Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Thyme

A favorite from 2009 Thanksgiving - loved it once again this Christmas.

Braising is a technique that involves browning food in oil or butter, then slowly simmering the ingredients in a moderate amount of liquid. Although typically used for meats, this cooking method is ideal for certain vegetables, such as brussels sprouts. Here, the vegetables are simmered in chicken or turkey stock so they emerge tender and tasty—a hearty dish that's ideal for the Thanksgiving feast.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. brussels sprouts
• 5 oz. bacon, diced
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or turkey stock
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cut or pull off any dry outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim away any brown spots and slice off the dry stem end. Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters. Set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Pour off the fat in the pan and discard.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon. Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and salt and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir again, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 cup of the stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, until the brussels sprouts are soft, about 15 minutes more. Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10.

 

From Williams-Sonoma.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-and-thyme.html

 

Earworm / meme-worm - I ee I ee I. Translation.

After much confusion, here's the long-form. (A lesson in crafting a better 140 character post and knowing your audience.)

ORIGINAL POST:
Ear-worm for the day and lingering meme-worm: I ee I ee I. I am your butterfly. I need your protection. Need your protection.

TRANSLATION:
I can't get that Die Antwoord - Enter The Ninja song out of my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3f4xU_FfQ&p=5CAD4BCAFA6E8FBF&playnext=1&index=2

I've been singing the 'protect me' lyric to myself all day. ...and the viral video, Die Antwoord - Zef Side, has been playing over and over in my head for the last few months.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_pS46YRMIQ

GLOSSARY:

EARWORM - a song you hear that plays over and over in your head and you can't stop it.
Great podcast about earworms:
http://www.radiolab.org/2008/apr/21/earworms/

MEME - An idea that (at least these days) typically spreads quickly and broadly via the Internet. i.e., viral video.

MEME-WORM - (I made this up.) It's a meme that plays over and over in your head, but it's not necessarily a song - an idea that you can't shake - perhaps a video-worm, but not necessarily just video.

DIE ANTWOORD - A band. They seem to be poor South Africans with a carni-rat vibe, but I don't know much about them. To me, they come across as entertaining, talented, electronica / rap artists trying to make a go at it, riding exposure from a viral video.

SOURCES:
I heard about Die Antwoord initially (I think) from comedian, Andy Hines on the podcast Too Beautiful To Live - http://www.tbtl.net/ .

Bok Choy Salad

• 1 bunch bokchoy, sliced (include both green and white parts)
• 6 green onions, sliced (include both green and white parts)
• 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• 3 T slivered almonds
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 T soy sauce

Mix bokchoy and onions and set aside.

Crunch ramen noodles and mix with sunflower seeds and almonds. Spread in one layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350.

Mix sugar, olive oil, vinegar, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Bring to boil, then let cool.

When ready to serve, add the ramen crunchies over the greens, then pour olive oil mixture over all of it. Serve immediately.

If you plan to eat this for a couple of days, keep greens, crunchies, and oil separate so everything stays crunchy.

Wonderful Homemade BBQ Sauce

This is a wonderful homemade BBQ sauce that resulted in two very memorable dishes this summer and certainly an appreciation for home made BBQ sauce. The first application was on a smoked skirt steak and the second, smoked pork ribs.

• (BBQ sauce recipe courtesy of Joseph Realuto's Townline BBQ via The Barefoot Contessa.)
  
  Makes about 3 quarts that refrigerates well.

• ¼ pound butter
• ¾ cup minced onion
• ½ cup minced garlic
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 ¼ cups ketchup
• 1 cup tomato juice
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons molasses
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup chili powder
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons chilpotle puree (I used San Marcos ChilpotlePeppers in adobo sauce, extracting the peppers & shaking off the adobo without rinsing, and making it into puree with the food processor.)
• Pinch of kosher salt
  
  Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, ketchup, tomato juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, vinegar, chilpotle puree, salt and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
  
  http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=50&S=0
  Townline BBQ Sauce

Revisiting Classic Potato Salad

Potato salad is a must in the Summer, paired with a smoky BBQ and of course some coleslaw. As I've been re-visiting basic recipes in The Joy of Cooking (75th Anniversary Ed.), I found that for years I had been skipping ahead to the American Potato Salad recipe - the one you'll find in pretty much every deli in the U.S.


For me, the discovery was that the basic recipe, which although has several steps in the preparation, is a refreshing change. I was also reminded how nice it is to have a freshly made Vinaigrette on hand.

There are many variation decisions you can make along the way, in short I went with a marinade of both chicken stock and Vinaigrette, heavy on herbs & fresh ingredients, finishing with sour cream (instead of mayonnaise) for a fresher taste.

VINAIGRETTE
1 cup
1 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - should be juice from 2 lemons (or red wine vinegar)
1 small minced shallot (Recipe actually suggests 1 teaspoon.)
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
Whisk until blended. Add gradually, whisking constantly after each addition:
3/4 cup olive or walnut oil
Cover and refrigerate.

POTATO SALAD
8 servings

Boil in salted water until tender:
2# potatoes

Drain; when cool enough to handle, peel & slice. Marinate in:
1/2 cup Vinaigrette
1/2 cup warm chicken stock

(I marinated the potatoes for about an hour. The smell was incredible.)
Add:
2 teaspoons salt
Paprika
Pinch of ground red pepper
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 celery stocks including leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 tablespoons flat parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh baby dill (chopped)

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Add:
1/2 cup sour cream
Refrigerate 1 hour longer. Before serving, toss in:
Coarsely chopped watercress

MEDITERRANEAN SEARED TUNA SALAD

A remarkable take-out lunch on a day of landscaping and fence building.

MEDITERRANEAN SEARED TUNA SALAD - sushi grade tuna, avocado, mango and sesame seeds from Heffner Grill in OKC formerly branded Lakeside...

Corn Cakes

A family favorite with fresh corn from Everyday Food.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. In bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 large egg, and 1/3 cup milk just until combined; fold in 2 cups corn kernels.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in large skillet over medium heat; working in two batches, drop scant 1/4 cups of batter into skillet. Flatten slightly; cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Serve immediately.

Coleslaw Recipe - Chicago style hotdog inspired.

I was looking around for a crispy kosher coleslaw recipe. I've been unable to find one in this area of the country. The one I had in mind has no dairy, no mayo, & typically has poppy seeds. Anyway, in my search, a friend recommended this Chicago Dog Salad.

Wow. Good stuff. If you like a Chicago style hot dog or fresh crispy coleslaw, you'll appreciate this. I added shredded carrots and poppy seeds. I think mini, pickled green peppers (called Sport Peppers, which are served on a Chicago dog) would also be a good idea. I haven't had it with hot dogs, but it would certainly work well. Yum.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
• 1 rounded teaspoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 of a 16-ounce sack shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
• 1 romaine heart, shredded
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
• 3 large half sour or garlic pickles, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• [3 carrots, shredded]
• [1 tablespoon poppy seeds]
  
• 8 pork or beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle

Directions

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicago-dog-salad-recipe/index.html

Venison, bacon wrapped with rosemary

I think this was a leg cut. I made it into filet-looking medallions by making thick slices, removing the membrane, marinating in vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then wrapping them in bacon affixed with two crosswise skewers.

I pre-heated an oven safe skillet @ 450F, seared them on the stove top on all sides (including the bacon edges) and returned them to the oven, serving them medium rare with a deglaze of balsamic.

Next time I will cook the bacon more on all sides which, with a thick cut can be done by placing them upright turning them on the edges - the skewers got in the way, so I will cut the skewers more or try some other arrangement of fasteners.

Thanks again Dan P. for the protein.

Seth's Pablano Rice

* 1 dried pablano (ancho, or other variety) pepper (see prep below)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large yellow onion, chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 cups rice (typically long-grain, in this case we used arborio (short-grain, aka, risoto rice.)
* 3 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 3/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare a dried pablano. (see Rick Bayless )
In hot skillet, roast the dried pepper, turning until browned and fragrant.
Place in warm water to reconstitute.
Slice, discarding seeds and inner flesh to reduce heat.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and pepper; sauté until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes. Mix in rice; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If needed add additional water.) Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Serve with home brewed beer.

Based on Rick Bayless + Epicurious via Bon Appetit.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Rice-109800

Curry Hummus - Chickpea Curry: The Aftermath

If you've made a large batch of Chickpea Curry like I usually do, there comes a time to re-invent.

The Indian inspired simple Chickpea "Curry" may be insulting or puzzling to a South Asian in and of itself, but simply based upon a common ingredient, transform it to a Middle-Eastern dish? Out of my culinary and cultural obtuseness this Curry Hummus was born - certainly a better alternative to party dip than what you can find on the shelves.

1 - 1 1/2 quarts of Chickpea Curry
1/2 c tahini paste
2 T lemon juice
1/2 c hot water
1 T olive oil
1 t kosher or sea salt
3 T flat parsley (including stems) or Cilantro

Pulse in food processor until smooth. I have made batches that came out too dry, so I recommend adding hot water to the food processor to keep the mixture moist. If you have undercooked the chickpeas, this will also help break down the mixture.

Serve as you would any hummus - we like it with pita, tortilla chips, and/or fresh sliced vegetables.


If you're interested in a primer on Indian cuisine, check out CLASSIC INDIAN COOKERY by Julie Sahini (AKA CLASSIC INDIAN COOKING.)

Kick off the Summer with some potato salad.

I more or less followed The Joy of Cooking recipe and added minced carrots, curry powder, and sour cream (which I think freshens up and lightens the dish a bit.) [Perhaps introduce some yogurt?] It also was good topped with hot Hungarian paprika at the time of serving. (Hot Paprika has a similar flavor to chipotle powder or smoked Spanish paprika.)

American Potato Salad (The Joy of Cooking, variation.)

6 to 8 servings


Boil in salted water until tender:

2 pounds potatoes

Drain. Peel if desired and cut into bite-sized pieces. Rince, cool, and pat dry potatoes then combine in a large bowl with:

2 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, minced

2 scallions, minced

3 hard-boiled eggs, diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

sprinkle with hot Hungarian paprika at the time of serving

http://www.thejoykitchen.com/

Day 2: Polenta Fries

Perfect for left-over polenta (from the Day 1 recipe) or keep a tube of pre-made polenta in your pantry for a quick meal.

Pre-heat oven to 400F.
Slice chilled polenta into fries - 3" x 1" seems like a good size.
Lightly oil a baking sheet and lightly spray fries with oil.
Bake for 30 minutes, flipping 1/2 way through cooking, remove when crispy and golden brown.

Day 1: Basic Italian Polenta (AKA corn grits)

Polenta is a wonderful staple, also known as corn grits. It's delicious and also makes a very nice leftover meal, polenta fries.

Ingredients
* 6 cups Water
* [Proportionate amount of Chicken Base for 6 cups water (usually 6 tsp.) adds a rich flavor to the Polenta. Optional but recommended!]
* 1 tsp Sea Salt [Omit salt if adding chicken stock.]
* 2 cups Corn Grits-Polenta
* 3 Tb Butter

Directions
Grate or shred 1/2 cup cheese such as Parmesan, Romano, Fontina or Monterey Jack for topping.

[Delicious on it's own, but you can add sauce.]
Sauce: Any meat or tomato sauce that is intended to spoon onto pasta.

In a large, deep pan over high heat bring water and sea salt to a boil; gradually stir in polenta. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently to prevent sticking until mixture is very thick (about 30 minutes) [I think Polenta is best when cooked longer than 30 minutes. Shoot for 45 minutes at lower heat if necessary.]; use a long-handled spoon because mixture pops and bubbles and can burn.

Stir in butter, if you wish, and more salt if needed.
[When using chicken stock and parmesan, salt should not be necessary.]

Oil a deep medium sized bowl, spoon polenta into bowl and let set for 10 minutes. Invert onto a flat plate. Mixture will unmold and hold its shape. Cut polenta into thick slices and serve hot. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 Servings.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/

Grilled Venison Steak and Vegetables

Grilled venison steak (courtesy of Dan Putnam.) Grilled vegetables, roma tomato & fresh mozzarella, and dollop of fresh homemade pesto.

Prep:
On steaks - salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, vegetable oil.

On sliced sweet peppers & onion cut into 1/8ths - salt, pepper, vegetable oil.

Sliced tomato, topped with sliced fresh mozzarella, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh basil (or dried basil or oregano.)



Grill veggies and steak to liking.

Serve with pesto on the side.

Ravioli With Roasted Zucchini

This is another go-to meal for us - also a good technique to keep in mind. You just can't beat fresh seasonal vegetables roasted and tossed with pasta. Just keep a bag of ravioli in the freezer, pick up a few zucchini, and you have a delicious, quick meal. As always, the leftover roasted veggies work perfectly tossed with some cooked dried pasta or on a taco.

It's from Real Simple magazine.




Ingredients

* 4 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
* 2/3 cup freshly and finely grated Parmesan
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 pound cheese ravioli (preferably fresh)
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Place the zucchini in a large baking dish in a single layer and drizzle with the oil, chili flakes, and 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, then season with the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Add the garlic and roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and just golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, add the ravioli and the remaining salt to the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent the ravioli from sticking. Cook the ravioli for 3 minutes after they begin to float. Drain and place in a large bowl. Toss gently with the roasted zucchini, half the parsley, and half the remaining Parmesan. Serve immediately with the remaining parsley and Parmesan.

FRUIT PIZZA

Crust:
1 egg
1/2 cup margarine
3/4 cup sugar

Then add
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream tartar (spice)
1/2 tsp salt

Pack in pizza pan and bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Cool.

Topping:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp fruit juice (pineapple etc.)
Spread over cooled crust

Fruit:
Arrange fruit - kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and red grapes [Our last rendition.]
(...or any combination like, bananas, apples, peaches, cherries, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, ...)
[Note that if you do skip the glaze (as we do) avoid fruit that will brown, like bananas & apples, unless you're serving immediately.]

Glaze: [We omit this step.]
1 1/2 cup fruit juice (Any fruite juice that's desired.)
2 tbsp corn starch

Cook until thickened. Cool completely then spoon over fruit that has been arranged on the crust.

Chickpea Curry

One of my go-tos these days has been chickpeas - whether it's a curry, hummus, or leftover curry made into hummus.

The recipe came from Everyday Food although I have been experimenting a bit with chickpeas - the canned variety is perfectly fine (in fact, better than my attempts at soaking and cooking the dried kind .)

Buon Appettio!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/quick-chickpea-curry

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Chopped cilantro and lemon wedges (optional), for serving

Directions

1. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown around edges, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, curry, cinnamon, and cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chickpeas, ketchup, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, and increase heat to medium-high; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Serve topped with cilantro, with lemon wedges alongside if desired.

Don't be shy. Say it with me, "Prosciutto & Gruyère Wraps."

I made a mental note about this recipe months ago & was unable to find it on-line - well, here it is. We used small flour tortillas and although the recipe seems complex for the end result - for me, it was memorable.

I think apart from the basic flavor combination, marinating the mushrooms in lemon juice, oil, etc. really *made* the dish and this technique could easily be applied to many other things.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/prosciutto-and-gruyere-wraps

Nutty Udon Noodles and Cinnamon Chicken

This is a work in process, but I think it demonstrates a technique that would be useful for other similar dishes - mixing a nutty paste (like peanut butter, almond paste, tahini, etc.) spice, and warm water, into a dressing (and of course the stand-by, broiling some chicken breasts to your liking.) My first try resulted in a good mixture and although I intended it to be cold, I think a warm dish would taste a little better.


(Sorry for the lousy cell phone photo.)

• 3T curry paste (I like Massaman Curry.)
• 1/3c Tahini paste (or peanut butter, almond paste, etc.)
• 2T lemon juice (For this type of thing, I usually use the juice of one lemon, halved - the juice removed with a fork, trying to prevent the seeds from getting into the dish.)
• 1/2t salt
• 12oz Udon Noodles boiled (I find them in the Asian market - frozen. Generally, cooking is less time than Italian pasta - ~8 minutes.)
• 1c cilantro
• 1/4c sliced almonds (toasted - 350F ~6 minutes.Watch closely and shake pan 1/2 way.)
• Hot water (Save hot water from cooking noodles.)

• 1 or 2 chicken breasts
• 1T cinnamon
• 1t pepper
• 1t sea salt or Kosher
• 1t vegetable oil (Generally vegetable or canola oil is better for high heat cooking than for example, olive oil.)

Mix curry paste and nut paste. Add lemon juice and salt. Whisk in hot water a little bit at a time until you have a creamy dressing. It will thicken as it cools. Taste it for spice and salt - adjust as needed.

Cook Udon per instructions (or whatever noodles you want). Drain, pat dry, and mix with dressing.

On a broiler pan shake salt, pepper, & cinnamon on both sides of the chicken breasts, then add a little oil. Coat both sides and broil 6" from flame until done -- roughly 4 minutes per side.

Mix noodles, dressing, cilantro, and top with almonds & slices of Cinnamon Chicken Breast.

[Other thoughts - add thinly sliced veggies like carrots and peppers. Maybe ginger?]

Fire Roasted Salsa - easy, delicious - duh!

Anyone who has ever been to a good taco place, like Big Truck Tacos, or caught Rick Bayless' cooking, knows fire roasted salsa is a no-brainer. For some reason I kept buying it in the jar - usually Arriba Mexican Red Salsa or Frontera.

My first try at making fire roasted salsa precipitated as I had a few tomatoes ripening on the counter on the verge of getting too ripe. I was grocery shopping, trying to pinch a few pennies, and picked up a couple of fresh jalapeños (for less than $0.40 I think.) The rest was in the pantry.

4 ripe tomatoes
2 jalapenos (remove stem)
1 onion (cut into 1/8ths and dismantle)
1c fresh cilantro including stalks
salt (sea salt or Kosher)
a few small lime wedges

Roast the vegetables directly over a gas burner. It helps to use a sturdy grilling basket that can still expose the direct flame. You'll hear some snapping as the skins burn. Rotate them with tongs charring the entire surface of the tomatoes and peppers. The onions will darken just around the edges. Try not to let the tomatoes burst (or you'll get a mess on the gas burner.) If more charring is desired on the tomatoes, they can be quartered, placing the juicy insides in the food processor and just charring the exterior 1/4" shell.

Pulse in a food processor with a blade. Salt to taste. Top with fresh lime juice.

Yum!

Obviously there is a wide array of ingredients and cooking techniques to experiment with (and certainly expert recipes to consult.) In any case, just spend 30 minutes giving it a try - you're sure to enjoy your fresh fire roasted salsa.

Crockpot Hambone with White Beans

Crockpot Hambone with White Beans

There's nothing more pedestrian, yet comforting as crockpot cooking. Over the years I've made many improvised crockpot dishes - some hit, some miss. My fear with this dish was ending up with something too sweet and too salty due to the Honeybaked hambone. I thought adding some texture (via finely chopped celery) would help as well as adding a layer of flavor that the crock doesn't deliver by pre-cooking the onions and garlic. The stars aligned this year resulting in a luscious, well balanced dish. I decided, best write this one down. I found a crayon and a scrap of paper then transposed it here.

1 hambone (This year's was a Honeybaked spiral cut ham with all of the slices removed.)
1# Great Northern beans (white beans) (Do not soak.)
6c chicken stock (I prefer stock paste + water which is much less salty, not bouillon.)
1t oregano
1t hot Hungarian paprika
1t pepper
1t cumin
3 bay leaves
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, halved & sliced thinly.
1/2T butter

Caramelise sliced onions in butter. (Slowly cook in a frying pan, stirring occasionally. Do not burn or brown them too quickly. They should slowly become a caramel brown color. It takes about 20-30 minutes.) Add garlic for a few mintues. Add onions and garlic to crock and de-glaze frying pan with celery.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook for 8 hours. (Over cooking will result in mushy, split beans and a strong marrow flavor from the bone.) Gently remove bone toward the end of cooking and fold in ham pieces. Leave the larger pieces of ham to fall apart on their own. Serve on rice (We used a Texmati / brown rice blend, which complemented the dish well.)

[If the dish happens to come out too fatty, salty, or sweet I thought trimming or removing the outer layer of the Honeybaked hambone would help, although this time I didn' think it was necessary.]

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Bohemian Easter Eggs (This recipe is approximated by inspecting Nana's Easter eggs and observations from long ago. If you have suggestions, please comment.)

Ingredients / Supplies A bag full of yellow (Spanish) onion skins - One or two days take of skins from the local grocery store will be enough. Most stores will stock the onions once a day at a particular time. Whenever stocking them, they always end up with a lot of loose skins that they throw away. Just ask the produce manager what time they stock onions so you can drop by and pick them up or if they can save them for you. It might take a couple of trips to coordinate, so plan early. Bee's wax - I ran across some at a farmer's market. Any honey producer will have bee's wax. Bee's wax candles can be obtained from a specialty store. They used to be pretty common in the Catholic church, so you could try there. shallow metal container - Nana used an aluminum margarine container. Try a tuna can or soda can cut in half. Large kitchen matchsticks - Light the match and extinguish immediately. The larger black end is used for application of the wax. Eggs - white ones are a good idea so there is a contrast. Prepare the dye - In a large (6-8 quart) pot bring water and onion skins to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, continuing to reduce the liquid and adding more water as needed for 3 hours or so. You will want enough liquid to cover all of your eggs completely. Strain removing the onion skins, saving the reddish-brown liquid. Be careful to remove all onion skin residue from the liquid. Allow the liquid to cool to room temperature. Decorate the eggs - Place the bee's wax in a small metal container on very low heat. The wax should be liquid, but should be prevented from boiling. Decorate the raw eggs by dipping the burnt end of the kitchen match into the liquid wax and quickly dragging the end of the match across the egg. There's only one way to learn the timing and strokes necessary to leave the right amount of wax on the egg. Practice makes perfect. Boil the eggs - Follow standard recipe for hard-boiled eggs. History - As far as I know, there are courses in "craslice" making in the Czech republic..."Eugene Svoboda" <e_svoboda@isc-queens.co.uk> [could not find hits on "crasilce" on the web -pjk] Tips - At first, use vinegar to clean the eggs, wipe off the oily spots on the shell (and finger marks); they would show up because the dye wouldn't cover these places. Try using the round end of a pin (inserted in a shaft of wood) instead of matchstick. "Eugene Svoboda" Try using a "pen" made of goose feather" Eugene Svoboda" No need to use bee wax, use normal candle wax "Eugene Svoboda" Bessie (Bozena Kuchynka) Koktavy