This is one of the more important base sauces for Vietnamese cooking, but making it ranked right up there with the apprehension of pulling a sheet pan completely full of 400 degree oil out of the oven. I mean what kind of recipe calls for you to heat a cup of sugar with a 1/4 cup of water until it starts to smoke, then pour water on top of it? If you get it right though, and manage to not start a fire or coat yourself in culinary napalm, you create a rich, slightly viscous caramel sauce with rich, earthy notes of coffee and a hint of charred bitter flavor. You'll need a stainless steel pot, and I'd suggest stopping up some cold water in your sink.
Ingredients:
1 C sugar
1/4 C + 1/2 C water
Mix together the sugar and 1/4 C of water in the pot, and put over medium low. Stir some until the sugar has dissolved, then leave it alone. Cook it for a good long time ( ~20 minutes depending on heat) as the color goes from clear to pale golden to amber. From this point watch it continuously, and when it starts to smoke slightly swirl it around in the pan. Be careful! It's called culinary napalm for a reason! Continue cooking and swirling until it turns the color of molasses.
Immediately remove it from the heat, plunge the bottom of the pot into the water in the sink, and pour the 1/2 C of water into the sugar. It's going to be pretty spectacular, it's going to splatter, and you might get hit with some of that splatter. Keep your face away, and when it dies down return the pot to the heat just long enough to ensure that all of the sugar melts in to the water. The sauce will keep indefinitely without refrigeration.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Bacon Jam Two Ways
Massive amounts of bacon, onions, and garlic all cooked down with sugar and vinegar and pureed into a spread? Yeah, it's crack in a jar. I took the base recipe from here, but I've modified it some, then I went and made an Asian version that might even be better than the original.
Ingredients:
For either version you're going to need:
3 lbs of sliced bacon, in 1 inch by 1/4 inch strips
6 medium yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced
10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 C of strongly brewed black coffee
1 C brown sugar
1 t ground black pepper
Now if you want to make original bacon jam you'll also need:
1 C cider vinegar
1/2 C maple syrup
To make Asian bacon jam instead you'll need:
1 C chinkiang black vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
1/4 C molasses
1/4 C Vietnamese caramel sauce (or another 1/4 C molasses; the caramel sauce is less sweet than the molasses, with a more pronounced depth and bitter/charred flavor)
6 T soy sauce
4 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 t fennel seeds, ground
1 t Sichuan peppercorn, ground
5 black cardamoms
6 dried chiles
1/2 C water
Instructions:
Brown the bacon well over medium low, then remove the bacon to a plate with a paper towel, saving 3-4 T of the rendered fat in the pan (pour the rest off and refrigerate for some other use). Add the onion and garlic and increase the heat to medium; saute until the onions are translucent and cooked through.
Add the rest of the ingredients except for the reserved bacon, and bring to a boil for a few minutes. Add the bacon back in, and cook over a low simmer, uncovered, until the onions start to break up, adding a little water as necessary.
If making the Asian version, remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise, chiles, and cardamoms. Using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor, puree the mixture in to a smooth paste.
Spread it on toast with some eggs, spread it on crackers, slather it on a sandwich (especially a banh mi for the Asian version), or just hide in a corner with your shame and eat it with a spoon.
Ingredients:
For either version you're going to need:
3 lbs of sliced bacon, in 1 inch by 1/4 inch strips
6 medium yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced
10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 C of strongly brewed black coffee
1 C brown sugar
1 t ground black pepper
Now if you want to make original bacon jam you'll also need:
1 C cider vinegar
1/2 C maple syrup
To make Asian bacon jam instead you'll need:
1 C chinkiang black vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
1/4 C molasses
1/4 C Vietnamese caramel sauce (or another 1/4 C molasses; the caramel sauce is less sweet than the molasses, with a more pronounced depth and bitter/charred flavor)
6 T soy sauce
4 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 t fennel seeds, ground
1 t Sichuan peppercorn, ground
5 black cardamoms
6 dried chiles
1/2 C water
Instructions:
Brown the bacon well over medium low, then remove the bacon to a plate with a paper towel, saving 3-4 T of the rendered fat in the pan (pour the rest off and refrigerate for some other use). Add the onion and garlic and increase the heat to medium; saute until the onions are translucent and cooked through.
Add the rest of the ingredients except for the reserved bacon, and bring to a boil for a few minutes. Add the bacon back in, and cook over a low simmer, uncovered, until the onions start to break up, adding a little water as necessary.
If making the Asian version, remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise, chiles, and cardamoms. Using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor, puree the mixture in to a smooth paste.
Spread it on toast with some eggs, spread it on crackers, slather it on a sandwich (especially a banh mi for the Asian version), or just hide in a corner with your shame and eat it with a spoon.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Butter Chicken
Rich, decadent chicken in a butter and cream sauce with a touch of tomato. The initial part is a riff on tandoori chicken made without a tandoor and without the food coloring. There are three methods for the initial cooking; of these grilling is the best, then broiling, then baking if you want to make a large amount without working in batches. I use some liquid lecithin here just as insurance against breaking, but that's optional.
Tandoori Chicken:
2.5 lbs of skinless boneless chicken, either breasts or thighs
Juice of one lemon
Half an onion, finely chopped
1 green chile (jalapenos and serranos are too grassy; ideally use a finger hot/jwala or a green cayenne), thinly sliced
1 1/2 C plain whole milk yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t garam masala
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 t salt
Mix together everything except the chicken and food processor until smooth. Cut the chicken into strips and score to allow the marinade to penetrate. Marinate over night, then remove from the marinade and choose a cooking method: Grill it over a very high heat until just done; broil it on high; bake it on the highest setting your oven has. If you have to bake it I'd suggest taking a cooking torch to it if possible to brown the chicken. Remove from the heat and set aside; this part can be done a day ahead.
Butter Chicken:
1/2 of a 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 1/4 C heavy cream
1/2 C unsalted butter
2 T ghee
3 T flour
2 T kasoori methi (fenugreek) leaves
2 t liquid lecithin
1 1/4 t garam masala
2-4 green chiles (jalapenos and serranos are too grassy; ideally use a finger hot/jwala or a green cayenne), thinly sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
pinch of sugar
salt to taste
cayenne to desired heat
1 1/4 t toasted and ground cumin
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Mix together the tomato paste with enough water or chicken broth to make 1 C. Add in everything else except the butter, ghee, and lecithin. Melt the butter and ghee in a skillet, then add in the lecithin and stir to combine; add in the flour and make a blond roux. Add in the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, then add in the chicken and let it warm up and blend in flavor, another minute or so.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Italian Dressing Mix
An herb blend for making your own Italian dressing.
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T sugar
2 T oregano
~1 t ground black pepper
1/4 t thyme
1 t basil
2 T salt
Mix these ingredients together, then to make the vinaigrette combine 2 T of the herb mix with 2/3 C of oil, 1/4 C of vinegar and 2 T of water. As a base I use olive oil and white vinegar, but you can mix it up; as a suggestion I'd try walnut oil and sherry vinegar. If you use a lower acidity vinegar substitute out some or all of the 2 T of water for additional vinegar. If you want to stabilize the dressing add ~1/2 t of xanthan gum (1/2 t isn't quite enough, 3/4 t is too much).
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T sugar
2 T oregano
~1 t ground black pepper
1/4 t thyme
1 t basil
2 T salt
Mix these ingredients together, then to make the vinaigrette combine 2 T of the herb mix with 2/3 C of oil, 1/4 C of vinegar and 2 T of water. As a base I use olive oil and white vinegar, but you can mix it up; as a suggestion I'd try walnut oil and sherry vinegar. If you use a lower acidity vinegar substitute out some or all of the 2 T of water for additional vinegar. If you want to stabilize the dressing add ~1/2 t of xanthan gum (1/2 t isn't quite enough, 3/4 t is too much).
Garlic Beef Stew
A simple rustic beef stew; serve it with some slices of crusty bread. This is a variation on the a recipe from The Foods & Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas; an amazing cookbook that I highly recommend. It's full recipes that work wonders with only a handful of ingredients.
2 lbs beef (top round, chuck, something tough and cheap)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, separated, peeled
1 C dry white wine
1/4 t thyme
1 bay leaf
1 T chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken stock to cover beef (~ a cup, depending on pan size)
wondra flour
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
Heat the oil and sear the beef on all sides; remove the beef and allow to rest. Add onion and garlic and saute till translucent. Cube the beef, then add it and everything except the wondra flour and the minced garlic to the pot. Cover and simmer until the beef is tender, ~2 hours.
For an extra hit of garlic add in the minced garlic, then start stirring in the wondra flour until you hit the consistency you want.
2 lbs beef (top round, chuck, something tough and cheap)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, separated, peeled
1 C dry white wine
1/4 t thyme
1 bay leaf
1 T chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken stock to cover beef (~ a cup, depending on pan size)
wondra flour
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
Heat the oil and sear the beef on all sides; remove the beef and allow to rest. Add onion and garlic and saute till translucent. Cube the beef, then add it and everything except the wondra flour and the minced garlic to the pot. Cover and simmer until the beef is tender, ~2 hours.
For an extra hit of garlic add in the minced garlic, then start stirring in the wondra flour until you hit the consistency you want.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Vegan Mayonnaise
No, I haven't radically altered my dietary preferences, I still love roast beast, but I got to thinking that by playing around with lecithin I could pull the eggs out of mayonnaise. That not only makes it vegan, but keeps it from going bad, unlike most homemade mayonnaise; this stuff should keep indefinitely in the fridge, and it may not need refrigeration since none of the ingredients has to be refrigerated (that's an experiment in progress...). At the least you won't have to worry about keeping it on ice for a picnic.
4 T vinegar (some of this may be replaced with water if you don't like it as tangy)
1 T dijon mustard
1 t liquid lecithin
1 C oil
salt to taste
Mix together the vinegar, mustard, and lecithin in a food processor (or in a bowl with a whisk, but you're gonna get a workout if you got the whisk method), then slowly drizzle in the oil while the food processor runs (or while you whisk until you think your arm is going to fall off).
Note: I don't call out what type of vinegar or oil to use, but this is just a place to get creative. My first batch was 50/50 red wine vinegar and sherry vinegar, with 1/4 C of walnut oil and 3/4 C vegetable oil. Play around with it, and you could also use citrus juice in place of vinegar; I may try blood orange and lemon juice mixed with avocado oil for my next effort.
4 T vinegar (some of this may be replaced with water if you don't like it as tangy)
1 T dijon mustard
1 t liquid lecithin
1 C oil
salt to taste
Mix together the vinegar, mustard, and lecithin in a food processor (or in a bowl with a whisk, but you're gonna get a workout if you got the whisk method), then slowly drizzle in the oil while the food processor runs (or while you whisk until you think your arm is going to fall off).
Note: I don't call out what type of vinegar or oil to use, but this is just a place to get creative. My first batch was 50/50 red wine vinegar and sherry vinegar, with 1/4 C of walnut oil and 3/4 C vegetable oil. Play around with it, and you could also use citrus juice in place of vinegar; I may try blood orange and lemon juice mixed with avocado oil for my next effort.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Deep Dish Pizza
I've posted bits and pieces about deep dish pizza before, but never the whole recipe, and many of those older posts are things that I've refined, so here's the complete version with my typical sausage pizza sauce. If you'd prefer to have yours without sausage check my meatless sauce here. This recipe is scaled for making one 14" diameter pizza.
Crust:
3 1/2 C AP flour
1 1/2 C warm water
2 t yeast
heavy pinch sugar
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C corn meal (optional, makes it easier to remove and adds texture)
1 t kosher salt
Seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, parmesan, etc. - optional)
oil or non-stick spray
Sauce:
one 28 oz can crushed san marzano tomatoes
1 medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 T olive oil
1/2 t fennel, toasted and ground
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
splash balsamic vinegar
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1/2 t ground black pepper
Toppings:
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella or provolone
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan
Whatever else you want, just remember that it should be a lot. Deep dish should be about an inch deep. If I'm doing pepperoni and another topping I'll put about 5 oz of pepperoni on it, corresponding to a complete layer with slight overlap.
Crust:
Mix the yeast with warm water and sugar and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients for the crust except for the corn meal, knead lightly, and allow to rise, covered, until doubled in volume. Punch it down and allow it to rise again. Make the sauce while the dough is rising.
Sauce:
Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned, then add in the rest of the ingredients except the sausage and simmer on low for at least half an hour. While the onion and garlic is sauteing cook the sausage to get a hard sear on it, remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for a couple of minutes, then chop. Add to the simmering sauce. At the end of cooking check the seasoning.
Assembly:
Preheat your oven to 425 F. Oil a deep dish pan (or spray with non-stick spray), and dust with corn meal. Spread the dough out and push it up the sides; try to get a thin layer on both the bottom and the sides. You may have more dough than you need, if so just tear off the excess as you push it to the lip of the pan.
Place the cheese on the dough; if using shredded cheese you may need to press it down some. Add your other toppings on top of the cheese, then spread the sauce out on top; this is important, as your toppings would burn without the moisture of the sauce on top. Bake for ~30 minutes until the dough is golden brown and the sauce is lightly bubbling. Pull the pizza out and allow to sit for 15 minutes before trying to de-pan the pizza.
Note: I use an anodized dark colored pan, if using a reflective pan you'll probably have to increase the temperature to 450F, but I haven't tried it.
Crust:
3 1/2 C AP flour
1 1/2 C warm water
2 t yeast
heavy pinch sugar
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C corn meal (optional, makes it easier to remove and adds texture)
1 t kosher salt
Seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, parmesan, etc. - optional)
oil or non-stick spray
Sauce:
one 28 oz can crushed san marzano tomatoes
1 medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 T olive oil
1/2 t fennel, toasted and ground
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
splash balsamic vinegar
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1/2 t ground black pepper
Toppings:
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella or provolone
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan
Whatever else you want, just remember that it should be a lot. Deep dish should be about an inch deep. If I'm doing pepperoni and another topping I'll put about 5 oz of pepperoni on it, corresponding to a complete layer with slight overlap.
Crust:
Mix the yeast with warm water and sugar and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients for the crust except for the corn meal, knead lightly, and allow to rise, covered, until doubled in volume. Punch it down and allow it to rise again. Make the sauce while the dough is rising.
Sauce:
Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned, then add in the rest of the ingredients except the sausage and simmer on low for at least half an hour. While the onion and garlic is sauteing cook the sausage to get a hard sear on it, remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for a couple of minutes, then chop. Add to the simmering sauce. At the end of cooking check the seasoning.
Assembly:
Preheat your oven to 425 F. Oil a deep dish pan (or spray with non-stick spray), and dust with corn meal. Spread the dough out and push it up the sides; try to get a thin layer on both the bottom and the sides. You may have more dough than you need, if so just tear off the excess as you push it to the lip of the pan.
Place the cheese on the dough; if using shredded cheese you may need to press it down some. Add your other toppings on top of the cheese, then spread the sauce out on top; this is important, as your toppings would burn without the moisture of the sauce on top. Bake for ~30 minutes until the dough is golden brown and the sauce is lightly bubbling. Pull the pizza out and allow to sit for 15 minutes before trying to de-pan the pizza.
Note: I use an anodized dark colored pan, if using a reflective pan you'll probably have to increase the temperature to 450F, but I haven't tried it.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Quiche Lorraine
The classic quiche of bacon, eggs, and cream.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 C creme fraiche
Cream to thin out the creme fraiche (typically about 3 T)
Pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 lb bacon, in lardons
pie crust, either store bought or homemade
Preheat oven to 375 F and blind bake the crust until lightly golden (about 10 minutes for a room temperature docked crust without pie weights). While this is baking brown the bacon over medium low heat, then drain. Beat together the creme fraiche, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and eggs. Scatter the bacon on the crust, and pour over the cream mixture. Bake at 375 until the filling is just set, about 25 minutes.
Variations:
While it would stop being a traditional quiche lorraine you could vary the recipe some by adding sauteed mushroom and/or grated gruyere. Be careful with the salt if using gruyere.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 C creme fraiche
Cream to thin out the creme fraiche (typically about 3 T)
Pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 lb bacon, in lardons
pie crust, either store bought or homemade
Preheat oven to 375 F and blind bake the crust until lightly golden (about 10 minutes for a room temperature docked crust without pie weights). While this is baking brown the bacon over medium low heat, then drain. Beat together the creme fraiche, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and eggs. Scatter the bacon on the crust, and pour over the cream mixture. Bake at 375 until the filling is just set, about 25 minutes.
Variations:
While it would stop being a traditional quiche lorraine you could vary the recipe some by adding sauteed mushroom and/or grated gruyere. Be careful with the salt if using gruyere.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
French-Style Garlic Sausage
There aren't any amounts to this, as I wasn't measuring when I made it, and you usually have to adjust it by cooking some and tasting it. The dominant flavors should be garlic and thyme with an under tone of red wine.
Pork shoulder
Salt pork
Thyme
Garlic
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Rich red wine like a burgundy
A slice or two of slightly stale bread
Grind together the garlic, pork shoulder, salt pork, and bread; I used a coarser grind and only ground it once. Mix in the spices and check the seasoning by frying up some. Casing the sausage is optional.
Pork shoulder
Salt pork
Thyme
Garlic
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Rich red wine like a burgundy
A slice or two of slightly stale bread
Grind together the garlic, pork shoulder, salt pork, and bread; I used a coarser grind and only ground it once. Mix in the spices and check the seasoning by frying up some. Casing the sausage is optional.
Tomato Bisque
A nice simple creamy tomato soup. There isn't a whole lot to it, so you need to use the best ingredients - homemade chicken stock and san marzano tomatoes.
Ingredients:
1 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
4+1 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
2-3 C chicken stock
5 T butter
4 T flour
3/4 C cream, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3/4 t smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t thyme
Melt the butter and saute the onion, four cloves garlic, carrot, and celery until lightly browned. Add the thyme and stir for a few seconds. Add in the flour and stir to make a roux, cooking it for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock and hand crush the tomatoes into the pot, then add in any juice that was in the can. Add bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or so to blend the flavors, then puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add in the cream and the last clove of garlic and bring back to a simmer, then check the seasoning. I like to serve it with toasted bread and cheese, whether baked brie or just a grilled cheese.
Ingredients:
1 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
4+1 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
2-3 C chicken stock
5 T butter
4 T flour
3/4 C cream, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3/4 t smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t thyme
Melt the butter and saute the onion, four cloves garlic, carrot, and celery until lightly browned. Add the thyme and stir for a few seconds. Add in the flour and stir to make a roux, cooking it for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock and hand crush the tomatoes into the pot, then add in any juice that was in the can. Add bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or so to blend the flavors, then puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add in the cream and the last clove of garlic and bring back to a simmer, then check the seasoning. I like to serve it with toasted bread and cheese, whether baked brie or just a grilled cheese.
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