Sunday, February 27, 2011

So its kinda gross, but I'm trying anyway....

Hey All,

So this is not about the normal cooking I do. Its about one of my passions, cheesemaking. Cheesemaking is not for the faint of heart. It has been fraught with challenges and "learning experiences". Curd handling alone took me a good eternity to master. Although these days, I can turn out a good mozarella from gallon of milk to pound of cheese in about an hour :) Yeah, I had to toot my own horn there!

So I'm attempting a blue bondon, or blue cream cheese, I'm not sure which it will be yet, that part will depend on what the next 24 hours bring in the way of keeping the house warm.

Once upon a time, I had a bagle with just butter on it....but I didn't realize it, my butter had molded and was the most delicious treat I'd had in a long time. The thought of a blue molded cream cheese or bondon has me drooling.

I can't find a good link for Bondon as I know it. My experiences with bondon are that it is a very mild cream cheese that melts and spreads more like butter than cream cheese, with a flavor like butter but creamier. Everything I'm reading is talking about molding it like brie and this and the other...my bondon is not that complicated, its just a lower temp cream cheese that doesn't get the acidic bite.

So here's how its done....really it is this easy, so I'm always looking for killer deals on cream ($0.20 per half pint at NPS last week is a case in point). Place 1 qt of heavy cream in a bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup mesophilic cheese culture.....mine has been going for a few years now and smells horrible, but it never fails! Cover and let that sit for 24 hours on the counter. At 24 hours at room temperature, it should be congealed and ready to strain. Strain in cheesecloth...and viola.

For the blued version, I added a few blue cheese crumbled and stirred a bit more than usual to get the mold spores mixed all around. Tomorrow, I'll poke holes in it, and give it another 24 hours before I strain it. I'll see how it looks/tastes/feels....if its super soft, I'll have to put it in the fridge, if it tastes super acidic, it'll go in the fridge. If not, I'll leave it on the counter indefinitely to get the mold going. Occasionally poking holes in it to get good marbling.

Shopping notes, a lazy saturday

Hey All,

So food at chez 825 has been awesome this week. Nothing new and noteworthy as far as recipes go, but we've been eating well. I forgot that I come from a pretty long line of foodies. Middle Bro., too, loves good food. He cooked some very nice meals for us on Thursday and Friday. Thursday was good old fashioned steak and potatoes....and damn good steaks!

Yesterday was a very lazy, and slightly hungover day. We spent Friday night staying up late drinking beer....it was a very enjoyable evening. So yesterday it was good ol' dominoes to provide caloric intake for the day.

After the shopping today, it was home to eat....damn, hunger sure can be a mood killer. Husbear made a take on the taco eggs with chili. Its a bit more mellow, but the flavor can't be beat. Probably half a cup of the chili in with 4 eggs...and viola. Served with biscuits and my beloved chipotle plum jam.

Tonight we'll be having a pork curry. Husbear always makes the best curries....simple, flavorful, and awesome over jasmine rice. I recently learned I can get jasmine rice for a great price at Global Supermarket (sorry, no link that I know of). Just ask, they are more than happy to get you a pound or two instead of a 50lb bag. She also had a great deal on frozen mussels, $5.19 for a pound and a half. So I'll have to get creative with those.

Later this week, I'll be revisiting the sweet-pepper shrimp. Costco had a reasonably good deal on edamame, so I'll be starting that meal with Spiced Edamame. This is a recipe I tried before and love.... For desert some Red Bean Cake...something new for my bro to try.

So not much new, just a couple of ideas brewing for the week ahead.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Gotta Feed my Baby Brother....

Hey All,

Chez 825 is going to have a houseguest for a while. My middle brother is staying with us for a while while he gets situated in the Valley. Me, being big bro., and having that mothering instinct going since my formative years, am seeing a need to cook. Its an exciting move for him and his family, and I'm trying my best to help make the stress of these next few months easier for them. When you say your prayers tonight, say an extra one for 3DayChef's middle bro....having done it myself, its not an easy undertaking.

Last night we were talking recipes and meatloaf came up. So, my usual, egg, onion, oregano, a squirt of ketchup, a splash of Worchestershire Sauce, a splash of red wine. Instead of using a baking dish, I did something different. Making gravy out of a baking dish is ill advised and I have a mild paranoid freak out everytime I do it. So I put the taters and meatloaf in a skillet. Ta-da! When it came out of the oven, I pulled out the meatloaf and taters, threw it on a hot burner to brown the bits and viola, gravy sans paranoia that the Pyrex will go boom.

I had a bit of shredded cheddar leftover from last night, so I threw that on the taters.....and nuked the bag of green beans I scored at NPS a while ago and had tucked in the freezer.

So now my poor hardworking bro just needs to get home and dinner is served!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Technology and its downside...so I'll cook

Hey All,

Well, husbear's carpal tunnel is kicking up really bad. Rolling through the angry shouting "ow! I HURT!" episodes. In other news, it finally happened...I found an el cheapo laptop that is currently running Mandriva live. I'll probably start making the OS decision and all that jazz over the next few days. I tried Kubuntu, I really like the look and feel of it, but I can't get it to negotiate with our wi-fi server. Mandriva, negotiates the wireless like a dream, but I don't like the way it relies on akonadi. Ahh, decisions, decisions...

Since he's dealing with a fuckton of pain, comfort food is on the menu. I'm frustrated that he isn't feeling well....but soon the surgery will happen.

First up is Alton Brown's Baked Mac 'n Cheese. I'm using shells instead of elbows.

And a mushroom salad but I'm using spinach instead of baby greens. Mushrooms are one of husbear's favorite foods....and mushrooms were cheap at NPS, so why not.

And since its tolerable outside and I'm in the 10min holding pattern while the cheese sauce thickens, I'm taking the laptop outside and typing away. This is exactly why I wanted one....so glad I made the decision to go for it. Now if we can just keep him from typing so darned much and inflaming himself further.

ETA: The mushroom salad is divine. I would say throw the mushrooms on it super hot, tho, and wilt that spinach good. It is amazingly tasty! The Mac 'n Cheese was a bit bitter, but still really good. A friend pointed out that cream cheese might be good instead of the milk, and I'm thinking I'll go half American on the next round.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Roll Your Own Damn Truffles....

Hey All,

So its Valentine's Day. I hope you and your sweeties are doing something awesome. Several years ago, we here at Chez 825 decided that we are awesome as we are and pretty much act like its Valentine's Day all the time, so nothing fancy for us. But I did get inspired to do some cooking....I can hear you all groaning already..."Oh lardy, listen to that fag carry on about his food and bedroom adventures." Ha! For a change, a good quick meal didn't inspire bedroom antics.

I did get inspired to try and make truffles....this is a JOKE, right? I used Ina Garten's Chocolate Truffle Recipe. I was thinking, hey, this is Ina, if it ain't easy, tasteful, and hard to screw up, she wouldn't publish it. WRONG! They were started at about 4:30...its now 7:45. I think the ganache will be perfect for rolling tomorrow, and the flavor is good, but it is not the straightforward easy couple hour thing the recipe makes it out to be. So I guess we'll have to settle for Double Chocolate cookies with Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream and chocolate sauce instead....darnit :P

Over the weekend, I was watching Food Network Again....Yes, Worst Cooks in America is down to the final two. This upcoming weekend is the finale...I can't wait. I'm totally rooting for Geog, even though Anne Burrell, in my opinion, is the more inspired and creative chef. Win or lose, she's already got me geared up for Chopped All-Stars. This commercial popped up with one of the chef's/cooks, I think it was Melissa DiArabian using cream cheese in pasta...and it looked yummy. So, I decided to get creative.

Thawed 2 good sized boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cut those into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside while I'm completed the rest of my prep.

In another small bowl, a handful of matchstick carrots and about 1/3 of a very large yellow onion, diced. A smear of pesto over the top and mixed in.

In a much larger bowl: 1 medium sized zucchini, diced, 1 medium sized yellow squash, diced, 2 small red bell peppers cut into 1/4 x 2 inch strips, 2 heads of broccoli, a container of pre-cut mushrooms (bargain alert, NPS for $0.50, not the freshest, but perfect for cooking like this). A couple good smears of pesto and mixed it all together.

Heated the some olive oil until very hot, not quite smoking, but the chicken seared nicely when it hit the pan. Cooked until the chicken had just lost its pink on the outside. Threw in the onion/carrot mixture. Cooked until the edges of the onions just started to clear. Then tossed in the other vegetable mixture. I tossed this together until the broccoli had just started to sweat.

Now for the fun, I took half a container of Alouette Sundried Tomato and Basil Cheese spread, another NPS bargain, $0.69 for the container and I love this stuff on corn chips for a ritzy feeling snack. I let it sit covered for just a couple of minutes until the cheese got soft and mixable.

Removed from heat, stirred well....and let sit while I prepared a copious amount of spaghetti to serve it over.

One last toss of the "creamy pesto" and viola....a very tasty and awesome dinner!

Now to tackle the truffles tomorrow....let's hope the dubious recipe reviews about it melting and making one hell of a mess are only half accurate.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

And since I can't shut up...

Hey All,

Found this one today. Something about Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Love.

I added her to my follow list, not sure if you can see that or not, so One more link to Bake At 350.

A fine evening dining out and symphony

Hey All,

So usually I wouldn't muddy up this blog with dining experiences and other nonsense. Today, I'm making a rare exception. I alluded to seeing a performance of Claude Debussy's La Mer this evening....it was amazing!

Since I can't leave things well enough alone, I absolutely have to share all the gory details. We met friends for dinner at Bambara. The food and company were great! I must preface this that Salt Lake's dining experiences are wide and varied, and what I consider a reasonably classy meal with a reasonable price point might get foodies in New York or other parts of the world all upset with me. Bambara, tho, I think might stand up to a major food scene's scrutiny. Presentation was lack-luster, and watercress always makes me a bit creepy crawly, but the preparation was divine. My scallops were perfect, beautifully seared and crispy on the outside but still perfectly done and buttery on the inside. Husbear's calmari appetizer appeared lackluster, but the flavor was something I've never had before. I think they used a bit of corn flour, and what appeared to be a generic bimini sauce was spiked perfectly with lemon. And Lushus's mussels were unsurpassed. I've never had such tender mussles, and the true flavor of the mussels wasn't overpowered. I didn't sample much else, as I had a very large ham sandwich as a snack in the late afternoon.....I need to remember, eat earlier in the day when you are going out. That and well, I'm really picky about my red meats like bison and beef, so I rarely chance them in a restaurant.

So then it was off to the symphony. OK, I was really, no, I MEAN REALLY excited about this one. Debussy is one of my favorite composers. How I came to know of him is, well, esoteric.

So way back when, when mommies and daddies (and strange uncles) used to party, we listened to electronica. I picked up Art of Noise - The Seduction of Claude Debussy on a lark. I ended up getting really stoned at a party and passing out in the car. To keep my mind from wandering to a scary place, I put on my much coveted new album. Something about those harmonies made for the best trip of my life! I'm not advocating heavy drug use here, that was a long time ago under much different circumstances, today, I wouldn't think of it.

One really great thing about Salt Lake is the culture and the fact that it is affordable. Up until this year, I was a proud season subscriber to the Utah Symphony, and that is where I rediscovered Claude in my first season. Unfortunately I burned myself out last year with 2-4 symphony engagements a month. But we still have one of the best symphonies in the nation, and its always a treat to get to see them. Oh, the things I've seen and heard, it is truly a blessing!

The symphony started off with a pretty generic Mozart. Nice fluff to set the tone for a night of beautiful harmonies that make me smile from ear to ear. Next up was a Bartok....it started off with beautiful harp chords and then....um, yikes! That was not what I signed up for. I think Debussy, and I think of all those beautiful harmonies and what I call psychadelic chords... The Bartok was strange. I honestly kept having visions of really bad film nior with a healthy splash of a BDSM porn thrown in. I suppose I should be grateful for the mental acrobatics that ensued, but I'm not sure I want to hear any Bartok again anytime soon. The soloist for the Bartok did follow up with a very nice Paganini that helped set my mood in a better direction. Le Sigh....INTERMISSION, thank god!

Then it was time for a Rachmaninov. Rach is always a huge gamble for me. I've heard some that made my heart melt; I've heard some that felt lazy; I've heard some that were the most horrifying wastes of musical talent I've ever heard. This one, however, was a beautiful suprise. I didn't know Rach had an ear for harmony and well constructed movements. It was truly breathetaking and a wonderful interlude to what was to come!

Now for the main event. Debussy.....pure, unadulterated Debussy. The first movement of La Mer is unmistakable and sets a mood for me that is nothing short of ecstacy! For me, trying to describe Debussy is like trying to describe an orgasm to a virgin.....it is that powerful, inspring, and wonderful. So for fun, here are a few links, in case you too might care to have an aural orgasm:

Claire de Lune
Arabesque #1
La Mer, Movement #1

There are plenty more out there! Do you have a story about music that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them, especially something I might fancy a chance of seeing live!

And on a final side note....after nearly 3 years of searching, I found my copy of Art of Noise - The Seduction of Claude Debussy :) Now I'm a very happy, and after 2 glasses of Madeira, intoxicated 3Day Chef :)

Long week, I finally cooked, and it was good...

Hey All,

Its been a long week, and cooking has been at a minimum. Stress in the form of, "OMG, I actually have to perform and get stuff done" has been relatively low. However stress in the form of nit-picking, make me crazy, DRAMA! (say that with a breathy lisp and I think you've got it) has been exceptionally high. Unfortunately, that kind of stress makes me shut down and not do much more than pray to god my beloved will cook for me or we can find something cheap and easy that doesn't involve actually doing much more than throwing away the wrappers.

Yesterday wrapped up at about 3pm with several hours to spare. I'm not sure how on Earth that happened, usually come Friday I'm struggling to make my work hours. Usually, on Friday I care about coming home and listening to the new Annie Mac for the week and drinking a bottle or 12 of wine or other assorted alcoholic beverages. This week actually found me with energy to spare on a Friday and a desire to use up some produce I got last weekend in the hopes of having the energy to cook during the week. I know, poor me, my life is just horrible.....I work hard, I cook well, and have an enviable life....so enough of that, let's talk about Sweet Chili Sauce.

Its no secret I love Asian cuisine. I'm convinced it is super hard to screw up and the flavors always keep my interest. This will probably sound very disjointed, yes, the way I cook is somewhat intuition....my appologies if it doesn't make sense, you can get hold of me for more details if you need to!

So here's what I did.

I started the sauce, only instead of hot chilis like serranos or jalepeno, I used sweet peppers. Not a bell pepper, although I'm sure it would be a suitable substitute, but the cute little ones that come in a plastic carton. Instead of pureeing those with the garlic, I just julienned them and threw them in the sauce in a bowl. I also used the whole carton, I think it was 6 or 8 oz instead of just 2 peppers. I also added half a pound of cocktail shrimp to the mix. Cocktail shrimp were super onsale...I couldn't believe it, $13/lb less than uncooked shrimp! I let that all soak together while I prepped the rest of the veggies.

A small head of cabbage, cut across the grain, to make ribbons, and a good 2 handfuls of matchstick carrots, several slices of onion, cut in half to also make ribbons.

Started the pot of water for the E-fu noodles. E-fu noodles are one of my favorites. I actually didn't even know about them until I moved to Salt Lake. Something about their chewy, meringuey texture just makes a dish like this for me.

At this point I pulled the shrimp out of their soak and set them aside.

I started a big skillet, recipes like this make me wish I had a giant wok, with about 3 tsp. soybean oil and 1tsp seasame oil going. Brough it to smoking, turned the heat down to medium high and tossed in the veggies. These cook quick! A couple of quick tosses and viola, things are just starting to wilt and look perfect....the telltale sign is when the edges of the cabbage just start to clarify.

Added the cornstarch to the sauce, quick stir, into the still hot skillet, brought to boil, pulled off heat, and let set.

Noodles into boiling water, pressed them down in the boiling water. Throw shrimp on top of still hot stri-fry. Boil noodles for 2 min. Drain noodles.

Throw noodles into skillet with stir-fry....toss with tongs, and cover. I let the residual heat in the skillet keep it all warm.

Wait 10 min for the husbear to get home....one more quick toss with the tongs and onto plates.

It was amazing!

Some things I want to do differently next time:

  • Use uncooked shrimp and cook them properly. The cocktail shrimp flavor was just a bit off and they were a bit overdone.

  • Make the sauce in its entirety ahead of time. It isn't super thick and I won't need the extra cooking time on the stir-fry which resulted in ever so slightly overdone cabbage.

  • Use a bit less sauce, it was just a bit drippy...

This weekend is about finally getting to see a Debussy symphony as the "headliner"....so dining out is the course of the weekend as is taking it easy today. For me, getting to finally see a Debussy in its entirety is almost like some of the best raves of my 20s. I'm conserving energy and spoiling myself all day.....I absolutely must look and feel my best for this awesome occassion!