The Chef's Table

Thanks Again, and a Word About Sponsoring

2009-07-27T08:33:00.003-04:00

Another successful Blogathon is over, leaving just a few administrative bits to sweep up! My thanks again to everyone who helped, in every way they helped. Your support and encouragement made a tough 24 hours fly right by!

If you enjoyed the blog and would still like to sponsor us, you can still sponsor through Blogathon (and have your pledge added to the overall event total) through July 31st. The link is here.

Comments will close in about a week to fend off spammers, but the blog will remain up permanently. If you have something to say about the blog after comments have closed, you can e-mail blogathon (at) darkfriends (dot) net.

AdSense ads were enabled this morning. Ads are not permitted during the event. However, after the event, I enable ads. All ad revenue from my Blogathon blogs is donated to the National Kidney Foundation. Currently, this is about $300 per year.

Thanks again for all of your support! We'll be back next year with another exciting 24 hour blog marathon!

Good morning, and good night.

2009-07-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

And so it ends, another Blogathon has come to a close.

Twenty-four hours. Forty-nine posts. A lot of food, fun...and exhaustion.

We stayed up late, and we made a difference - The Chef's Table raised $843 for the National Kidney Foundation, and the participants of Blogathon collectively raised more than $41,000 amongst all their charities! Amazing!

Love and brightest blessings to all of you. It's time to hang up my hat, so to speak.

Until next 'thon, I remain,

Missy, signing off.

Gratitude

2009-07-26T08:26:00.000-04:00

There are some people who need thanking.

First, above all, my wonderful sponsors for their donations - of money, of time, and of give-a-damn. Without you, I would have been blogging into the void. For all of your help and support, I thank you from the bottom of my very tired heart.

KT, my Blogathon monitor - and really, the whole Blogathon family - for being a tireless cheerleader and a great source of encouragement. It takes a lot of time and effort to bring together an entire community in just over a month, and they've put forth a PHENOMENAL effort.

My family, for coping with my yearly pre-Blogathon panic and fuss, and for all of their help with getting this year's theme off the ground - Maus for brainstorming the idea of a tasting menu to begin with, and the Monsters and Other Children for serving so competently as my Kitchen Crew. It is so gratifying that, even though the NKF is my "pet charity", the Blogathon event to support that charity is always a family effort. It means a lot to me.

And David, in whose honor I blog, for appointing himself my personal DJ as the evening turned to night turned to wee hours of the morning. It always has come down to us sharing music in the middle of the night, hasn't it? Some things never change.

Your support means the world to me. Thank you so much.

It's not too late to sponsor us for Blogathon 2009 and the National Kidney Foundation!

2009-07-26T07:57:00.000-04:00

The Blogathon crew tells us that official sponsorships will remain open until July 31st. Of course, you can still donate to the NKF any time after the close of sponsorship - simply go directly to their donation page!

I am profoundly grateful for the support of all of my sponsors. It's folks like you who make the NKF's vital work possible in these days of reduced government funding for important research.

To all of you, from everyone here at The Chef's Table, our deepest gratitude.

Our After Blogathon Plan

2009-07-26T07:27:00.001-04:00

My Kitchen Crew worked so hard all day and through the night, and they're still chugging away! They're very excited, as this is the first year we haven't lost one or the other of them in the wee hours of the morning.

We're rarely able to sleep past one the day Blogathon concludes, so we have determined that we will be having ourselves an afternoon out.

We will drop into bed at 9AM, rise at 1PM, and leave the house at 1:15PM to go to the movies and out for dinner. We are seeing UP (the second time for Ernie and me) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and we will follow it up with dinner at the Elephant Bar.

This has become something of a post-Blogathon tradition - every year we've participated, we've gone to the movies on just 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

I expect we'll all collapse half dead into our beds when we get home around 8:30PM tonight!

What's on your agendas, 'thonners?

Time for Breakfast!

2009-07-26T06:58:00.001-04:00

All of this coffee and no sleep is really upsetting my stomach. Fortunately, my tummy is easily soothed with a smoothie:

1 cup apple juice
1 cup almond milk
1 banana
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup strawberry yogurt
1 scoop protein powder (we use Gaspari)
1 tbs. honey

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Kidney.org Showing As Malware

2009-07-26T06:27:00.000-04:00

Several of my sponsors have reported the the National Kidney Foundation's home page is being reported by both Google and Firefox as a malware site.

Kidney.org is not a malware site, but rather the official homepage of the National Kidney Foundation - a federally registered 503(c) non-profit organization. You WILL NOT get a virus from visiting the NKF home page.

The "safe search" provider claims the site is "under review". Until they pull their heads out, please use Internet Explorer to visit the NKF homepage.

Pear Sunrise

2009-07-26T06:01:00.000-04:00

The sun isn't quite up yet, but I'd sure like it to be!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 1/2 cup cored, pared chopped fresh USA pears
- 2/3 oz passion fruit juice from concentrate
- 1/4 oz pomegranate juice
Garnish: orange wedge

In blender, combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth. Pour into chilled glass and serve.

Alex's Sourdough Starter Is A Lot Like This

2009-07-26T05:31:00.000-04:00

I am terrified of Alex's sourdough starter. I find the bread he makes from it to be quite delicious, though.

More Food Trivia!

2009-07-26T04:53:00.000-04:00

-- Beer has a bitter taste and slightly pungent aroma because of lupulin, a substance found in hops.

-- Africa's 8,000-year brewing history began with ancient Egyptian commercial brewing dynasties and still includes handmade tribal beers.

-- Pineapples are classified as berries.

-- The apricot can be traced back to China at least four thousand years ago, and it first appeared in Greek mythology as the "golden apple."

-- Two-thirds of the world's coffee comes from Brazil.

-- One pound of tea can make nearly three hundred cups to drink.

-- Whiskey was first brewed in the United States in 1640. It was made from a mixture of corn and rye.

-- Vanilla is the extract of fermented and dried pods of orchids.

-- Chewing gum was created by the Mayans over 300 years ago. They boiled the sap of the sapodilla tree and chewed it.

-- Milk is actually considered to be a food and not a beverage.

-- In the Middle Ages, chicken soup was believed to be an aphrodisiac.

-- Cheese is the oldest of all man-made foods.

Punch Drunk? Drunk Punch? I Forget!

2009-07-26T04:29:00.000-04:00

No, those don't seem right, either one. What was it?

Oh. Right.

RUSSIAN PUNCH! I knew it was some kind of punch.

ice cubes
1/2 shot of creme de cassis
1 shot fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. sugar syrup
2 shots vodka
chilled Champagne, to top up

Fill a sling glass (tall and slender) with ice cubes. Pour in the lemon juice, creme de cassis, and sugar syrup, add the vodka and Champagne together, and stir.

Nearly there!

2009-07-26T03:58:00.001-04:00

Just five hours to go! And in 19 hours, I've gotten a lot accomplished:

-- Interesting breakfast (it was really tasty!)
-- Twelve course meal, two posts per recipe to allow for proper prep and cooking.
-- Cheerful, happy nattering as people came and went today, sampling whatever dishes were ready to try.
-- Cheerful, happy nattering from my Kitchen Crew
-- Ridiculous trivia.
-- Happy nostalgia, thanks to YouTube. I'm so happy I can still see my old favorites, even though they've all passed on.
-- Wrangled the Monsters into cleaning the kitchen!
-- Thus far have raised $823 for a cause near and dear to my heart.

Everyone who has contributed - either with money, linking, commenting - you're all fantastic, and I appreciate every one of you.

Jeff Smith Cooks with Firefighters

2009-07-26T03:28:00.000-04:00

When Alexander was just a wee little Monster, there were three things he loved more than anything in the world: Sesame Street's Elmo, Firemen, and Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet.

I managed to find two of those in one place! Well, two, but it's one show.

We often poke Alex about his childhood obsession with "The Froogie", and we're pretty sure that's what drew him to the Culinary Arts - he would sulk mightily if he didn't get to watch his favorite chef!

Julia Cooks Tableside

2009-07-26T02:59:00.000-04:00

I remember watching this as a young child, and being completely fascinated with it. Cooking at the table? Really? Steak Diane sounded so elegant and inviting, too.

Julia's attitude towards booze in her cooking was always one of her most endearing traits. "A few drops of cognac never hurt anything!" Her course by course wine suggestions are spot of - as if they wouldn't be! - and serve as a terrific guide for even the novice cook.

While We're on the Subject of Miss Julia...

2009-07-26T02:29:00.000-04:00

In her classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child wrote nineteen pages about omelets. And said they were easy! Simple!

You'd think 19 pages of musings would mean that they're difficult. But as we see in this 1979 clip, it's really just all in the wrist...

Chocolate Moose -- I Mean, Mousse

2009-07-26T01:57:00.001-04:00

OK, so that's not precisely how it goes.

Miss Julia explains in somewhat better detail in Mastering the Art of French Cooking:

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.

Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.

In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick. (You can also use a handheld electric mixer.)

Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla.

Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don't overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.

Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.

Food Trivia!

2009-07-26T01:29:00.000-04:00

In years past, the late night/wee morning hours have been filled with food trivia, random recipes, and occasionally brain fried musings on something food or booze related or other.

I don't see any reason why this year should be any different, so I went looking for some fun food trivia, and learned a few things along the way:

-- Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.

-- The onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl.

-- Potato chips were invented by a North American Indian called George Crum.

-- In France, people eat approximately 500,000,000 snails per year. (They are merely a conveyance for white-wine with garlic butter sauce.)

-- The first breakfast cereal ever produced was Shredded Wheat. (YUM!)

-- There are about 100,000 bacteria in one litre of drinking water. (Ew. I wonder if any of that gets filtered out by the Brita pitcher?)

-- Hot dogs were first created in China. (So my Chicago dog is actually Chinese food? Awesome!)

-- Within 2 hours of standing in daylight, milk loses between half and two-thirds of its vitamin B content. (This is why many milk producers are switching to opaque jugs.)

-- Peanuts are used in the manufacture of dynamite. (Where's the KABOOM?)

-- It has been traditional to serve fish with a slice of lemon since the Middle Ages, when people believed that the fruit's juice would dissolve any bones accidentally swallowed.

Lemon Martini

2009-07-26T01:01:00.001-04:00

Let's play with a little more liquor for a minute!

I'm a fan of girlie martinis - the ones with vodka, something sweet, and NO GIN! A Lemon Martini is a lovely accompaniment to a hot summer's day!

ice cubes
1.5 shots Citron vodka
1 shot fresh lemon juice
1/4 shot sugar syrup
1/4 shot Cointreau
3 drops orange bitters
orange twist for garnish

Combine all in a cocktail shaker, shake until frosty, and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Best enjoyed outside, in the fresh air and sunshine, with a book in the other hand!

...and ANOTHER PSA!

2009-07-26T00:39:00.001-04:00

'cause if I'm supporting the National Kidney Foundation, then I ought to talk a little bit about kidney disease, and not just food and booze. But I promise, the next post will get back to food and booze!

Did you know...

-- 1 in 9 Americans suffers from Chronic Kidney Disease?

-- 26 million Americans have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk. Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.

-- Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.

-- Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function.

-- Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.

-- Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present.

-- High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney disease.

-- African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Seniors are at increased risk.

-- Three simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine.

Are you at risk? Do you think you could be? Then for the love of Mike, call your doc and get yourself checked out! Chronic kidney disease is not something you can ignore - failing kidneys can land you on dialysis, in the transplant ward (if there's a kidney available for you - some people die waiting for one), or worse. Don't put it off. Don't let it go.

Take care of yourself!

A Public Service Announcement

2009-07-26T00:05:00.000-04:00

Did you know that you can help support the National Kidney Foundation in more ways than just sponsoring this blog? (Not that I don't want you to sponsor this blog, mind!)

Get up, get outside, enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, and participate in a Kidney Walk in your area! Kidney Walks are held all year long, all you need to do is check to see when the one nearest you is!

It's a good way to get a little exercise, meet new people, and support a fantastic organization. Get on out there!

Meet the Chef's Table Staff

2009-07-25T23:37:00.000-04:00

Usually, I begin the Blogathon day by introducing the "staff", but we had too much else going on to meet our goal of finishing the cooking in 12 hours.

But here we are now!

Missy, Kitchen Witch

Ernie, Jr. Sous; Jake, Dish Monkey; Luke, Dish Monkey; Whiskey Jack, Janitor; Alex, Sr. Sous

Pulling this off without my competent and johnny-on-the-spot kitchen crew would have been nigh on impossible! They're a good bunch, I'm grateful for their help!

A different sort of food

2009-07-25T23:02:00.000-04:00

Let us turn our attention away from cooking for a moment to talk about a different kind of food.

Namely, liquor. A drinkie-poo. BOOZE!

After running around in the kitchen for twelve hours, my back is killing me. So I'm taking the edge off with a little something or other - a cocktail by the name of Black Widow. And is it ever tasty!

There are many versions of this cocktail, this is the one I like best:

4 - 5 ice cubes
2 shots dark rum
1 shot Southern Comfort
juice of half a lime
dash sugar syrup
lime slice, to garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime.

This is meant for SIPPING, folks. If you knock this back like a shot of Tequila, you may find yourself flat on the floor! Moderation, darlings, moderation.

Cheers!

A shout out to my peeps!

2009-07-25T22:35:00.000-04:00

Now that I have some time to breathe after our breakneck cooking pace, let me take a minute to talk about a couple other bloggers!

Long-time friend and colleague Alistair Young, aka Cerebrate, aka Athanasius Skytower (at Second Life), and known to some of us as Jim-Bob, is smack in the middle of a Second Life Road Trip.

He's blogging for the American Cancer Society in honor of someone dear to him, and he's really putting on a hell of a show. I'm very excited to have a little time to go wander the other blogs now, because the stuff that has been showing up in Jim-Bob's feed has been phenomenal.

AND! He won a blogger award today! I'm pleased as pie to see this first year 'thonner jumping right in and having a ball.

Check him out! And if you've got a little spare change, please throw it at this very worthy cause!

LJ pal and fellow snarker Ruby is blogging for a terrific cause, one I'm totally behind - the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center.

A breeding zoo and research facility, the Feline Conservation center houses more than 70 endangered big cats, and is registered with ISIS, the Species Survival Plan, and the Population Management Plan for the species it houses.

Ruby is blogging Big Cat Facts! Go visit, and toss her some moolah while you're at it!

Behold, the RUBBLE!

2009-07-25T21:57:00.000-04:00

My poor kitchen. But really, for having had 12 solid hours of traffic through it, it's not so bad. We never landed in the weeds once!

Pardon me for a moment. I'm going to leave you to contemplate the wreckage of my kitchen while I run off for a fast shower. I'm covered in curry and flour and pepper and cream and all manner of cooking debris!

Back in 30!

Chai Pots de Creme - Continued

2009-07-25T21:30:00.001-04:00

How to:

For the custard, combine the cream, half and half, tea, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, remove from heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a 13x9 glass dish with a dish towel. Place 6 6oz. ramekins in the baking dish. Set aside.

Combine the egg yolks, whole egg, sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on high until the mixture thickens.

Strain the spice infused cream into a medium bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the warm cream mixutre into the egg mixture. Mix to combine.

Carefully divide mixture amongst ramekins and put the baking dish in the oven. Use a cup to pour enough warm water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, cover the whole thing with foil, and poke a few holes in to let the steam escape.

Bake until the custards are just set and still a little jiggly, about 30 - 40 minutes.

Remove the ramekins, allow to cool on a rack, then chill until completely cold.

For the spiced whipped cream, beat the whipping cream, sugar and garam masala in a medium bowl, to soft peaks. Spoon a dollop over each chilled custard, and serve.

Chai Pots de Creme

2009-07-25T21:00:00.002-04:00

It's not a real tasting menu unless dessert makes an appearance! Since we seem to have had quite a few Indian influences today, Ernie thought we should close out the menu with a lovely Chai Pots de Creme, from the already mentioned Indian Home Cooking.

It's a little fiddly, but a lot yummy!

Ingredients:

For the Custard:

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1 tbs. Darjeeling or Earl Grey loose tea
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick, broken in half
6 green cardamom pods, pounded in a mortar and pestle to open
5 whole cloves
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
4 black peppercorns
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
zest of one lemon

For the Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream
4 tsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp garam masala

Saganaki

2009-07-25T20:28:00.000-04:00

All in one post for this dish! Everybody loves flaming cheese, right?

Well, I do. If you don't want it, that just leaves more for me!

1 lb. soft Kasseri cheese (Fontina works, too)
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 lemon (juice)
2 tbsp. brandy

Cut cheese into slices 1/4 inch thick. Place in a cast iron skillet and brush with melted butter, then slide it under the broiler.

Broil on high 4 to 6 inches from heat until cheese bubbles. Remove from heat. Pour brandy over cheese and ignite immediately.

Put the flames out with the lemon juice, like so:

Sauteed Beef with Hummous - Continued

2009-07-25T20:00:00.001-04:00

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add beef, sautee til browned and cooked through. Drain well and reserve.

In the food processor, combine the hummous ingredients and pulse til smooth. You may need to add a bit more lemon juice, a little at a time, until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Spread a generous bed of hummous on a plate, cover with cooked beef, and garnish with a mint leaf or a leaf of baby arugula.

Sauteed Beef with Hummous

2009-07-25T19:24:00.002-04:00

I didn't put any thought into my husband's ancestral food traditions when we married. At least, not at first. It wasn't on the list of qualifications, so to speak.

But, as time passed and his family started poking at me to learn some of their food traditions - Dad is first generation Syrian-American - I got much more interested in it than they are, and now I play with Middle Eastern food (and culture!) to the delight of my entire household.

A super simple, protein-filled, delicious lunch is one of sauteed beef, served on a bed of homemade hummous. Hummous used to give me fits - it was my very, very weak link in my Middle Eastern repertoire - until I had a chat with Hibba, an Iraqi bellydancer now living in Canada. Hibba was pleased that I loved Middle Eastern food, and laughed when I told her how hummous flummoxed me so.

"Leave the garlic out. That's an American thing."

And now, my Hummous no longer sucks.

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef stew meat, diced small
2 tbs. butter

For the hummous:

1 can (8 oz) chick peas, rinsed and well drained
1 cup tahini
1/2 cup or so lemon juice

Lamb Ravioli with Indian Flavors - Continued

2009-07-25T19:07:00.000-04:00

How to:

Start a large pot of boiling, salted water.

Start the curry cream - combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until volume is reduced by half.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the ground lamb, pepper, and the curry powder. Cook through, stirring constantly.

Drain well, then set aside in a mixing bowl. Add the cheese and egg, stirring well. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine all of the pasta ingredients, mixing either with a stand mixer or your hands until you have a moist, lightly sticky dough.

On a floured work surface, roll out the dough, cut circles to the size of your choice.

Brush half of each circle with an egg wash, then fill with lamb mixture, fold over and seal.

Cook in the boiling salted water in small batches, stirring once or twice to keep them from sticking. They'll float when they're done. Fish them out, drain well.

Serve generously drizzled in curry cream.

Lamb Ravioli with Indian Flavors

2009-07-25T18:27:00.001-04:00

My friend John thought to set a bug in my ear about Indian-Italian fusion a while ago. I rather like the idea of Italian textures and Indian flavors, so I thought to try an Indian inspired ravioli with a curry cream reduction.

The addition of coconut oil in the lamb cooking process gives the lamb a beautiful flavor and texture, and it makes the kitchen so fragrant, too!

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 pound ground lamb
1 tbs. coconut oil
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg

For the Pasta:

1.5 semolina
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 egg
2 tbs. water

For the Cream Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 tsp. curry powder

It's not as fiddly as it looks!

Eggplant Caponata - Continued

2009-07-25T18:05:00.001-04:00

How to:

Heat olive oil to near smoking, over medium high heat, in a 12 inch pan. Add onion, pine nuts, currants, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook until the onion is soft.

Add the eggplant, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa, cook for 5 minutes.

Add the thyme, tomato sauce, and balsamic vinegar, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature.

Serve over toasted bread rounds.

Eggplant Caponata

2009-07-25T17:29:00.001-04:00

I so thoroughly enjoy Mario Batali, and I'm still more than a little pissed at the Food Network for taking his shows off, and adding more of that insipid Ray woman. Blargh, bad Food Network! BAD!

A few years back, the Monsters bought Mario's Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home cookbook for me, and I love it. We decided to do something with the lovely eggplant we picked up from the Farmer's Market, using one of Mario's recipes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, 1/2 inch dice
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbs. pine nuts
3 tbs. dried currants
1 tbs. dried red pepper flakes
2 medium eggplant, cubed
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried Thyme
3/4 cup basic tomato sauce (make your own or cheat with the jarred stuff!)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut into 3/4 inch rounds and toasted

Yes, this one is a teeny bit fiddly. But so, so good!

Intermezzo - Acai Sorbet with Pomegranate, Blueberry, and Raspberry - Continued

2009-07-25T17:00:00.001-04:00

How to:

Combine all ingredients in the freeze chamber of your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

When finished, pour the sorbet into a freezable bowl, and stash it in the freezer to finish.

Serve in a tasting-sized wine glass. After 6 dishes, your palate gets very tired and you stop tasting things properly. A nice fruit sorbet is just the thing to scrub it off and perk it up again!

Just FIVE dishes left!

Intermezzo - Acai Sorbet with Pomegranate, Blueberry, and Raspberry

2009-07-25T16:30:00.001-04:00

Acai seems to be all the rage right now, with claims of antioxidant power, rapid weight loss, and probably the ability to fly.

I don't know about any of that, but I DO know that Acai tastes FANTASTIC! And when combined with Pomegranate, Blueberry and Raspberry? It's out of this world.

I've known about Acai since long before Oprah started shilling for it. Maus is a Market Manager for The Vitamin Shoppe, a nearly national health supplement chain. They've carried Acai juice for just about forever, and often offer free samples to customers.

It's a little spendy - $10 for a quart! - but it's super tasty, and $10 is a small price to pay for a lovely palate cleanser.

Ingredients:

1 quart Acai juice blend

1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar

I use my handy dandy electric ice cream maker for this.

Shrimp en Papilloute with Cilantro-Coconut Chutney - Continued

2009-07-25T16:05:00.000-04:00

How to:

Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drop all chutney ingredients into your food processor, and pulse until well chopped. Dump into a bowl, stir well, set aside.

Cut a piece of aluminum foil about 15 inches long, and lay it out with a short side facing you. Brush the bottom half with a little oil.

Spoon a bit of chutney (about a tablespoon) onto the foil, then add 1/4 of the shrimp. Top with another tablespoon of chutney.

Fold the top half of the foil down, then fold up the bottom edges and fold in the sides. Repeat for a total of four packages.

Place the packages on a hot grill (or on a cookie sheet in a single layer in a 450F oven) and cook until the packages are puffy - 12 to 15 minutes or so.

Slice open the packets and slide onto plates.

Shrimp en Papilloute with Cilantro-Coconut Chutney

2009-07-25T15:29:00.004-04:00

When choosing our menu items this year, we wanted to feature some unusual dishes. Ernie found a terrific recipe for Salmon en Papilloute in Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness' Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes.

We didn't want to use salmon, though, and opted instead for shrimp. We also weren't interested in having the oven on for a while, so we're cooking this on the grill.

Ingredients:

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper, about 1/2 tsp. ea.

For the chutney:

2/3 cup grated fresh coconut or 2/3 cup unsweetened dried coconut mixed with 1/3 cup milk
3 fresh green chiles, seeds removed
6 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
juice of two lemons

You'll need some heavy duty aluminum foil and either an oven pre-heated to 450F, or a hot grill.

Caprese Alexander - Continued

2009-07-25T15:00:00.000-04:00

How to:

Dice the tomatoes to small dice, reserve in a bowl.

Dice the cheeses, chiffonade the herbs. Add to the tomatoes, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, and stir well.

Serve garnished with a mint leaf!

Caprese Alexander

2009-07-25T14:26:00.000-04:00

Alex, my head sous and Elder Monster, has a keen interest in the culinary arts. He's enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Whitmer High School, where he will be a Junior in the Fall, and is a regular occupant of the home kitchen.

His twist on the classic Italian Salate Caprese is so good, your hair will do jumping jacks!

Ingredients:
1 large red tomato
2 small yellow tomatoes
2 small orange tomatoes
1/2 pound mozzarella
1 slice haloumi
2 oz. fresh mint, chiffonade
4 oz. fresh basil, chiffonade
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Get out your knives and chopping skills!

Vichysoisse with Thai herbs - Continued

2009-07-25T13:54:00.002-04:00

How to:

Trim and discard root and green sections of leeks. Slice thinly, then toss into a sink full of cold water. Agitate briskly with your hands, then allow to sit. This gets rid of the dirt and grit.

Drain well.

In the bottom of a heavy stock pot, melt the butter. Add leeks, cook til soft, then add potatoes and stock. Cover, simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Stir in coconut milk.

Combine Thai herb ingredients in a small bowl, set aside til serving time.

Puree the soup in a food processor (or blender) in small batches. Return to pan, heat through for 3 to 5 more minutes. Serve garnished with Thai herbs.

Vichysoisse with Thai herbs

2009-07-25T13:33:00.002-04:00

I find soup to be something of a lost art in the US. Very few restaurants go beyond standard offerings - chicken noodle, french onion, vegetable beef, broccoli and cheese, clam chowder.

These. Are. BORING! Too many restaurants serve them, and I'm so bored by the very idea of them anymore. Argh.

We like soup here, though, and love to play with it. Bettina Jenkins' Soup: 100 Recipes From Classic to Contemporary - a lovely find on the Barnes and Noble remainder table some years ago - offers a ton of alternatives, including this one.

Ingredients:

4 leeks
2 oz. butter
1.5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 cups stock or water (Jenkins recommends veggie stock, we're using chicken stock for a richer flavor)
1 cup coconut milk
sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Thai Herbs:

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed flat parsley, chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried chili flakes
grated zest of 1/2 lemon

A heavy bottomed stock pot is your friend!

Iron Chef Michael Symon's Crispy Fresh Bacon with Grilled Haloumi and Pickled Green Tomatoes - Continued

2009-07-25T12:58:00.000-04:00

How to:

Slice the bacon into inch to inch and a half strips, then cut the strips into inch to inch and a half pieces.

Carefully remove the rind with a sharp knife. Please keep your fingers intact! Then cut each cube in half.

In a large pan, brush in about a teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium high. When the pan is hot, add the cubes of bacon to sear. Flip them over to sear the other side, then pop the whole shebang into the 500F oven for 15 minutes or so, until crispy.

While the bacon is roasting, slice the haloumi and grill each slice in the cast iron skillet.

On your serving plate, lay down 4 or 5 leaves of baby arugula. Place the cheese atop that, add 4 cubes of bacon, and garnish with a couple pickled green tomatoes.

OM NOM NOM NOM!

Iron Chef Michael Symon's Crispy Fresh Bacon with Grilled Haloumi and Pickled Green Tomatoes

2009-07-25T12:29:00.000-04:00

Legendary in his native Cleveland for Lola, Iron Chef Michael Symon is one of the fastest rising food stars in the nation. Recently awarded the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, Chef Symon keeps himself busy not only with filming Iron Chef and Lola, but also with Cleveland's Lolita, and Detroit's Roast.

I had the pleasure of dining at Roast in February, and was quite taken with Chef Symon's Crispy Fresh Bacon with Grilled Haloumi and Pickled Green Tomatoes, and set about to reverse engineering it. My version is not as velvety as Chef Symon's - I think he used larger and fattier pieces of bacon - but it's a pretty close approximation, and I'm really happy with it.

It's a little complex, but a lot tasty, and well worth the effort.

Ingredients:

1/4 slab bacon

1 pound haloumi - the national cheese of Cyprus!

small bunch baby arugula
pickled green tomatoes

A cast iron skillet for grilling the haloumi is a plus, and you'll want a large pan for searing, then roasting the bacon.

The pickled green tomatoes need to be done AT LEAST the night before. Use Chef Symon's brining recipe, substituting green tomato wedges for the chilis. The longer they sit, the stronger the taste. I think the light pickle works really well.

Bacon Wrapped Figs with Port Reduction - Continued

2009-07-25T12:01:00.001-04:00

How to:

Start with the port reduction. Simply combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan, stir well, and reduce to about 3/4 - 2/3 over medium high heat. Stir it now and then, and pay attention to it. It will reduce fairly quickly. Remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool.

Wrap each fig in a slice of bacon, and lay them seam side down, well spaced, in a glass baking dish.

Bake at 450F until the bacon is crispy, 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve drizzled with port reduction, die of happiness.

Bacon Wrapped Figs with Port Reduction

2009-07-25T11:33:00.002-04:00

My friend Annette was here recently, and she presented me with a jar of "Hurricane Gustav Figs"- figs that had come from a second bearing, after the tree had become confused by its stripping by Hurricane Gustav.

They're lovely, tasty little figs, and I thought they'd benefit from a little bacon and a little port!

Ingredients:

Figs of your choice
Bacon slices equal to the number of figs you have on hand

Holly Balansag, vinter at Sandhill Crane Vineyards, in Jackson, MI, produces a fantastic port that will blow your socks right off! I like to use for...well, everything.

Port Reduction:

1 cup port
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

You'll also want a glass baking dish, and an oven pre-heated to 450F.

Peppered Pineapple Relish - Continued

2009-07-25T11:00:00.001-04:00

How to:

Peel, core, and remove the "eyes" from the pineapple. We have a pretty awesome tool for that - saves sliced fingers!

Dice the pineapple finely and place it in a fine mesh sieve (or a colander) over a bowl. Allow the juice to drain, you should get about 2 cups of juice. Reserve them separately.

Spread the pepper in a dry frying pan and toast over medium high heat, shaking frequently, for about 40 to 50 seconds. How will you know it's ready? Follow your nose. It will be gloriously fragrant!

While you're toasting the pepper, place the pineapple juice in a small saucepan, and reduce by half. Add the brown sugar, stir to dissolve, and allow to cool.

Pour the mixture over the reserved pineapple, add the pepper, and stir well.

Serve thusly:

Peppered Pineapple Relish

2009-07-25T10:36:00.002-04:00

Chef Rick Tramonto, owner of Chicago's Tru, recently published a book of lovely recipes for tiny appetizers. Called amuse bouche, French for "amuse the mouth", these tiny bites are presented at the very beginning of the meal, both in welcome, and to wake up the palate.

(You can find Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites That Delight Before the Meal Begins at Amazon!)

I was intrigued by the idea of a peppered pineapple relish - the sweet of the pineapple paired with the slow heat of mixed pepper? Oh, yes!

Ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple
1/4 cup coarsely ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar

Is that it? Ingredient-wise, sure.

First, you have to clean the pineapple!

What's to Eat? - The Menu

2009-07-25T10:01:00.000-04:00

One of the great pleasures of the table is a long, slow, one small course at a time meal - a chef's tasting menu. Over the next 24 hours, we'll be presenting you with these dishes:

Amuse Bouche
Peppered Pineapple Relish

Appetizer
Bacon Wrapped Figs with Port Reduction

Appetizer
Iron Chef Michael Symon's Crispy Fresh Bacon with Grilled Haloumi and Pickled Tomatoes

Soup
Vichysoisse with Thai Herbs

Salad
Caprese Alexander

Fish
Shrimp en Papilloute with Coconut and Cilantro Chutney

Intermezzo
Acai Sorbet

Vegetable
Eggplant Caponata

Pasta
Lamb Ravioli with Indian Flavors

Beef
Sauteed Beef Tips with Hummous

Cheese
Saganaki (Flaming Cheese)

Dessert
Chai Pots de Creme

We're prepping and fussing and getting this show on the road! Stick around, and if you've a mind to, help out the National Kidney Foundation by sponsoring this blog - just hit the link in the right sidebar!

Breakfast - Johnny Cakes from Evans Street Station

2009-07-25T09:33:00.000-04:00

Located in adorable Tecumseh, Michigan, just within spitting distance of The Boulevard Market and Pentamere Winery, Evans Street Station specializes in fresh, local cuisine. It's one of my favorite places for dinner!

Chef Alan Merhar likes to include recipes in his monthly newsletter, and this one struck me as terrific for breakfast. According to the newsletter, these were thought to have originally been called Journey Cakes (they keep pretty well), and have also been referred to as Shawnee cakes. Either way, they're a snap!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup hot milk
1 tablespoon shortening

How To:

Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the remaining ingredients. (I cheat and use the stand mixer. It's more efficient.) Pour onto a hot, greased griddle or skillet, and fry both sides until they're golden brown.

Serve with butter and maple syrup for a filling breakfast:

It's The Big Day!

2009-07-25T09:01:00.001-04:00

Good Morning, and welcome to The Chef's Table! We'll be here, bombing the kitchen and rocking the Intert00bz for the next 24 hours in support of the National Kidney Foundation.

The National Kidney Foundation provides funding for vital research to help eradicate kidney disease, as well as education and outreach services for kidney patients, transplant recipients, living donors, and their families. Sixteen people die every day waiting for a donor kidney. The NKF aims to bring that number to zero.

Today is a special day at The Chef's Table. Two years ago today, my best friend underwent a lifesaving kidney transplant at Stanford University Medical Center. He has Alport Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes the breakdown of certain membranes, leading to vision and hearing loss...and kidney failure. He was dreadfully sick, and we thought we were going to lose him more than once.

The best words I've ever heard were those out of the mouth of the lovely nurse at Stanford who took my call after David's surgery: "Oh, he's fine, he's already awake and turning pink!" Knowing that your best friend isn't going to be sick anymore is a priceless gift. If it weren't for the research the NKF funds, those words might have been different. The NKF saves lives, and I am profoundly grateful for their existence.

We've got a lot planned for you today, but before we jump into the actual Chef's Tasting Menu - 12 courses of yumminess! - we're going to start with breakfast. Trying to cook and blog for 24 hours without a good jump start wouldn't be very entertaining at all!

So what's for breakfast? Stay tuned!

OMG, Four Days!! And, a note on sponsoring.

2009-07-21T17:43:00.000-04:00

Four days. FOUR DAYS! How am I going to get all the rest of my stuff done before then?

Who am I kidding? I always manage. And I'm so excited, it's really hard not to bubble over and tell everyone exactly what we're planning!

Some folks have noted that the Pledge link in the right sidebar is confusing, and they can't figure out how to make a pledge.

Let me try to clear that up.

In order to pledge via Blogathon, first you need to register for a Blogathon.org account. Don't worry, they're not going to spam you! The privacy policy promises, and as a veteran Blogathonner, so do I!

Once you register, you can sponsor this blog. AND! This is just a pledge. You don't have to fork over the money today!

A few days after the conclusion of the event, Blogathon.org will send you a reminder e-mail that the event is over, and it's time to fulfill your pledge. The e-mail will include a link directly to the NKF's donation page. About thirty days later, you'll receive one more e-mail, asking you to fulfill your pledge, if you haven't already.

And that's it! No pesty mailing list, no "news from Blogathon.org", nothing ridiculous like that!

Hope that clears things up! See you Saturday!

It's coming!

2009-07-13T09:02:00.000-04:00

Can I tell you how very excited I am about this year's Blogathon?

The Monsters and I have a very ambitious day planned, and we're deep in the throes of selecting the dishes we are cooking for our Chef's Tasting Menu - twelve courses, from Amuse Bouche through Dessert, including dishes originated by a couple of my favorite chefs!

I'm especially excited to have reverse engineered a fantastic appetizer I had recently at Iron Chef Michael Symon's Roast in Detroit, and I'll be presenting a dish or two from one of my favorite spots, Evans Street Station in Tecumseh, MI. I'm not going to tell you about them yet...but one of them includes a certain popular cured pork product...and it's heavenly.

We're knocking ourselves out to put together a great 24-hour food and blog marathon to benefit the National Kidney Foundation and support their very vital research.

Applause is really lovely, but I'd be terribly grateful if you could scrounge around in your couch cusions, car seats and winter coat pockets, and throw a little money, too. If you can't throw money, I'd be very appreciative if you visited The Chef's Table between 9AM EDT on Saturday, July 25th and 9AM EDT on Sunday, July 26th to leave a comment or two and cheer me and my merry band of eating machines on!

Coming Soon!

2009-07-05T13:48:00.000-04:00

Blogathon 2009 is nearly upon us!

As ever, I will be blogging for the benefit of the National Kidney Foundation, in honor of David, my best friend. Two years ago, on July 25th, 2007, he had a lifesaving kidney transplant to halt his Alport Syndrome.

His new kidney is still chugging away, happy and healthy and he is well and doing fine. It's such a relief to me to see him healthy again! Thanks to the research funded by the NKF, patients like David no longer have to see chronic kidney disease as a death sentence - new treatments and transplant techniques are being developed and fine tuned every day! They do important work, and I'm proud to support the work they do.

I hope you'll join me for this year's blog, The Chef's Table. We'll spend another hectic 24 hours cooking a "chef's tasting menu" - a multiple course meal made up of some old favorites and some new experiments. There will be recipes, step by step instructions, and cooking pictures. We might even manage a little bit of video, if things aren't getting too terribly messy!

Please save the date - Saturday, July 25th, 2009, beginning at 9AM EDT, and concluding at 9AM EDT on Sunday, July 26th. Stay up late and help us make a difference!