Slow Foods – Dallas FEAST100 (Reserve the Date)

March 31st, 2012 by admin No comments »

Feast 100

 

Slow Food – Dallas, a non-profit organization that aims to inspire respect for where food comes from and stimulates true delight in eating, is excited to once again host this year’s Slow Food FEAST100.

 

Be the 1st to reserve your space for the Slow Food DallasFEAST100; an evening celebrating local Texas farms and food producers.

 

This years FEAST100  will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2012 @ 5pm – located at the M Mansion; a sprawling manse that took six years to build; located near the Dallas North Tollway and Frankford Road in North Dallas.

 

The FEAST100 experience is limited to 100 people, at a cost of $100 per person, experiencing local foods from within 100 miles of Dallas.

 

50 of the 100 spaces have been reserved for the Slow Foods – Dallas meetup, through our pre-registration process prior to the public announcement. Additional information shall be posted in the next few days on how to secure your place at what will be one of North Dallas’s most exciting epicurean experiences of the season. A waiting list will be created as needed.

 

The last FEAST100event sold out within days of public announcement, so please register early and reserve your place at the table.

 

All proceeds from FEAST100will support the nonprofit, eco-friendly work of Slow Food Dallas, with a goal of raising $10,000 for community and school gardens, nutrition education programming, and grants to local food producers.

 

This year, Executive Chef for FEAST100will be Chef Matt McCallister, formerly of Oak Cliff’s Campo Modern Country Bistro. Chef Matt will be opening his new restaurant project “FT 33,” short for “fire table 33.” The restaurant, scheduled to open this summer, will be located a half block east of Oak Lawn Avenue at 1617 Hi Line Drive in the Dallas Design district.

 

Chef Matt will be accompanied by Chef Jeff Harris of Bolsa. Chef Jeff was awarded 4 Stars by the Dallas Morning News and Best in DFW Chefs. Chef Matt and Chef Jeff shall take charge of the multiple kitchens at the M, to create a feast that promises to capture the rich bounty grown and produced in our own region. The ingredients will be sourced from within a 100 mile radius of Dallas to showcase the flavors and textures that reflect our own unique micro climate.

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Posted in Advocacy, Chill Services, News, Slow Food - Dallas

UNCOVERING THE DEVASTATING HIDDEN CRISIS OFCHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA

March 31st, 2012 by admin No comments »

Information Sharing

Premieres April 14th 8pm|7c on Food Network

NEW YORK — February 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/— In the wealthiest nation in the world, one in five children live in the shadow of hunger.

 

In a new Food Network produced documentary, HUNGER HITS HOME, audiences will get a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the people on the frontlines of the battle—parents and children, anti-hunger activists, educators and politicians committed to eradicating the problem. 

 

HUNGER HITS HOME examines the causes, complications and misconceptions about childhood hunger in the United States and offers a glimpse at some of the innovative solutions being put into practice today.

 

Narrated by Oscar®-winning actor and longtime anti-hunger activist Jeff Bridges, HUNGER HITS HOME is a heart-wrenching, yet empowering hour-long look at one of our nation’s little-known emergencies. An urgent call to action against this burgeoning crisis, the film is part of an ongoing partnership between Food Network and Share Our Strength, whose No Kid Hungry initiative aims to eradicate child hunger in America by 2015 by surrounding children with nutritious food where they live, learn and play.

 

“Producing this documentary with our partner, Share Our Strength, has been a highlight in our five-year relationship,” says Brooke Johnson, President, Food Network & Cooking Channel. “Food Network strives to entertain, inform and empower our audience with the programming we create; I can think of no better way to harness the power of Food Network’s reach than by offering our fans the chance to connect and, if they so choose, take action to join us in this important fight.”

 

Every day, more than 16 million children in the U.S. struggle to get enough to eat, and the ongoing economic downturn forces more and more Americans to slip beneath the poverty line. A steady job no longer guarantees a full cupboard and the stigma attached to asking for help persists, leaving already over-stressed parents facing choices they never imagined. And, in the halls of the nation’s capitol, funding cuts threaten existing assistance programs even as the need for them increases.

 

“This is the moment to act,” said Billy Shore, founder and CEO of Share Our Strength. “Right now, a fifth of our youngest generation is struggling with hunger. When these kids get the food they need, they feel better, they learn more and they grow up stronger. The good news is that, together, we can make that happen.”

 

HUNGER HITS HOME goes on a cross-country odyssey from urban New York City and Washington, D.C., to suburban Virginia and Texas’ prosperous Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, giving viewers a bird’s-eye view of the hunger crisis through the lives of three hardworking families struggling to make ends meet. In Norfolk, Virginia, an ex-military man with four children must take a civilian job for a fraction of his service pay; a single father in Allen, Texas, is on the verge of losing his home and unable to feed his 10-year-old son; a young couple in New York City lack the access to the fresh fruits and vegetables their children desperately need. All of them have discovered that no community is immune to childhood hunger.

 

But HUNGER HITS HOME also offers hope for children in need. The film profiles some of America’s heroes in the continuing fight against childhood hunger, including a determined food pantry founder who makes the battle personal and an elementary school principal who refuses to let his students go hungry. It documents the work of government officials and not-for-profit leaders who will move mountains to mobilize necessary resources. With efforts large and small, these people are helping to fulfill Share Our Strength’s commitment to ending childhood hunger in America by 2015.

 

Each family profiled in HUNGER HITS HOME finds unique solutions to their unique problems, utilizing traditional methods like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps), innovative ideas such as subsidized Community Supported Agriculture baskets for families without access to fresh foods and in-classroom meals that ensure students get a balanced breakfast. But with problems this diverse, anti-hunger activists agree that there is no quick fix to the devastating effects of hunger on American children. They also agree that finding a solution is one of the most critical issues facing Americans today.

 

Food Network and Share Our Strength will host screenings in Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., in the coming weeks, offering both an advance look at and discussion on how to take action locally.

 

Food Network presents a Magical Elves production, HUNGER HITS HOME. Directed by Alexandra Lipsitz. Executive Producers: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, Alexandra Lipsitz, Kris Lindquist. Producers: Ben Mack, P.J. Davenport and Juan Carlos Saizar. Editors are Austin Flack and Jenn Viola.

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Posted in Advocacy, Chill Services

Crispy Fried Chicken Livers

March 22nd, 2011 by admin No comments »

I had a really great food shopping experience this past weekend. While visiting my banker, I was told about a great Asian Grocery Store called H Mart, in Carrollton Texas.

H Mart is an Asian market that acts as an anchor for some 35 or more Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese businesses in the former Furneaux Creek Village Shopping Center, now known as the Shops at Old Denton in Carrollton.

For those of you not familiar with the Asian Grocers; H Mart is the West Coast equivalent that serves our large ethnic and food craving communities. For cities like Carrollton, McKinney, Plano, and Lewisville; basis the Census data, it makes sense that Super H Mart is centrally located in Carrollton.

Not having enough time to visit any other stores during this trip, I focused on the spending almost 2 hours shopping, being extremely impressed with the size, cleanliness, and organization of the store.

As you enter the 70,000 square foot complex you notice a food court offering casual Japanese, Chinese, and Korean food. Close to the food court was a fresh bakery named Tous Les Jours. I was looking for baguettes, and was told by the counter help, that you have to order those in advance, as they cannot make enough to satisfy the demand. Regardless, the sweets I was intending to bring home did not make the trip.

Once you pass the truly incredible fresh produce section upon entry, you will be overwhelmed by a kimchi section that has to be close to 1,500 to 2,000 square feet with every imaginable kimchi on the planet. If you are not familiar with kimchi, most are based on a variety of vegetables, but arguably the healthiest and most common version is based on cabbage. It is definitely an acquired taste, that I happen to like. There were probably as many different types of kimchi on display, as there are people in Korea.

For those that love seafood; the markets live seafood department is huge, without the overly fishy smell you encounter in other seafood markets in the city. Having recently returned from Seattle, I was skeptical to try the oysters from the Carrollton store as a comparison, thinking I would be getting Gulf Oysters.

The noodles, dry goods, mixes, and sauces were too great to explain in any detail suffice it to say, that if you find some obscure Asian recipe that you want to try, and you do not know where to find the appropriate ingredient, sauce, or spice, or noodle chances are you will find it in H Mart.

Since this site was built on the promise of meat, the meat department is by far the most intriguing butcher shop, I have seen. There is every imaginable cut of meat, lamb, goat, rabbit, chicken, duck, pheasant, and just about anything that walks on four legs. There beef is Wagyu style Kobe as well as U.S.D.A Prime and Choice cuts, as well as a plethora prepared Korean and Japanese side dishes that are better than attempting the homemade version without the sweat equity.

While in the meat section, I was taken back to European markets where you could find anytime of offal that you fancied. That is when the sensation from my Southern Heritage of old tyme fried chicken came over me, and I remembered a recipe I had seen a few years back that was based on panko and a flour breading.

In keeping with the Asian tenants of this post, and my desire for offal, I decide to adapt a fried Chicken recipe for Chicken Livers. Here is what I came up with.

Panko Crusted Chicken Liver

Panko Crusted Chicken Liver

INGREDIENTS

2 cups panko

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper, Thai ground red pepper, and garlic power

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1 pound chicken livers, trimmed and halved

Vegetable oil, for frying

Lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a food processor, process the panko until fine. Transfer to a pie plate.
  2. In another pie plate, season to taste the flour with salt, black pepper, ground red pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk.
  4. Working in batches, dredge a few livers at a time in the seasoned flour, and then dip them into the egg mixture.
  5. Coat them with the panko and transfer to a large plate.
  6. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Add as many of the livers as you can without touching the other livers and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and crisp, 5 minutes.
  7. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining livers. Transfer to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

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Posted in Butcher Shop, Charcuterie, Danese Meats

Beer Judge Certification Program

February 22nd, 2011 by admin 1 comment »

As part of the immersion process of my ongoing studies in the art of homebrewing, I am now training to judge beer at brewing events. I’ve not decided if I want to get a certification to become a certified beer Judge, like attending a Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), but it is always an option.

BJCP  is the ultimate tool for perfecting as well as learning styles of beer for judging ales and largers, as well as meads, specialty brews and others. Click on the BJCP link for more information about the judging requirements.

I decided that in order to be able to perfect my craft, learning the nuiances of each style was the best way to achieve the desired results in what the baseline was for a particular style, and then adapting it to my particular pallet.

I heard a concept today while I was training about how there are 2 types of people with regards to how people identify food and drink. Those that taste a dish and say Yes, that taste like the dish I was expecting, others will break down the ingredients in the dish and identify with the subtleties of the dish . Using Fettuccine Alfredo as an example, there are some people that will say, Yes, that is what Fettuccine Alfredo is supposed to taste like and others will taste the cream, Parmesan, and can even discern between the addition of Romano and white pepper.

The ability to distinguish between aromas, flavors, and other characteristics of a craft brew can be learned. It does help if you have a good sence of taste and smell to be able to pick out certain aromas and flavors of the  style of beer you are sampling.

One method that has been used to aid in the senses is through the use of the  Sensory Training Kit. As the names suggests, the kit comes with pre-measured “standards” representing some of the most important flavors and aromatics found in beer. The standards are in a ready-to-use liquid form, making them as easy to use as possible. These standards help you train your senses by sampling 24 variants that you find in most beer.

Judging does have it’s benefits. Today, there are great kits and extracts to help aid in brewing a truly palatable beer. Therefore, I am excited to sample other brewers creations, building my palet profile, and learning as I hope to teach. In the interim, and depending on where I will be judging, I am fully prepared to taste some really bad beer.

I’ve heard stories from those that have been judging for decades, about beers that shoot out of the bottle like a rocket. Chunky beer. Flat beer. Beer with hop rings around the inside of the bottleneck.  And beer so bad, that you have to ask the Head Judge, if you can disqualify the beer on visual inspection and smell.  It’s all part of the process, and the skills it takes to be able to critique the beers, while offering subtle suggestions on how to improve the the next batch, are what in my opinion makes a good judge.

Over time, and training, you can start to really define what makes up a style and how it reflects the guidelines set for that particular style of beer by the BJCP.

Our training started off with general guidelines on how the North Texas Homebrewers Associations follows the BJCP guidelines. In this training session, we were broken up into 3 teams  of 4 judges, sampling 4 different styles of beers by sub categories.

Using the standard BJCP score sheet we rated each entrant on aroma, appearance, flavor, mouth feel (overall smooth finish) and overall impression, while following the guide to insure that sub category criteria was accurately reflected in accordance with the guidelines.   My team judged an American Ale as our style with a sub category of American Pale Ale.  Since 2 of the 4 were commercial brews, we were able to start to develop an understanding of what makes up a good American Pale Ale or APA.

One of the samples was a craft brew, provided by a North Texas Homebrewer Association member, followed by a wild card. The wild card was a mis categorized sub category of American Ale.

If you are interested in learning to judge, head over the the BJCP web site and sign up for the training.

Slide Show Presentation

Slide Show Presentation
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 3

Guidelines for BJCP process

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Posted in Danese Meats, Foodie, Homebrew

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Tumultuous Squirrel Ball Bag Porter AKA Tumultuous Porter from the 1800’s

January 24th, 2011 by admin No comments »

One of the great benefits of homebrewing is the endless number of web sites, Web TV/Radio stations, and forums, to draw inspiration and recipes, help aid you in your brewing decision.

As part of my ongoing studies in the art of homebrewing, I purchased “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing” by Charlie Papazian. Using Papazians’ recipe, I was able to attempt an old style porter from the early 1800′s known as a Tumultuous Porter. My version was based on Charlie’s Goat Scrotum recipe, which is touted as being one of the most creative, adventurous, and wonderful hoomebrews that allows you to add everything including the kitchen sink, to your particular recipe.

Ingredients used in Papazians’ version of the original recipe from hundreds of years ago were freshly grated ginger root, licorice or bruised licorice root, spruce essence from the new growth from a spruce tree, Szechuan chili peppers, juniper berries and chocolate. Despite the books suggestion of adding a few or all of the ingredients; I chose not to add the kitchen sink, but created an adaptation of the original recipe, by melding flavor of Oats, Black Patent Malt & Roasted Barley, with Chocolate, Cranberry, Ginger, and Molasses.

The dryness was achieved with a touch of Honey, and then fortified with a cranberry infused spirit. 3 weeks before starting my yeast propagation, I added 2 cups of vodka, to 1 cup of dried cranberries, and allowed the mixture to blend until I was ready to bottle. The final creation was a rich mahogany color and a creamy head that was a well balanced, slightly sweet with interesting nuances.

I plan on letting a few bottles age until March, and entering them in the 2011 Bluebonnet Brew off. This year’s event will be held at the Westin DFW North, located at W. John Carpenter Freeway, in Irving TX. For reservations call 888–627-8617 and ask for the Bluebonnet Brew-off rate, which is $94 per night. You can also make your reservations online at BLUEBONNET BREW-OFF.

Hope to see you there.

Until then!

Groov’n and Salivations

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Posted in Foodie, Homebrew, Spirits

Tequila Christmas Cake

December 14th, 2010 by admin No comments »

My brother sent me this recipe. I think, this is how all Spirit Infused Christmas Cakes should be made.

Once again this year, I’ve had requests for my Tequila Christmas Cake
recipe so here goes: Please keep in your files as I am beginning to get
tired of typing this up every year!

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle tequila
2 cups dried fruit

Sample the tequila to check quality Take a large bowl; check the tequila
again to be sure it is of the highest quality..

Repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point, it is best to make sure the tequila is still OK. Try
another cup just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck iin the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the fruit up off the floor.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with
a drewscriver.

Sample the tequila to test for tonsisticity.

Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something.

Check the tequila. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table.  Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can
find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.

Don’t forget to beat off the turner

Finally, throw the bowl through the window.
Finish the tequila and wipe the counter with the cat.

Cherry Mristmas

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Posted in Cakes, Christmas, Spirits

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da Marco Stout Beer Recipes

December 14th, 2010 by admin No comments »

I enjoy cooking with wine, and as someone once said, sometimes I even add it to food. The same can said of cooking with beer.

The function of cooking down an alcoholic beverage; be it wine, beer or spirits is to intensify, enhance, and accent the flavor as well as the aroma of food. You are not trying to mask the flavor of what you are cooking. Think of this in terms of fortifying the dish.

My rule of thumb is to never use a beer, spirit, or wine in any dish that you would not drink. If you do not like the taste of the beer, spirit, or wine, you will not like the dish you choose to use it in.

There are a number of recipes that call for beer, and this version of stout should be perfect complement as well as enhance any meal – take a look at the following video from Gordon Elliott as he visits the Guinness brewery in Dublin, explaining a great beef dishes that this stout can be used with.

Also within this post there are two recipes. One recipe is for a Brew house Mustard from the cooking channel; I am definitely going to have to try this mustard with my Easter Lamb… The last recipe is for black beans, my own personal creation!

Brewhouse Mustard

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup mustard seeds
  • 2 cups lager beer ( I will use my Guinness-Style Stout here)
  • 1 1/3 cups malt vinegar (I have a bottle of my Guinness-Style converting into malt –  see tip)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons horseradish

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl combine the mustard seeds, lager, and malt vinegar.

Tip here

If you have a few extra beers, you can make your own malt from your home brew. Check the home brew stores or pick up a bottle of unpasteurized or unfiltered vinegar as your starter. Leave it for at least six months before using. (You could use it right away but aging the vinegar will make it smoother).


Cover and soak overnight.

Strain the liquid and reserve in a separate container. Place the soaked seeds in a food processor and pulse 7 to 8 times. In a double boiler, place the cracked seeds, adding the strained liquid, allspice, pepper, salt, sugar, dry mustard, garlic, and horseradish. Cook about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool, then refrigerate.

Black Beans da Marco

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups organic black beans (See Note)
  • 2 slices of thick cut smoked bacon (diced in ¼” cubes)
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 TBSP chopped garlic
  • 2 12 – 14 oz bottles of beer
  • 1/2 TSP each cumin, Italian parsley, oregano, and red pepper

Natural organic black beans make for an extremely healthy side dish. Packed with protein and iron, I use black beans in a variety of ways, aside from complimenting a Mexican dish I also make burritos with black beans and rice and grilled onions and pepper, to a soup with my own beef or pork stock, and additional spices.

Recently, I used equal parts of left over black beans, mixed with rice and added to 1½ – 2 pounds of browned ground turkey to a bowl. Next I seasoned the mix and stuffed the red, yellow, and orange baby bell peppers for roasting until the mix and the peppers with slightly charred. This stuffed pepper dish has great flavors, as well as being very healthy, now that we are approaching the holiday season; and over indulgence is the cry of the land.

DIRECTIONS

Soak beans overnight.

Start by browning the diced bacon in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and garlic after the bacon has browned. When the onion and garlic are translucent, add the beer, and beans, scrapping up the browned pieces from the bottom of the pot. Once the beans start to foam from beer, reduce the heat to low and add spices. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook 30 minutes, to several hours, depending on if you prefer an undercooked bean dish or thick gravy.

Note: One note to point out when using dried beans, my preference is to always soak dried beans for a minimum of 12 – 24 hours.

Two reasons, I like fresh beans, almost to the point of germination, and in my personal opinion, the negative results associated with beans – think Mongo and the Blazing saddles camp fire scene… reduces embarrassing mixed company explanations.

Until then!

Groov’n and Salivations

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Posted in Foodie, Guinness Sytle, Homebrew

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The Taste Test

December 8th, 2010 by admin No comments »

Last week, I demonstrated the process I went through creating my version of a Guinness-Style stout, following a very simple beer brewer’s guide.

This week, as the next to final chapter on my 1st attempt into what will become a long and pleasurable travel into the annuls of my personal brewing history, I want to start building a process to taste, test, and improve my beers, while adapting those recipes into my cooking.

Over the coming months, and possibly years, I will move into the more difficult versions of working with raw products. Through additional steps of crushing barley’s to be steeped, and moving away from extracts, my margin of error will undoubtedly shrink.  As always, the focus will be on looking at ways to improve my craft while enjoying my homebrews in a number of ways.

If you are interested in what the difference is in using an extract versus crushing and steeping barleys as well as adding hops, you may want order Charlie Papazian’s “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing” on Amazon.

The Test

1st find 4 or more willing and able testers that will give you an unbiased, and albeit candid assessment of your final product.

Next, devise a grading system, using a simple scaling system based on conversations with the tester after each sample. I preferred a simple method of testing the stout, based on aroma, appearance, flavor, and overall impression. For a more detailed scaling system, you may want to Google the Americans Homebrewers Association for their Check List.

When comparing the 2 samples, I simply called the 1st version that I added the CO2 to the keg ”Kegged” and the bottled version where I allowed the CO2 to develop naturally, over a week and a half as “Bottled”; uber-technical I know, but effective.

Both the kegged version and the bottled version had a similar appearance in color of brownish black. Check.

Both had a malty aroma, although the bottled version appeared to be a bit more pronounced.  Check, Check.

Both had a slight sour taste that you notice with Guinness, albeit a not as full as I would have preferred. The bottled version had a much richer flavor when tasted, with a sweeter finish as the kegged version was a bit lighter, almost a watered down effect similar to a Michelob Dark.

If you liked dark beer, but did not like the fullness of a true stout, then most would have preferred the kegged sample. If you knew the nuisances of Guinness Extra Stout, you would have been the preferred the bottled version as it was more in keeping with the expectation of a true stout.

Grading this 1st attempt was pretty much unanimous, resulting in a score of 5 out of 10 points, because both were missing the richness and coffee notes that I was hoping for. Yet both were slightly fuller than a Shiner Bock, using Shiner as the median.

Skunk Scale

One lesson that I will take back is the proper use of CO2 when charging the 5 gallon keg – although not an art form, it does take a bit of practice.

Fortunately, it was definitely not skunked as a number of home brewers 1st attempts. All in all, the beer was good, but just not good enough to rock my world.  Obviously, my 4 taste testers had similar opinions.

None the less, even as a 5 on my skunk scale, it was still better, in my opinion than Shiner Bock, Michelob Dark, or a number of commercial dark beers being sold.

For those not familiar with the term Skunking, when frighten a skunk, you’ll be covered in a spray of methyl, butane, and thiol.  When beer goes bad, either through poor bottling techniques, or exposure to direct sunlight, thiol is generated, thereby giving beer the literal odor of skunk. Trivial I know, but interesting…

So what am I going to do with the reminder of the 5 gallons of Guinness-style stout? Well the short answer is; drink it of course, give some away, but the other answer is also cook with it. Next week, I will provide a few interesting recipes to choose from using a stout.

Until then!

Groov’n and Salivations

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Posted in Danese Meats, Foodie, Guinness Sytle, Homebrew

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Creative license on a great Tuscan Pork Recipe

December 7th, 2010 by admin No comments »

While I was visiting my folks over the Thanksgiving Holiday, my mom gave me a copy of a recipe she wanted me to try from her Traditional Home Magazine. The dish that caught her eye was a Tuscan Pork Recipe from Joanne Weir – I’ve recently learned that Joanne has a series of cooking classes, DVD, and a blog – you can find out more about Joanne at http://www.joanneweir.com.


Those that know me, as well as those that are following this blog know that I can’t just follow a recipe, without adding my own touch. Sometimes they turn out really great, other times (think turkey meatloaf) they don’t, but that is part of the fun of experimenting in the kitchen. It beats blowing up the school chemistry lab – that’s another story.


Anyway, here is the modified version of Joanne’s recipe. After preparing the Tuscan Pork, I had to accompany the dish with my grandmothers, I.E. Modified Taglia. You may recall me posting this recipe for Tegame di verdure arrosto (AKA Taglia) while back. So, after a bit of creative license, hence the title, I have a moderately modified version of an otherwise great recipe.

Tuscan Pork with Taglia

Ingredients



1     pound pork tenderloin
2     teaspoons dried sage
2     teaspoons dried rosemary
2     teaspoon kosher salt
1   teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2     cloves garlic, minced
4     tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1     crusty baguette loaf (about 14 inches long and 4 inches wide)


After trimming the silver skin from the tenderloin, I used the bowl I coated my potatoes from the Taglia, to coat the tenderloin. There remained some oil and bit of fresh rosemary and garlic, so I was a happy camper.


I then added the sage, dried rosemary, kosher salt, pepper, and fennel seed to my spice grinder, and created a dust storm. I then coated the tenderloin with ½ of the powder and heated 1 tablespoon of my olive oil in large skillet as instructed until hot. Following the recipe, I added the tenderloin to the skillet, and cooked the pork 8 to 10 minutes or until evenly browned on all sides.


I then removed the tenderloin from the skillet and cooled slightly. I then rubbed enough of the remaining powder to cover the surface – I did not use all of the powder, but saved what was left for another future use, and then set the loin aside.


One thing to be aware of, is that the loin came in 2 pieces, and having either a long baguette or 2 baguettes long enough for the tenderloin is good to know up front. Fortunately, Whole Foods had a Sour Dough baguette that I was able to cut horizontally to house the loin.


I removed the softer bread from inside baguette in order to form a thin shell. I emulsified the garlic and remaining olive oil and brushed the baguette shell with the olive oil. If you are planning to make the Taglia mentioned in this post, you can always use the breading inside the baguette. That too is another story…


Once the baguette was coated, I placed the tenderloin inside, enclosing pork. I then tied at 2-inch intervals of cooking string along the length of the baguette.


The last step was to place the baguette on a baking sheet and bake, uncovered, at 425°F for 10 – 15 minutes. The original recipe called for 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, but since I was already roasting the Taglia at 425° I had to adjust the temperature a bit until my instant-read thermometer inserted about 160°F, when I placed it in the thickest part of the loin.


After resting for 10 minutes, until the Taglia was ready, the Tuscan Pork Loin in the Sour Dough Baguette was ready to slice & serve.

We actually had 6 servings.

Tuscan Pork

Until Then!



Groov’n and Salivations

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Posted in Butcher Shop, Farmers Market, Italian Cooking, Tuscan

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Left-over Seafood – or Bastardized Risotto di frutti di mare

December 7th, 2010 by admin No comments »

Every now and then you end up with some really great ingredients from your freezer and wonder what to do with them. I was fortunate enough to have access to some fresh left-over shrimp and scallops used in another dish.


I recalled seeing seafood rice prepared with clam juice and water as the broth, shallots, and medium grain white rice along with white wine and stewed tomatoes. The rice dish was followed up with a variety of crustaceans.


Not wanting anything with tomatoes, and thinking back to a trip to Monte Carlo a few years ago, I decided to create a bastardized version of a risotto I sampled in Monaco; at a Restaurant near the port, which was operated by a family of Italians from Sardinia.


From what I remembered, the risotto was sweet from the shrimp, a splash of white wine, and a bit of lemon zest. I think that there may have been crab and a small lobster or langostino. I’ve recreated that recipe in the attached Seafood Risotto and will have to try adding the other missing ingredients next time…


Having opted for dinner parties and the annual NTHA Christmas party this week, I failed to shop. One of the benefits of having left over seafood is also problematic when you don’t have other ingredients, like lemon, white wine, or langostino’s.


What I did have was a variety of ingredients that would have to do. So looking into the pantry and seeing that I did have a bag of basmati rice, sardines, and feta to accompany my dish; here is the volume of ingredients I had on hand and what I did to prepare the meal:

Seafood Risotto



1 – 16 ounce tin of boneless and skinless Sardines in olive oil

1 ½ cups fresh frozen shrimp with shells still on – 21-30 count

3/4 cups fresh frozen scallops

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion chopped fine

2 cups basmati rice

1 8 ounce bottle of clam juice

1/2 cup chopped feta cheese


I drained the oil from Sardines into a bowl and set it aside for my seafood stock. Then I peeled the shrimp; setting aside the shells for the seafood stock and chopped the shrimp in to ¼ – ½” pieces. The scallops were also chopped into ¼” pieces and provided some liquid that was used for the stock.


Having my seafood stock ingredients ready, I used a large pot to heat shrimp shells with the sardine oil. After the shells started to turn red, I added about 6 cups of water – you can use chicken stock if you would like.


Once the shrimp stock stopped foaming, I added the clam juice, and any collected scallop juices that remained in the bowl. After the seafood stock was brought to a slow boil and well blended, I put the stock in another bowl for the risotto.


Using the same heavy bottomed pot, I heated the olive oil and added 4 tablespoons of the butter, before adding the onions, cooking them until soft, about 8 minutes.


I could see the onions and oil were smoking, so I added the rice, stirring until well coated and opaque, just before I added the sardines. The sardines will easily break up as you continue to stir the risotto, so I proceeded to add my stock a ladle at a time.


One trick you will want to remember is to make sure to wipe the sides and bottom of the pot clean as you stir, until all the liquid is absorbed so that you do not have tough rice when you plate the risotto.


After about 20 or more minutes the rice was ready for the seafood; while still firm to the bite. This is when I added the seafood, remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and the Feta cheese. I mixed the risotto until it was well mixed. After the shrimp turned red, I sampled the scallops to make sure they were cooked, and the risotto was ready to serve.




Until then!


Groov’n and Salivations

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Posted in Italian Cooking, Risotto, Seafood

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