Smoked Shrimp Cocktail

Smoked Shrimp.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

It has been a while since I last posted, a whole summer, in fact.  It was just so busy with work that it blew right by.  So, now it is time to make up for the stress and pressure by being a hermit in the throws of our particularly nasty Minnesota winter, which happened to start early this year.  I'm not complaining, though.  When there is snow on the ground, I don't have to feel guilty about the lawn that needs mowing, or weeds that need pulling. I can just "be" and do fun stuff.  Fun stuff like flying micro RC planes and helis at the gym at work with my buddies, and of course, cooking.  Good times.

So, recently I started reflecting on the food I love and was preoccupied with the question that I ask myself often: "What single dish do I make that I think is better than anyone else makes?"  Good question for a non-professional cook.  Then, as I was weeding though my kitchen cupboards trying to gain back some room, I ran across my Burton stove-top smoker.  I hadn't used it in a years and debated whether I should keep it or not.  Then it hit me.  Smoked shrimp cocktail.  The perfect thing for a small smoker, and it just happens to be one of my best dishes.  I usually use my regular smoker, but it's outside and it's really cold out there, not to mention yetis.  So this stove-top model is the cats pajamas.  Easy to use and almost no chance of a yeti attack.

The best part about this is how easy it is.  If you have a smoker, of course.  I like to start with extra large shrimp.  26/30 are my favorite for this.  If you go smaller, the smoke may overtake the shrimp a little.  If you go larger, they just get more expensive.  So, 26/30 seems to be the sweet spot.  I like raw, shell-on shrimp that are already split on the back, EZ Peel as they are commonly referred. The process is simple.  First, soak some wood chips, about 1-2 cups worth, in some warm water.  I like alder because it compliments delicate food like fish and shrimp without overpowering it.  Then, thaw the shrimp in some water.  When thawed, add a good amount of kosher salt to the water.  Don't be shy.  The shells are on and the shrimp will only be in the  brine for about 15 minutes, so this is pretty difficult to over-salt.  After 15 minutes, drain the shrimp and give them a quick rinse.  Then arrange them on the smoker rack and let them dry off a bit.  It will help the smoke stick.  Once the shrimp are dry, assemble your smoker according to the instructions.  With my smoker, I line the bottom with a piece of foil and arrange the, drained, wood chips in a neat layer.  Then I put the drip pan in, lined with another piece of foil, and place the rack of shrimp on it, slide on the cover, and put it on the cook-top over medium high heat.

Once the smoke starts I reduce the heat to medium, or medium low depending on the burner and let it go, checking occasionally until the shrimp are just done.  The shrimp should feel firm, but not rubbery when they are done.  A good exhaust vent is important for this as you can make your house smell like the inside of a smoker if you are not careful.  Then your spouse will point that out numerous times as part of general conversation.  When done, remove from the heat and remove the rack of shrimp.  Now, get them chilled down as quick as possible.  In the winter, I just put the rack on the window sill and let Old Man Winter blast chill them for me.  Otherwise, put the rack on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge.  Once they are cold, you can eat them immediately, or store them in a container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To serve, peel the shell off.  It is easy if you hold the shrimp, back toward you and tail pointing down.  Then grab the shell on each side of the split, at the top, and peel open, just like opening a book.  Once the back is open, you can pinch the tail at the bottom from the sides and the shrimp should pull right out.  It make take a little practice.  So, you may be asking, why leave the shells on?  There are a few reasons for this; 1) It adds lots of flavor, 2) it keeps the shrimp from becoming overpowered with smoke, and 3) it slows people down so they don't just inhale them one after the other.  We have all seen it.  That one person that pulls the chair up to the appetizers and eats shrimp like a kidnap victim.

As a final thought, these little gems deserve a homemade cocktail sauce.  I like to whip together a simple cocktail sauce with 1 cup of ketchup, some L and P to taste, juice of 1 lemon, grated horse radish to taste, and a splash of your favorite hot sauce.  It is best if you make it at least an hour ahead in order for the flavors to meld.  This is way better than any store bought sauce and so simple.

There you go.  Easy and very delicious.  These always are a hit, so I hope you try them.  Enjoy!

Re-purposing Leftovers

Cod fritters and ponzu aioli.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

I love leftovers.  Leftovers means an easy, delicious meal.  But I may be in the minority.  I hear a lot of people say that they hate leftovers.  That one kind of boggles my mind, but maybe it is due to the replay of flavors.  I admit that I rarely eat leftovers in the same form from one day to another because I want something different, so I remake them into something else.  I think that is what keeps things interesting.  Take the cod fritters, for example.  That was a nice way to get rid of mashed potatoes and cod.  When all else fails, most anything can be turned into soup or a casserole.  It's all up to your imagination.

I think I inherited this skill from my mom.  In our house, a roasted chicken always led to chicken a la king, and then onto soup.  A pot roast seemed to lead to hash, which I hated with a passion, but my dad just loved.  Mom would grind up all the remnants of the pot roast and fry it on her electric frying pan until it was brown on both sides.  Then dad would drench it in ketchup and mustard and would carry on like it was the best thing ever to come out of a kitchen.  I, on the other hand, could barely choke it down regardless of how much ketchup and mustard I dumped on it.  To me, left over pot roast can be turned into stew, or a pot pie, which is delicious.  Corned beef hash, well that is another story indeed.  One could argue that the initial boiled dinner of corned beef and cabbage is just a necessary step in order to get corned beef hash, which is fantastic with a fried egg on top.  Meat loaf was turned into meatloaf sandwiches.  Again, dad loved them, but cold meatloaf leaves a bit to be desired, in my opinion.  So, I get why people can tend to hate leftovers.  But there is hope.

Re-purposing them is not a science, but an art that you need to learn over time.  However, the best way to learn it is to always think about where today's meal can lead.  Left over noodles:  mix in some onions and fry them in a pan with butter until golden brown on each side.  Left over meatloaf: well...sandwiches.  But fry them in some butter to make the sides golden first.  Or grind it up and mix it with mac and cheese.  Left over lamb chops:  I have never had left over lamb chops.  I would rather be up all night with a gut ache from eating too many lamb chops.  They are just that good.  Mashed potatoes:  fritters or fixed with some egg and flour to make pancakes.  Or, fry up some mirapoix, add some chicken stock, and mashed potatoes to make a nice potato soup.  Asparagus: I'm thinking omelette.  Steak:  Easy.  Sandwich.  Cut a baguette in half, brush with garlic butter, steak on one half, cheese and onions on the other, and broil until brown, bubbly, and delicious.  Crepes:  Slice them up and add them to soup as a type of noodle.  My German relatives did that all the time.  Beats:  Shred them and add some vinegar and oil to make a light summer salad.  Once you start thinking like that, it starts to get easy.

The point is, think outside the box.  It is really hard to fail to the point where you just can't eat something, so give it a go.  Some of the best things I have ever eaten have been creatively used leftovers.

Pulling Off the Dinner Party

Preparing for the dinner party.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

Dinner parties can test the mettle of any good cook, and can become a nightmare for the less experienced.  While each dish may be easy for even the less experienced, bringing things together at the same time is the trick.  While not always on time, I must admit that I can usually pull together a dinner party and have things done properly and on time.  But this skill didn't just happen, it takes a concerted effort and will on the part of the cook.  Here is a brain dump of my experience that I hope you may find useful for your next gathering.

Here are some questions I ask myself when planning a dinner party:

• What time is dinner?  Is everything going to be served at the same time, or will they be served in courses?  These times are used to figure out the start times for all the components of the meal.
• Are there things that can be assembled/cooked ahead of time like appetizers, soup, certain types of salads?
• What do I need to prepare for my mise [en place] and when should I get that ready?  Typically mise can be done ahead of time on the same day.
• Will I be able to complete everything on time based on the number of items and complexity of those items?  If not, should I adjust the menu, or can I commission someone's help?
• How loquacious are my guests?  Quiet guests make it easier to complete any last minute cooking tasks, while more talkative, gregarious guests can unintentionally work against you.  I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to do something because I was sucked into a conversation (and beer).
• Do I have enough pans for everything I want to make?
• Do I have enough burners for all the pans?
• If you have a single oven, as I do, will I need to cook more than one thing in that oven?  If they are at the same temperature, no problem if you have the space, otherwise you may need to re-think things a bit.

Here are some things I do to make things easier on myself that you may find helpful:

• Soups, stews, and things like jambalaya are a perfect course to make a day ahead and reheat on the day of the party.  You will want to wait until the day of to add certain ingredients, depending on your soup, like rice, noodles, certain vegetables that cook quickly, and perhaps the meat.
• Lettuce can be chopped a day ahead and kept quite nicely in a salad spinner (if you don't have one, get one.  They are great!).
• Many deserts can be made a day ahead.  These are some common desserts I like to make that are particularly suited for advanced cooking: cheese cake, crème brulee, ice cream, and chocolate cake.
• Write down everything you are planning to server and at what time.  Place that list in an obvious place so you see it as a reminder.  It seems like a no-brainer, but it is easy to forget the garlic bread waiting in a warm oven once you start your courses and get involved with your guests.
• Arrange some help.  Many people that we have over are either foodies or at least know their way around a kitchen and never mind pitching in when needed.  Heck, even people that are not at home in a kitchen can be good helpers if you break their tasks down and tell them exactly what you need from them.  Anyone can help assemble a salad or put the garlic bread into a basket for serving.
• I like to prepare my mise an hour or so before starting to cook everything.  They can be covered and refrigerated until needed.
• When the mise is needed, I arrange in in groups on the counter in the order that they will be used.  That way it is self documenting on what goes into a dish and when.
• If you are planning on drinking alcohol when your guests arrive, make sure you have a little something in your stomach before you do and try to pace yourself.  I don't know about you, but alcohol seems to affect my memory first and that is sometimes why I find that loaf of garlic bread in the warm oven after the meal is over.  By the way, that was also hands-down the best garlic bread I have ever made.  We still ate it; we just had it after dessert.
• If you are serving meat, plan around a quarter pound per person, or a half pound if your guests are carnivores.  I have a friend that works out and runs almost every day.  I usually plan more when he comes over.  Also, younger guests generally eat more than older guests.
• Most important, don't freak out if things don't go according to plan.  I usually like to server more but smaller courses, so it is easier to absorb a problem.

I have said it before and I will say it again.  Typically, you serve your friends and family to a dinner party.  It's not someone from Michelin, or the James Beard Foundation.  It's okay if things don't go as planned.  They will be okay with it and won't tell their friends "It was a perfect evening until Rob forgot the garlic bread in the warm oven.  What a dork.  It's just, like, beyond ridiculous.  I totally can't believe it."  The point is, have fun above all, but keep your head in the game so you look like a super star and not a dork.

Radishes. Something New?

Sauteed radishes.  Photo by Rob Robitaille.

I grew up eating radishes.  It seemed like we always had them on hand when they were in season.  As with most American families, radishes were always served as a garnish, raw with salt, or sliced on a salad.  But radishes are so much more than crunchy, sometimes hot and spicy, juicy little roots.  Raw radishes with some butter is sublime, but my favorite way is sauteed with their greens.  The French have always known that radishes and butter are a combo made in heaven, so why is America so uninformed about these gems?  Again, I love my country, but we are really behind, in general, on the whole good eating thing.  Granted, there are cities in this country that have world class cuisine, but a larger part of our country doesn't live there.  Most of the country eats good, honest, but lets face it, very typical food.  And no disrespect intended toward all those folks out there. After all, I study this stuff every day and managed to miss this gift until recently.  This was one of those things that was, in my opinion, so good that I had to tell someone.  And I am not alone.  There are many out there that feel the same way, and unless you seek them out, you will never know that they exist.

So what does a sauteed radish taste like?  Well, a sauteed radish.  And that is what is so great about it.  It is rare that, once you become an adult, you taste something that is not unlike something else you have tasted.  One of the sucky things about experience is that you get to a point where you hit the "been there, done that" place that we really don't want to be in.  The best part of this was that it was a "Wow!  Never been there before." kind of moment.  Now, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up too high.  After all, this is simply my personal taste.  But, I think most people would agree that these are delicious.  My wife, Miss Picky Pickingham even admitted that these were the only vegetable she liked better cooked than raw.  It's all about thinking outside the box, which is hard to do.  You get into the paradigm that certain foods can only be consumed certain ways, but that is what separates the cooks from the chefs.  Don't get me wrong, I am a cook not a chef, and I will never say that I am a chef (unless I actually become one, which is really unlikely).  I'm talking David Chang, René Redzepi, the Brothers Adrià, and so many more of the great culinary inventors.  The ones that say, what if?

So, what is my point?  I'm not really sure, to be honest.  This started out as a shout-out about a little known, but very delicious treat that most people don't know about.  I would be willing to bet my 1922 Peace Dollar that you could stand on a street corner all day in small town America (where I live, in fact) and ask people if they have eaten cooked radishes and you may be lucky to get one person all day that has.  But then my post took a hard left into the realm of what more is out there?  My recommendation is this; go to the farmers market, or other favorite market and buy something you are familiar with.  Something you take for granted.  The research it to see if there is something really different you can do with it.  I hate to keep saying it, but see what the French and Spaniards are doing.  After all, they are on the pinnacle of  the culinary arts.  As for me, and I am guessing most people, we don't have that gift that the great chefs have.  The ability to decipher what something can taste like with a bit of manipulation.  Although I can be creative in my own right, I still require some inspiration.  But thinking outside the box is critical to creativity.  I don't know what the silver bullet is, if there is one.  Maybe it is as simple as just go forth and boldly cook.  And above all, have fun.

Roughing it in Arizona

Lamb chops and rosemary potatoes.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

Recently, my wife's brother was married in Arizona.  To be honest, I never even considered Arizona a place that I would want to visit.  But after chatting about it with my wife, we decided to extend the wedding trip into a vacation.  I have to admit that I instantly fell in love with Arizona.  Every concept I had about the state turned out to be wrong, in a good way.  The dessert was blooming, birds were everywhere, and the "dry heat" concept is true.  The only time I broke into a sweat was hauling my wife's suit case up two flights of stairs to our second floor room at the inn that we stayed at the first three days.  Other than that, the weather was great.  On top of that, the food was also equally as good.  After the weekend at Fountain Hills, which was a very nice community decorated with many Mercedes, Porches, Ferraris, and at least one Maserati that I could find, we headed south, past Tucson, to the Medera Canyon.  Fountain Hills was nice, but Medera Canyon is my kind of place.  My wife was primarily responsible for planning the vacation, which was fine my me, and she did a great job.  She found the nicest B&B I have ever seen.  If there is a better one out there, you have to prove it to me, because the Chuparosa Bed and Breakfast is the best, in my opinion.  The owners, Luis and Nancy, are top notch.  The fluffy quiches and yogurt parfaits were outstanding, and the inn itself is beautifully maintained and cared for.  After all, it's their home, too.  As with all B&Bs, breakfast is provided (hence the term), but you are on your own for the rest of the meals.  We happened to be about 15 miles from the closest town of Green Valley, so we picked up some groceries to make our own meals, which was great, because hanging out at a great inn, with great people, and getting to cook is my idea of a wonderful vacation.  If you like meeting people from all walks of life, B&Bs are fantastic for that.

Our stay at Chuparosa was proof that you don't need a lot of equipment to make a fantastic meal.  I was armed merely with some good ingredients, salt and pepper, aluminum foil, paper plates for prep, and a wickedly sharp Swiss Army knife (never travel without it).  Much to my joy, Chuparosa has an abundant supply of rosemary bushes, which they were more than happy to share with us.  On the first night staying anywhere that I will be cooking, steak is the traditional celebratory "WE'RE ON VACATION!" meal.  However, I found some nice racks of lamb at the grocery store as well as some nice steaks.  Now my tradition is steak the first night, unless you can find a rack of lamb.  The outdoor cooking area, complete with a monster sized grill, was conveniently located about twenty feet out our door.  The first nights menu, grilled rack of lamb, rosemary potatoes, and a salad which we ate outside in the beautiful, clear, calm day at our own private table.  Very special.

This trip reminded me of one of the basic rules of cooking.  Less is more.  I know, people cringe with that phrase, but it is really true.  Americans, in general, tend to lean toward the mantra of more is better.  More ingredients, bigger portions, etc.  I would rather eat three small lamb chops than a huge steak any day.  Period.  So, let's talk about this lamb, since there is a picture of it above.  If you have never tried lamb, I encourage you to give it a shot.  It is actually quite simple and the only way you can really screw it up is if you over cook it.  You can serve it up to medium, but medium rare is even better.  If you are a well done kind of person, then maybe this isn't for you, because well done lamb is just sad.  While you can find individual lamb chops, which are fine, I prefer to buy a rack of lamb chops because the presentation is better and they are less work because you only have to cook one thing.  They usually come with the bones frenched, meaning cleaned off like you see in the picture.  All you need to do is season the meat and cook them.  I personally like the seasoning Spike Original Magic, which you can find in almost any grocery store. It works well with lamb, but feel free to come up with your own special mix.  The seasoning can be done a while in advance, up to a couple days.  To cook them, you need either a hot grill or heavy pan that is smoking hot.  If you use a grill, it is a good idea to fold a piece of aluminum foil over the bones so they don't burn, which, besides making them ugly, will reduce their usefulness.  After all, the bones are handles.  More on that in a second.  Then, sear each side to make a nice crust.  At this point they will be rare to medium rare depending on how thick the roast is.  If you like them that way, take them off now.  If not, reduce the heat of the grill, or if you are using the pan method, move them into a 325 oven and finish them to a medium.  Remember, as long as they don't go past medium, you are in for a treat.

Then, and this is probably the second most important step besides cooking them properly, let them rest.  Resist the urge to cut into them, because all you will do is dry them out.  Right now, the lamb is hot and the pressure inside is higher than the outside, so if you cut into them, all the wonderful juice will be pushed out leaving you with a puddle and dry chops.  This rule is so important for any cut of meat or poultry, by the way.  So, grab another beer, or have some more wine, or just put your hands in your pockets and give it about 10 minutes.  After that, hold the roast by the bones and cut between each one to separate it into individual chops.  Now you can dig in.  About the handles I talked about, I don't think I have ever seen anyone, even my mom, use a knife and fork on one of these.  Just pick them up and enjoy.  Once you taste one, you will see why the lamb lollipop method is the best.

It has been a few weeks since our trip and I really miss Arizona and my new friends at the Chuparosa, but we have already made reservations for next year, so I have that to look forward to.  In the meantime, I will enjoy the bounty of the farmers market and go forth and boldly cook. And above all, have fun.

For the Love of Charcuterie

Charcuterie board from the Happy Gnome.  Photo by Rob Robitaille.

I don't like charcuterie.  I am passionately in love with it.  I can think of few things so gratifying to eat.  Charcuterie, when well executed, is incredibly flavorful and decadent.  But, what is charcuterie?  If you are unfamiliar with the term, I will bet that you know exactly what it is and have probably eaten it.  Charcuterie was a way to preserve meat, typically pork, in the days before refrigeration.  The process typically involved some type of salting/curing, smoking, drying, or potting.  Today it exists simply because it is delicious.  Some common, modern examples of charcuterie are ham, bacon, dry cured sausage, pastrami, corned beef, confits, and rillettes, to name but a few.  I have always dabbled in the art of charcuterie, but really became passionate in the past ten years. So, lets dissect this a bit and talk about some of the main areas of charcuterie that most people would care about.

Salt Cured Food

This is one that most people are familiar with.  The important thing about salt cured foods is that most, but not all, also use sodium nitrate/nitrite, which are critical in dry cured foods in order to protect against botulism.  The process is complex, but just be aware of the role sodium nitrate/nitrite plays in curing.  Examples of this type of food are bacon, prosciutto, pancetta, ham, corned beef, pastrami, sausage, beef jerky, and gravlax, just to name a few.  This is a prime example of the carry-over from the need to preserve, to not being able to imagine life without these.  Can you imagine a world with no bacon?  Steven King couldn't even top that horror.  Once cured, some of these foods, like corned beef, are simply cooked.  Some are served as is, like gravlax.  Some are smoked, like bacon, pit ham, and certain types of sausage.  And then there are some that are hung to dry without any cooking, like prosciutto, pancetta, some types of ham, beef jerky, and sausages like salami, soppressata, pepperoni, chorizo, and bresaola.

Although most salt cured foods are a type of animal protein, it is not limited them.  Fruits and vegetables can be salt cured as well.  Examples of this are sauerkraut, preserved lemons, fermented pickles like the ones you get at a good deli, and kimchi.  Not surprisingly, I have every one of those examples in my fridge right now.

Confit and Rillettes

Confits are essentially foods that have been cured, placed in an earthenware container, covered in fat, then slowly cooked until extremely tender.  Then, they are left to cool so that the fat firms up, thus sealing the food and preserving it for an extended period of time.  On the of most popular examples is duck confit, a personal favorite of mine.  Duck leg quarters are salt cured with some aromatics.  Then rinsed, dried and placed in a crock or similar dish and completely covered in rendered duck fat.  The duck is then slowly baked in the oven at round 180 degrees for several hours.  Once done, it is allowed to cool in the cooking vessel and then stored.  They are good right away, but are even better when allowed to "ripen" for a week or two in the fridge. They can be used as ingredients in other dishes, or roasted until the skin is crisp and eaten as is.  They can also be turned into rillettes.

A rillettes is often, but not always, made from a confit.  One thing that remains fairly constant, is that the meat is cooked with a descent amount of fat.  Other things can be added such as onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and any other herb or spice that you like.  The whole thing is then turned into a paste that can be spread on bread.  Like confit, it can be potted and covered with fat as a form of preservation.  In the age of refrigeration, this is mostly just a decadent and wonderful accompaniment to a great craft beer.

Dry Cured Foods

Dry cured foods, as we have already discussed, are foods that have been salt cured then allowed to dry.  Because they are cured and are dry, they will keep without refrigeration for along time.  These are among my favorite because of the buttery feel they have due to the amount of fat in them.  However, this is perhaps the most difficult of all charcuterie in the it is very finicky about temperature and humidity.  Also, our friend, and sometimes enemy, mold can jump in an wreak havoc on even the bet laid plans.  To be honest, outside of jerky, which is sped along with a dehydrator, I haven't dabbled much in this area as I do not have, what I feel, are the right conditions or location for this.  Add a few house cats into the mix and it gets even worse.  So, I have this one on my bucket list and will attempt it at some point when I find the right place.

Smoked Foods

We have already touched on this above, because to really preserve a food, smoked food must first be cured with salt and sodium nitrate/nitrite.  Then, the food is smoked, which adds another layer of preservation on top of the curing.  The process of smoke curing is so complex, that I am not even going to attempt to explain it here.  Let's just say a really complex set of chemical reactions take place that help cure and add flavor.  Again, this is not something that we need to do any longer to preserve our food.  The real fun is more to do with using the smoke as a seasoning.  Different foods lend themselves to different types of smoke.  Fish go better with lighter smoke flavors from woods like alder.  Pork and poultry is good with fruit woods like apple, and nut wood like hickory and pecan.  Beef can take a lot of flavor, so it can be paired with mesquite, hickory, pecan, and walnut.  Let's not forget the little known, but wonderful corn cob, which is great with pork and poultry.  Seriously.  I wouldn't lie about charcuterie.

I hope this has helped you understand charcuterie a little better.  As I said, most people have eaten, or at least heard of most of these foods.  This is just a basic primer into charcuterie, but the subject is very extensive and whole books have been written about it.  If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend CHARCUTERIE The craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn.  It talks about the stuff I discussed above in much more detail and is filled with recipes that most people can do at home (perhaps with the exception of dry curing).  If you really want a deep dive into what really happens when you cure meat and smoke it, I recommend On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee.  McGee, as it is sometimes simply referred to, is arguably the best text on the subject of food and cooking.  It goes into great detail on the physics and chemistry of the kitchen.  Be advised, it is not an easy relaxing read.  It is basically a text book written at the college level, but I recommend it for anyone that takes cooking seriously and wants a great reference for the kitchen.  Have fun.

The Most Important Tool in the Kitchen - Your Brain

Illustration by my good friend Bradley "Doc" Cripe.  Amazing artist*, philosopher, and all around good egg.

It seems like the more complex life becomes, the less people think about stuff.  I don't know why that is.  Are we too dependent on the things that are external to us without having to put forth any effort?  Television, smart phones, computers, I'm looking in your general direction!  I personally think that it may be the case.  I contend that you need to take ownership an put forth the effort to understand what you are doing, no matter what it is.  Take cooking for example.  Like it or not, cooking, albeit something that everyone can master, is complex, even at a basic level.  Biology, physics, and chemistry are hard at work in the food world, even when we aren't.  Once you get into the game, it gets even busier and you can't expect to sit back and let things sort of happen.  If you do, you will be faced with disappointment most of the time.

So, here is my point.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone complain about making a recipe that didn't turn out.  Too salty, dry, mushy, whatever.  They even say that it seemed like a lot of salt, or that it seemed like a long time to cook.  My response is "Who's in charge here?"  The recipe?  No, the cook is, and it is their responsibility to catch these things before they become problems.  I'm not advocating that you need the skills and insight of a professional chef, but at the same time, you are in charge of something akin to a lab experiment each time you make a meal.  Listen to that little voice that is trying to warn you that you are about to screw up. Most of the time when I screw up, and yes, I still screw stuff up, it is because I ignored that little voice.  When things go awry, it usually not come as a huge surprise because I remember that voice that I ignored.  Can things go awry even when you are on top of your game?  You bet.  But a lot of stuff falls under rookie mistakes and most of them are preventable.  Everyone makes these mistakes from time to time regardless of experience level (although I would guess Eric Ripert makes way, way less of them than I do).  When I started cooking I made these types of mistakes because I didn't know any better.  Now, it's because I wasn't using my brain.  Hey, the title says that it is an important tool, but you first need to use it.  Most of the time the prevention of problems is as simple as taking the few seconds to just think about what you are doing.  Which brings me to the chicken soup example.

When you make chicken soup, you need to start at the beginning.  Seems obvious at first, but maybe not.  Let's think about this for a moment from the perspective of someone who wants homemade chicken soup for supper.  The though process should go something like this.  What's in chicken soup?  Do you have the ingredients on hand?  How long does each ingredient take to cook? Are you using prepared stock?  Is the chicken that you are going to add to it already cooked?  How long does each type of vegetable take to cook?  How long does it take to cook noodles?  Once you start to think about all this stuff, you can start to see the soup come together in your mind and you can build the time-line.  I probably goes something like this:  Brown your meat and reserve.  Then sauté some aromatic vegetables in the pot in some reserved fat from the meat.  Add stock and bouquet garni of aromatic herbs along with some salt.  Simmer until the soup has some body.  You may be adding other ingredients during the simmering process depending how long they need to cook.  Remove bouquet.  Add cooked chicken and dried noodles.  Cook until noodles are tender.  And, if you are the son of a German mother, drizzle in some beaten eggs while stirring to form egg "ribbons."  That is a really basic example, but you get the point.  If you throw everything together and cook it until the ingredient that needs the longest cooking time is done, your noodles will be mush and your chicken may have fallen apart into strings.  Even something simple needs to be planned out to some level.  That is not to say a peanut butter sandwich needs much planning, if at all, but most things can benefit from this to varying degrees.  On the other end of the spectrum, many dishes that would be considered advanced, will probably fail spectacularly if a fair amount of planning isn't employed.

Another area that can be problematic, even for people who are very good at thinking their way through a recipe, is determining the quantity of food to prepare.  Typically, this is not too difficult, but it gets more sketchy when you start dealing with foods that change drastically in volume.  Greens and mushrooms are shining examples of this.  These items cook down to a shadow of their original volume.  This is where that brain comes in again.  When you choose mushrooms for a meal, you first need to understand that they yield much less, depending on what you start with.  Let's use a simple button mushroom, or cremini, because they are fairly common.  This example is for something like a side of stewed mushrooms to accompany a steak dinner.  First, I like to remove the stem, because they are a bit woody.  Don't worry, you can save them for soup stocks, so nothing is wasted.  You can see that, before you even cook them, you are losing volume.  Once they stew down, a full pot of mushrooms will be reduced to about half.  The reason mushrooms are my favorite example is because I have been to countless meals where the mushrooms need to be rationed because the cook failed to account for loss.  I typically plan for 1/2 - 3/4 pounds of fresh mushrooms per person depending on their affinity for them.  I hate to run out, but if I make too much, they are excellent left over, or can be repurposed into mushroom soup, or into scrambled eggs.  See, always be thinking.  Same thing with greens, such as spinach.  A huge pot of greens will not amount to much.  In fact they are even worse than mushrooms, it's just that greens are not served very frequently in this area, which is a shame.

I have and will continue to make mistakes in the kitchen.  But they are much easier to swallow when it is something out of my control rather than inattention to detail.  And when it is your fault, accept it and learn by it.  A final note: Everyone makes mistakes but don't view them as failures, but rather a learning opportunity.  You always learn more from them then you do from your successes, and are not to be feared.  So, go forth and boldly cook, and above all, have fun.

 

 

*I have seen Doc draw things on a bar napkin that I would have framed and hung it in my house.

Good Gravy

Chicken gravy.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

I have watched others make lots and lots of gravy over the years, and it always seemed to be a controlled accident.  But really good gravy is no accident.  It is just takes a few things to happen in order for it to be really good gravy.  But let's back up a moment and discuss what gravy really is.  To be honest, I don't think most people understand it very well.  Basically, gravy is made from the pan juices of meat and/or vegetables and sometimes fish.  Probably the most notable application of this, is from the Thanksgiving turkey, although the same principle applies to anything that has been roasted in a pan like chicken or a beef roast.  In this post, it is all about turkey gravy. 

A nice cast iron, or other heavy pan is best because the gravy can be make right in the pan.  However, you can coax gravy from one of those disposable aluminum pans, which I will touch on in a bit.  The first step in making gravy, once the turkey has vacated the pan, of course, is to pour off all the liquid from the pan into a fat separator, or whatever your favorite method is of separating the fat from the stock, because we will need the stock for the rest of the process.  Following that, you need to deglaze the pan.  To do that, you need to add some stock, water, or an appropriate wine to the pan and put it on some heat.  Gently heat the pan while stirring with a flat spoon or whisk.  The goal is to dissolve all the caramelized bits, or fond, from the bottom of the pan and get them into the liquid.  Often times there is some skin stuck to the pan as well.  Not a problem, loosen that up and get it into the liquid, too because it has a lot of flavor.

Now, if you are using one of those flimsy disposable pans, you can do the same thing, but you will not put it on the burner.  Instead, add hot stock to the pan and loosen all the goodness from the bottom.

Next, you can transfer the liquid to a smaller saucepan.  This makes it easier to work with, and as an added bonus, your roasting pan is half way cleaned up. Which brings me back to the disposable roasting pan, because it's been bugging me since I first mentioned it.  I know that lots of people use them because they think they make things easier.  I hate the damn things and I will argue that they do not make things easier because of a few simple reasons: 1)  You now have to dispose of the thing, so you have to fiddle with folding it up and throwing it out, usually making a mess in the process, 2) a regular roasting pan is half way clean by the process of making gravy, so it will only take a few minutes to finish the job, which is small compared to how much time the whole meal takes anyway, and finally, 3)  the flimsy pans seem to always end up with a hole in them from either a knife or meat fork during the turkey removal process, typically resulting in a mess on the stove or counter and a small chicken panic from the cooking crew.  My recommendation is use a regular roasting pan and don't worry that you can't get all the small stains scrubbed out afterwards as long as it is clean.  I have seen people spend fifteen minutes working on one small spot.  It doesn't have to look like it just came from the store.  It's a roasting pan.  No one is going to be admiring its beauty, anyway.  There, I got that off my chest.

Now that all the goodness from the roasting pan is in a smaller pan, you can add the remaining stock.  Depending on how much stock you gleaned from the pan, you may want to add more.  Most people love gravy, and the only thing worse than bad gravy, is running out of good gravy.  This is your time to adjust the seasoning.  Typically all that is needed is salt and white pepper (unless you don't mind the black specs, then by all means, use black pepper).  You can also haul out a secret weapon, if you need to.  See my previous post.

Finally, it is time to thicken the gravy.  There are several ways to do this, but I prefer a corn starch slurry, which is just some corn starch mixed with enough water to make a liquid.  I will be the first to tell you that this is more of an art than a science since it is hard to know exactly how much gravy you have, as well as people like different thickness of gravy, so you will need to play with it a bit.  I usually start with a couple heaping tablespoons of corn starch and take it from there.  So, to thicken it, just add the slurry to the warm, but not boiling gravy.  Then start whisking and turn on some heat.  You will need to be very attentive at this point to avoid any lumps from forming.  Once it comes up to a low boil, you can turn the heat off and let it cool.  Keep in mind that this will continue to thicken once it cools.  If you think it needs to be thicker, you can repeat the process, but I have always found that no one is really too picky as long is it is not thin like water, speaking strictly from an American standpoint.

The only thing left is to serve the gravy, unless you would like to strain it to remove any lumps.  I personally don't bother with that step because I don't mind a few lumps and so forth in my gravy.  As you have seen, I take a bit of a relaxed approach to cooking because sometimes the little steps to make things look perfect can be a pain in the ass, which just takes away from the enjoyment of cooking.  But, if you don't mind doing those things, I encourage you to do them, and have fun in the process.  After all, this kind of cooking is about having fun and sharing.

My Secret Kitchen Weapons

Assorted secret weapons.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

What comes to mind when you think about secret weapons?  I always think of some evil genius with some kind of underground lair that has a secret weapon that he plans to unleash on the world.  He also has a British accent, because they make such bad-ass bad guys.  But what is a secret weapon, really?  I think that it is something that you drag out for use when the normal stuff just won't cut it.  whether it be an underground lair or kitchen, it's not really that different.  So what are my secret weapons and why are they "secret".  Well, they are not really secret as much as they are under utilized in the American kitchen.  My main secret weapons are:  alcohol, vinegar, fish sauce, and anchovies.  I have more that could fall into that category, but those are the most used.  Here is how.

Alcohol

I have and still use this a lot.  Many people don't understand its use in the kitchen and never use it.  Some use that insufferable cooking wine.  Rule number one:  If you wouldn't pour some in a glass and drink it, don't cook with it.  Period.  So, why is it important in cooking?  For one, flavor, when paired with the right ingredients.  Also, some ingredients have alcohol soluble compounds that you can reveal by using alcohol, such as tomatoes and chile peppers.  Don't believe me, try it.  You can coax out a lot of flavors that you normally wouldn't by adding it, vodka in particular, to tomato sauces and soups.  It also works well with chile peppers, because they have their share of alcohol soluble flavors.  Many people are concerned about using it in food because they think that you will be consuming alcohol with your meal, an issue for some that need to avoid it, but fear not.  Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, around 173 degrees, so as long as you cook your food at a temperature higher than that, you are safe.  But, be warned.  Alcohol and gas cook tops are to be used cautiously.  Once the alcohol starts to boil out, it doesn't take much to ignite it.  So, always have a lid ready to put on the pan to extinguish the fire, should their be one.  This is another good reason to keep you face away from you pots and pans, which is always a good idea anyway.  That is not to say that a pan with alcohol in it near an open flame will spontaneously flair up. Just be careful.  And, no, I am not going to instruct you on how to burn off the alcohol.  I'm just not going there for obvious reasons.

Vinegar

This can be used to brighten up most anything.  And when I say brighten up, I mean to complete the musical scale of the flavor you are looking for.  What's this crazy talk?  When you taste something, think of it like music.  There are high notes, mid range notes, and low notes.  You probably have already noticed that.  Basically, you want a balance of flavors and sometimes the mid or high range is lacking.  This is where acid comes in, whether it be citrus, or vinegar.  I really like sherry vinegar for this.  I like to use something around 6 percent acidity that is aged, because it is mellow and less harsh than other vinegars, thus brining something extra to the flavor.  I use this when I have something, for example, a cream sauce, that is flat and needs something to lift it up.  A small splash of sherry vinegar will usually fix that.  Any time you need some kind of acid to fix a flat flavored dish, consider vinegar.  It is definitely something you need to learn by experience, but I encourage you to try.

Fish Sauce and Anchovies

I will discuss these together because they function so similarly.  When used properly, this addition can fill out the flavors in a dish.  Thai cooking uses fish sauce a lot.  As with anchovies, when used properly, you can't tell they are in there, but you can tell if they aren't.  It can be used in mac and cheese, cream sauces, tomato sauces, you name it.  When used sparingly, it provides the much debated umami, or the fifth basic taste along with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.  Think of it is that mid to low range flavor that is so prevalent in beef or mushrooms.  You can't put your finger on it, but it has a heartiness to it that fills your mouth.  I typically reserve anchovies for use in tomato sauces or red wine sauces because they are often times customary for those dishes.  However, I always have bottle of fish sauce handy for anything that needs it.  Again, if use properly, you won't know they are there, but you can over do it, so use sparingly.  You can always add more, but you can't take it out once it's in there.  Let's just call it "je ne sais quoi" in a bottle or tin.

A I had mentioned, I have more of these "secret weapons", and one that probably deserves honorable mention is sugar.  I typically use this for something that has a bit too much high range flavors in it, possibly in the case of over adjusting with acid.  Sugar helps cut the punch of the acid and bring things back into balance.  Again, use sparingly.  Enjoy food chemistry!

Carnivore Breakfast Muffins

Photo by Rob Robitaille

I have to be at work early, so I tend to take my breakfast with me and munch on it during my morning routine.  Therefore, stuff you can eat with your hands is great.  This is a simple recipe that I really like, because they are basically muffins, but better, because they have all the best breakfast ingredients in them. Well, except bacon, but I am working on it.

Carnivore Breakfast Muffins

• 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
• 4 eggs
• 8 oz. grated cheddar cheese (or whatever floats your boat)
• Bread crumbs from about 2 slices of bread
• Any extras you want to add to spruce things up (extra sage, black pepper, crushed red pepper, etc.)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tube of flaky biscuits (typically 8 in a tube), or make your own.  More power to you!
• A standard size muffin pan with 1 dozen cups.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Mix all ingredients (except biscuits, of course).  It helps to bring the sausage up to room temperature, otherwise you will get a little exercise mixing.  Next, peel one biscuit in half horizontally, and stretch out a bit with your fingers to make a larger disk.  Then place over a cup in a muffin pan.  Spoon in the mixture to just fill the biscuit and repeat.  Bake for 30 minutes and let cool a bit in the pan, maybe 10 minutes.  Then remove to a cooling rack. I make these on Sunday afternoon and they are good for the whole work week.  Just a little time in the microwave and bingo, quick easy breakfast.  I hope you try them.

Hot Dog Makeover

Prosciutto wrapped hot dogs.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

People are always surprised to find out that I love hotdogs, not to mention hamburgers, fries, you name it.  Just because I like to cook a bit on the elaborate side of things, doesn't mean that I don't love the American classics.  But, I am also known to not leave things well enough alone and hot dogs are not immune to this.  I like them any way; fried, grilled, roasted, steamed, and simmered in water.  But one of my very favorite ways to mix things up is to wrap them in other meat products, namely dried beef and even better, prosciutto.  And, nothing could be simpler.  Just lay out a nice piece of, in this example, prosciutto and roll a good quality hot dog in it.  Then gently fry in a pan, rolling the dogs several times to crisp up as much of the surface as possible.  Then server with your favorite condiments.  And, yes, I like ketchup and mustard on my hotdogs.  I'm not even going near that debate.  Enjoy.

Beef Jerky Your Way

My Dads beef jerky.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

I have been addicted to beef jerky since before I can remember.  When we went on vacation, Mom always bought me a big package of jerky for the trip and I would munch on it the entire way.  And I was really thirsty when we got to our destination.  One thing is that is a bummer though, is that it is kind of expensive, and unfortunately can contain things that I don't really want to eat.  Some even have MSG, which can be a big problem for people sensitive to MSG, which many Westerners are.  So, what is my normal solution in a case like this?  Make it yourself.  It's fun.

You can buy the beef jerky cures in some grocery stores and almost always in sporting goods stores like Cabelas.  They work well and I have used them in my early days, but now like to make my own flavors.  So, all you really need is some curing salt and your favorite spice mix.  Curing salt is almost impossible to find in stores, so I like to use Morton Tender Quick because it is easy to use and available in most grocery stores where you find the salt and seasonings, usually on the bottom shelf and comes in a bag.  In this article, I will use this method.  There are other great methods as well.  A lot of people use wet marinades and get great results.  However, this is what I do.

What you will need

• A lean beef roast around 2.5 to 3 pounds.  I like the eye of the round roast because the grain runs the length of the roast and it is really lean.  Perfect for jerky.
• Morton Tender Quick (TQ)
• Your favorite spices or seasonings.  It can even be a wet seasoning like Thai Chili Garlic Sauce, however, you need to wait until after the meat cures to add it.
• A really sharp, long knife
• A large zip top bag
• A sheet of freezer paper (optional)
• An old spice bottle with holes for shaking the spices on the meat
• A piece of tape that is not transparent like masking or electrical
• A dehydrator (I use a Nesco with a temperature control)
• Bags or an air tight container for storing the finished jerky

Day 1

• Trim any fat or sinew from the meat
• Weigh the meat and write the weight down.  This is important so you can measure the correct amount of TQ.
• Place the roast in the freezer until it firms up.  This will help with slicing.
• Slice the meat with the grain (my dad cuts across the grain so it is easier to chew) about 1/8" thick.
• Lay the slices out on a sheet of butcher paper on your counter.  Butcher paper works well because you want all the pieces in one place without overlapping.
• Measure out the correct amount of TQ for the weight of the meat (usually 1 TB per pound)
• Place the TQ in your shaker bottle
• Place the piece of tape at the half way mark of the depth of the TQ in the bottle.
• Shake half of the TQ evenly over all the slices of meat.
• Season your meat with dry seasoning at this point as well.  If you are using wet seasoning, you will apply that on day 2.
• Flip each piece and repeat with the remaining TQ and dry seasoning.
• Stack the meat back up and place in a zip top bag.  Squeeze out as much air as possible and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more.  Longer doesn't hurt, especially if you have some thicker slices.  You just need to time this so that you have enough time the next day to dehydrate it, which can take 5 hours or more depending on how thick you cut your meat.

Day 2

• Remove the meat from the bag.
• If you are using a wet seasoning, separate the slices and place them in a large bowl.  Add your wet seasoning and mix it in well with your hands.
• Place the meat on your dehydrator racks being careful not to overlap any pieces.
• Dehydrate, checking occasionally until the jerky is dry.  It should be leathery but should not break when you bend it.  If it does, it is too dry.  You can still eat it, but it won't be as good.
• Remove from the dehydrator and place in plastic bags or an air tight jar.  In theory, this stuff should last quite a while at room temperature if you keep it dry, but mine never lasts longer than a couple weeks.  It can also be vacuum sealed and stored in the freezer almost indefinitely.

There you have it.  A  bit of work, but it is fun and worth it in the end.  So now you have a high protein snack, or, you can rehydrate it with some boiling water and use it to make almost anything you can make with beef (as long as your seasoning will go with it).  This is great for camping.

Cooks Note:  You don't need to use any seasoning if you don't want to.  You can make beef jerky with TQ only.  TQ does have a bit of sugar in it, so you will end up with a pleasant dried beef, which may work even better for camping meals.