cranberry chutney:
(makes about 1 cup)

3/4 cup chutney
1/3-1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (add until it is the right consistency)
1/4+ Habanero, seeds removed (if your hands are sensitive, wear gloves while handling these)
1-2 cloves garlic
2 pinches of salt

Put everything in a blender or the bowl of a hand blender and blend until smooth. Put into a jar or squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

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To make with cranberries:
(makes about 1 cup)

1+1/2 cups cranberries
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water or apple cider
1 pinch salt

1/4+ Habanero
2 medium cloves garlic
3 pinches of salt

Cook the first four ingredients for about thirty minutes in a saucepan over medium low heat. Put in a blender or the bowl of a hand blender with the last three ingredients. Blend until smooth. Put into a jar or squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

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Equipment: Hand Blenders (a.k.a. "immersion blenders")
A hand blender is more than just a compact version of a stand blender. Its signature identity and best feature is the fact that it goes directly into the food you wish to blend. It can be used to blend vinaigrettes, sauces, frozen drinks, and is great for pureeing soups (simply immerse it in the soup and let it rip, making it safer and easier than having to transfer hot batches to a stand blender). The hand blender is also useful for making homemade mayonnaise (or aïoli) with the special bowl it comes with.

Hand blenders are made up of three parts: the motor is housed in the handle area; the blending rod can be plastic or stainless steel and is sometimes detachable (detachable rods are very handy when it comes to cleaning); and the foot contains the blade. When it comes down to it, any blender can puree at least decently, So what to look for is comfort in handling, ease of use and cleaning, and variable speed control is nice too.

As you can see from the picture and by clicking on some of the links below, you can get them with various other nifty attachments. I especially think the whisk attachment would be nice to have when emulsifying a vinaigrette or making hollandaise sauce. Also the chopping attachment could take the place of a small food processor.

Here are some recommended brands:

Braun Professional MR5550MBC - $64.99

KitchenAid KHB100WH - $49.99

Cuisinart CSB-76BC - $29.95

Braun MR400 (ours) - $23.99

Cuisinart CSB-44N (Cordless! Rechargeable!) - $39.95

- Other attachments for some hand blenders -

Jan: Braised Pork Shoulder

This recipe is quite fool-proof really. It is fairly easy to do and very satisfying. To make it more of a meal by itself you could add a vegetable or two that could cook in the braise with the meet. Not only do they take on some of the flavor of the braise, but they add flavor to the braising liquid which later becomes the sauce. Depending on what you're making, some vegetable suggestions would be carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, or cabbage.

The Ingredients:

season and sizzle:
1 pork shoulder, bone in
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

for the braising liquid:
1-2 cups red wine
Smoked ham hock stock (see below) or chicken stock to come halfway up the meat.

to add later:
8 small carrots or baby carrots (not these, these!)

for the sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 cups braising liquid
1 stick cold butter, cut into 5 pieces

serve with
Cranberry hot sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325º. If there is a lot of extra fat on the meat start by trimming some of that off. Season the meat on all sides. Brown it on all sides in a saute pan. Meanwhile heat up the stock in another pan until it is boiling. Transfer the browned meat to an appropriate sized roasting pan or Romertopf. Pour the stock over the meat, and also add the wine at this point.







Cover with tin foil and put in the oven. Cook for about two hours then flip the meat and return it to the oven for another hour. Peel the carrots and add them to the braise. Cook for another hour. During the whole cooking time the liquid should be just barely simmering.

Remove the meat and the carrots from the oven and transfer to a cookie sheet or something. You may need to use tongs to help with this process. Bump the oven temperature to 400º. Strain most of the liquid from the pan into a large measuring cup, bowl, or gravy separator. Return the meat to the pan and put back in the oven for another thirty minutes. Baste with the braising liquid frequently.

To make the sauce, put the vinegar and ginger in a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes. Strain the ginger out. Pour three cups of the strained braising liquid into the saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Reduce by one half (there should be one and a half cups left), maintaining a simmer. Turn of the heat and whisk in the butter one piece at a time. If you want to simplify this recipe you can forgo this sauce and just simply use the braising liquid. Although this sauce will add a nice touch to the dish.

Remove the meat form the oven, and break into serving size pieces. Arrange on a serving plate with a carrot or two. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat. I like to serve this dish with a little cranberry hot sauce (recipe follows), or this is a VERY good premade sauce you can buy, although it could be hard to find locally.

To see a picture of this dish see the post below (Jan: What Makes a Braise). What you see in the photo is just a piece of the shoulder.

Special ingredient: Smocked Ham Hocks
You'll likely be able to find these at your local grocery store. They're not really expensive (we paid $3.65 for those on the left). and they make for a wonderful stock. If you save and freeze the hocks from your hams, those will work for the stock too. Just go to "Dec: Stock Making" and use the hocks in place of the bones. Also, saute the vegetables some before adding them to the stock. When the vegetables are almost done sauteing, add 1/2 cup of tomato paste and continue to cook until it puts off a sweet aroma. also add two or three chipotles in adobo (smock-dried jalapeños, in adobo sauce). These add an exciting element of spice and more smokiness to the stock. Chipotles should be readily available in the supermarket. If not, you'll definitely find them in a Mexican supermarket or specialty store. La Costena is the brand I use.

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Jan: What Makes a Braise

Here it is finally...only three weeks late ˚o˚. Oh well, I hope you haven’t given up on checking in! And actually, this still isn't all...the actual recipe should be up by the end of the week.

Braises and stews were often looked upon as being “peasant food”, because most of the meat available to them was the less expensive and less tender cuts that require longer cooking times. Not to say that you’re peasants that make this dish, but hey, we all like to find more economical ways to feed our families. If you learn to braise properly, you would have greatly expanded your cooking repertoire. Braising allows you to approach and cook a variety of secondary cuts of meat (shoulder, chuck roast, shank, etc.) that you may have shied away from before.

Personally, braising is one of my favorite cooking methods. The meat becomes very tender and rich with the long cooking time which breaks down the collagen and sinew and infuses the meat with the flavors of the liquid you use to braise the meat in. So instead of “peasant food” lets call it “pleasant food”…how’s that?

Braising can be done with variety of foods. From meats to fish to vegetables, you name it, it can likely be braised. And of course, the different foods require different cooking times. The trick is to cook the food gently until it is very close to falling apart, to the point where it is difficult to transfer from the pan to the cutting board or plate.

Adding vegetables to the braise before it is done makes the finished braise a pretty substantial meal by itself. Heat up some rolls and you have a wonderful satisfying cold weather meal! Another advantage to braising is that it is a great make-ahead meal. Most meat braises are even better the second or third day, allowing more time for the flavors to further coalesce.

One of the wonderful things about braises is that they produce a great sauce with minimum extra effort. The sauce could be as simple as just spooning some of the liquid from the finished braise over the meat. Or, if you want to get a little fancier you could reduce it and add some butter.

By the way, braises are great to do in a Romertopf, if you have one. They make for a nice rustic presentation too.

Basic Braising Technique
Braising combines two techniques into one–dry cooking and moist cooking.

1. Brown the food in a sauté pan with some fat. If your pan is not ovenproof, transfer to an ovenproof dish when the food is brown.
   
   
2. Add enough of the braising liquid (stock or wine or both) to surround but not cover the food. Bring to a simmer. If you have transferred the food, heat up the liquid in the sauté pan or a separate saucepan then pour it over the food.
   
   
3. Transfer to a warm oven and cook slowly (250ºF. to 350ºF.). The liquid should be bubbling gently at a low simmer during the cooking process. When the meat is tender and falling apart, remove it from the oven.*
   
   
4. Increase the oven temperature to 400 ºF. Pour most of the braising liquid out (you may have to remove the meat to do this) and return the meat to the oven for another thirty to forty-five minutes to produce a browned and caramelized crust. While the meat is at this stage it is important to baste it frequently.
   
   
5. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan to make the sauce. Reduce until it is the desired consistency and flavor.
   

*If using the next day, complete step 3 and let it cool down in the braising liquid. Then transfer to a container with the juices and chill overnight or up to 3 days. When ready to serve perform steps 4 and 5.

Jan: Westernized Chutney

The word "chutney" comes from the Hindi term meaning "to taste." It originated in India as a way to preserve fruits and vegetables. Chutney, as a genre, is often similar to the salsa of Latin cooking, or European relish in-so-far as it usually involves a fresh, chopped primary vegetable/fruit with seasonings added, to be used as a condiment for another food. Making chutney is an easy and tasty method of capturing and extending the flavors of the seasons.

Chutney is a classic example of combining seasonal fruits and vegetables into a delicious creation. Make it with ripe firm fruit, vegetable(s) for contrast, and spices. You can even make it with immature fruits which become tender and rich when cooked in a chutney. The concentration of the fruit and/or vegetable with a balance of vinegar and sugar make for a very rich flavor which enhances the taste of many foods.

Just about any firm fruit will work for chutney. It can be made from apples, pears, peaches, mangos, papayas, cherries and melons. Many dried fruits can also be used. Vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and carrots are great chutney candidates too. Nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios add interesting texture and flavor. You could have some fun mixing and matching many of these ingredients.

Cranberry Chutney

With the close of cranberry season, this is a great way to preserve the fruit and enjoy them throughout the year. This chutney is wonderful with meat such as a braised pork shoulder or roasted duck. It is also good with cream cheese on a bagel or as a dip for crackers.

1 medium white onion, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp toasted mustard seeds
1/4 cup minced ginger
1/2 tsp fresh ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground cloves or ground cloves
pinch ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt

1 lb fresh cranberries
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1-2 Fuyu persimmons, chopped (optinal)
Minced Jalapeño (however much you like)

3/4 cups cider vinegar
1/2+ apple cider
Juice form 1-2 tangerine
12 oz can whole cranberry sauce
3/4 cup+ sugar (I use mostly brown)

Sweat onions in some olive oil for a few minutes then add balsamic and cook until evaporated. Add the spices and cook a little. Then add then add everything else and cook until it’s done (up to 2 hours) or until it has reached the desired consistency. You may need to refresh it as it cooks with some water or cider or something. Adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Transfer the chutney into clean glass containers. It will keep in the fridge for several months. You could also can it.

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Dec: Our Chistmas Salmon

I still don't feel like Curry, so I thought I'd share with you this salmon recipe and give you a glimpse into kind of what it's like when I cook.

"Hey Peter, would you like to make the Salmon?" "Oh, umm, yeah...sure, I guess so." My mind starts turning. I happen to look at the cherry sampler platter we had received as a gift from some friends. In it was a jar of cherry vinaigrette. "Ooooh", I think to myself, "that would pair great with salmon". I share my idea with Mom...she's not so sure. I also notice a half of leek Mom had out, and hope she doesn't use it so I can.

I consult my books to help me get into the mood and to get an idea as to how I'll cook the fish. I land on a Salmon braised with mushrooms recipe. "Oh, but we don't have mushrooms...they wouldn't be good with the cherry anyway," I think to myself, "I'll braise it with something else, then pour some of the vinaigrette over it when it's done". My stomach rumbles. I end up using the leek (plus another one I found), some sliced celery stalks, and some sliced carrots I stole from a dish Mom was preparing. These will add great flavor to the dish as it cooks, but will be discarded at the end. I cook them with some olive oil in a skillet for a while and add some salt, pepper, and bay leaf. I then add some chicken broth and a splash of Chardonnay, then the salted salmon "roast" (the whole fish without the head and tail), which we had cut in half. The fish sticks up too much in the pan, so I make a makeshift lid with some tin foil.

The heat stays relatively low to cook the fish gently. There's something that's missing...Herbs! On my way to the parsley plant I pass the Sorrel. "Hmm", It's in the back of my mind. The parsley's good and I chop off and mince some of the tops for later. When I take the foil off to put the parsley stems in, the smells are just wonderful. I drool and my stomach rumbles again. I put some stems inside the fish and some on top and cover it again. Right about this time I am quite pleased with how this creation is turning out. I tell Mom how privileged this fish is to be prepared in this way. She gives me a token laugh...she just wants me to get it done (dinner time is getting close).

After a while I pull the salmon out thinking it's done. It's not. Not even close. It cooks longer and I pull it out again, quite confident now that it's done. It's not. It is now falling apart all over the place from all the transferring to and from the pan. I tell Mom that the presentation isn't going to be as stunning as I thought or hoped. That's okay though, the straggling pieces give me opportunity to taste it. My stomach rumbles. Meanwhile the peas are warming up in a steamer in the salmon pan. I make yet another comment to Mom, who was working on an elegant carrot dish with ginger and spiced nuts (yes, we're working together on this meal) about how my peas are jealous of her carrots. I cut off three pieces of the salmon and put them in the pan, and then I put the pea steamer on top still trying to heat them up. Dinner is now waiting on me.

I did end up slicing some sorrel and putting it around the platter. I put the peas, which still weren't steaming (oh well), in the center. Then the salmon was nestled in the bed of peas with some of the flavorful braising liquid spooned over it. With the back of a spoon I painted some cherry "butter", also in the cherry sampler, over the salmon. And now, the cherry vinaigrette, yes...the final touch, or so I thought (In the rush to get it finished I totally forgot about the parsley leaves I had minced). Everything paired quite well with the salmon, and I could hardly slow down enough to enjoy it.


The Recipe:
Sweat:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 leaks, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
4 inner celery stalks, sliced
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

Add and bring to simmer:
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chardonnay

Add and cover:
1 salmon, tail and head removed, cut in half (see note*)
Kosher salt

Add:
Parsley stems
Celery leaves

Serve with:
12oz frozen peas
12+ leaves Sorrel
Cherry vinaigrette (see accompanied recipe)

Sweat the first ingredients in a skillet or saute pan with some olive oil for about 8 minutes. Add the liquids and bring to a simmer. Salt the fish and add it to the pan with the parsley and any of the celery leaves from the celery. Cover and maintain a simmer and flip the fish after about 2o minutes (when to flip it depends on how large the fish is). Cook for another twenty minutes or until done.

To Serve:
Thinly slice the sorrel. Steam the peas until just heated through. Arrange the sorrel around the edge of the platter, and put the peas in the middle. Cut the salmon into 2 inch pieces using scissors to cut through the bone. Remove any remaining skin that is on the salmon. Place salmon pieces on the peas. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the fish and peas and drizzle some vinaigrette over the fish.

*This recipe would work well with Salmon fillets too.

Cherry Vinaigrette:
1/2 c. olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped
1/3 c. red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar of both
1/4 c. pitted unsweetened dried cherries, chopped
1 tbsp poppy seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the vinegar and boil for 1 minute. Add the dried cherries, salt and pepper, poppy seeds, and heat through for one minute longer. Taste for seasoning.

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