This is just a brief notice to my readers that I am changing the format of this blog. I have been advised to make this blog more of a Catering/Bridal/Wedding blog that will put me in the proper niche. This may not be easy for me because, as you know, I am more itchy and bitchy, than niche-y.

So! As part of my overall marketing strategy, I have opened a new blog  BLOG.LAFAYETTEINNCHEF.COM  which is called da Chef is Inn. Since Lorraine and I have started our B&B, that is where I will be sharing recipes and things pertaining to a country Inn. It is also the best place to find the kind of craziness that you have previously found here.

I hope that you won't so much switch, as you will, follow BOTH blogs. Both entities are also on Twitter, in case you get over that way. Onward and upward! Slainte!

So, I guess you think that I ran off and left you all alone. NAH!
Pure unadulterated laziness! Most times, I would rather wash a sinkful of pots than face the infernal compu-hooter and try to write something.
Sometimes it flows, and sometimes, it blows!
Today, we are flow-y!

Monday was Thanksgiving for those in the Great White North, so we roasted a turkey. The house smelled wonderful!
Tuesday, sandwiches and leftovers.
Wednesday, we bid a fond Adieu to Mr. Turkey with a magnificent send-off. We broke down the carcass and stripped the meat. Breast for sandwiches; leg, thigh and wing were consigned to the freezer, prepped and bagged for soup, Pot Pie, and TACOS!!!!
Bones, skin and other oddities, along with select herbs and a chunky mirepoix, are even now, simmering blissfully in a large black pot at the back of the stove.
Say that with me, won't you? "Simmering Blissfully" See! You can't say it without lingering on the "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm". The very words prepare you for what is to come at the end of that simmmmmmering.
Soup!
Gorgeous, round, fragrant, elixer of the gods!
Steaming bowls of the essence of Mr. Turkey, decorated with bits of carrot and celery, and fulfilled by noodles.
Homemade Kluski Noodles! Noodles with character! Noodles with grit and determination! Noodles that made us the great land that we are today!!
Uh, guess I got a little carried away.
Easy to do with a good noodle soup.

Now that I've got you all worked up, I'm leaving you to your own devices. I never give soup recipes! Soup is too personal; too involved with the person who makes it. You can teach the techniques of good soup-making, BUT, you can't teach folks how to make good soup. It can't be done! It might be a flaw in their character. It could be a defective Guardian Angel. I don't know! I just know that they can't do it.
So, once you have found your soup, this goes with it in a very happy way.

Cornmeal Focaccio

1 1/3 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)

2 packets rapid rise active dry yeast

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the bowl and baking sheet

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground, plus a little more for the baking sheet

3 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Course sea salt

Pour water into a stand mixer and sprinkle in yeast. Blend briefly and then let stand for 10 minutes. Blend in olive oil.

Whisk cornmeal, flour and salt in a medium bowl and beat it into the yeast mixture, beating until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Replace beater blade with dough hook beat for 3-4 minutes, or until dough is firm and slightly sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a baking sheet and spread with your fingers or a brush to coat evenly. Place dough on the sheet and press into a large rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes. Brush top of dough with a little olive oil. Press dimples into the dough with your fingers and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.

A day off! A day without purpose or event! A day, thus far with neither toil, nor turmoil. A day that requires nothing of me, except to allow it to pass.  Clothing is too stressful for such a day! In fact, I am passing this day in t-shirt and boxer shorts.  AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!

Now that I have instilled a mind picture that numbs the consciousness, I will explain what I am actually doing. We have come to the end of a series of Brunches, Picnics and Barbecues. We are left with a conglomeration of half containers and partial bags of a number of substances that must be used or tossed. I live for this!

90 mile an hour Kimchee

32 oz jar of Sauerkraut

½ of 8oz jar of Chile Paste with Garlic

Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp Fish Sauce

Sriracha, to taste

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. If it’s not hot enough, add some Sriracha. This stuff is GREAT on Bratwurst

Next up, a bag of fresh Pineapple chunks and a quart of Yogurt

I threw the pineapple chunks into the processor with a Tsp of ginger paste*. I ended up with about a quart of puree. I mixed in 1 quart of plain whole-fat yogurt and 1/4c corn syrup. The pineapple was very sweet so I didn’t need to add sugar. The corn syrup is for texture. It helps to keep the crystals small.*** Put the mixture in a container with a tight lid and refrigerate overnight. Next day, spin in your ice cream freezer according to MFG. specifications. If you don’t own an ice cream freezer, slap yourself for being stupid and go buy one!

Similar story, only the bag has blueberries and strawberries. I ended up with near a quart of fruit puree. I added a 4oz of Rapidan River Raspberry Wine, 1/4c corn syrup,  and 1 quart of Vanilla Yogurt. Into the fridge overnight, then into the Ice Cream Maker. Happy me!

Meanwhile, the lovely Lorraine has been busy with some fruits, vegetables, and leftover WINE! Many happy jellies will be reported on in the next installment.

* For those without access to an Indian Food Store, and who do not keep Ginger Paste in your pantry, Blitz up a small piece of fresh ginger with some water.

*** I am neither Pro corn syrup, nor Con. However, I do not recommend its unfettered usage in everything. If you’re against it, go find some Glucose. It will do the same thing.

This is National Vegetarian Week. I used to view Vegetarians with a degree of animosity, almost hostility. But I am older, perhaps wiser, and now I allow them the same pity that I feel for those whose religious views forbids them BACON!
I think what has changed is not ME, so much as the Vegetarians. For the most part, they have become standard issue. Every family has at least one Teen Titan who protests the assasination of Fellow Creatures. Additionally, they have become less radical, preachy, in-yer-face. I guess they have matured, as well.
Another thing that has changed is the FARE. We are not limited to bean sprout, cheese and lettuce sandwiches! There is actual good meatless food available to us. Indian cuisine is excellent.  Buddhist Chinese food is another credible meatless cuisine. To be honest, in most countries of the world, meat is a condiment. It improves the flavor the of the veggies that make up the bulk of the meal.
Chefs have changed, too. We are more open to the challenges of providing meals to people with different needs. With that in mind, let me offer a few items to stimulate your Veggie hunger.

Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers

 Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

½ cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper

½ cup fresh or frozen corn

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Fresh Tomato Salsa, optional

½ cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree

½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

½ cup toasted wheat germ

½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

6 8-inch flour tortillas (soft-taco size)

2 cups shredded lettuce

Instructions:

 1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bell pepper, corn, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare Fresh Tomato Salsa, if using.

3. Add pumpkin, cheese, wheat germ, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper to the onion mixture. Mix well. Using a 4oz scoop for each, drop the mixture onto  a sheet pan, then form into six 1/2-inch-thick patties,

4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Stack tortillas and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes to heat through. (Alternatively, stack tortillas between two damp paper towels; microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, or until heated through.)

5. Cook 2 to 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Use as little oil as possible. Adjust heat as necessary for even browning. Wrap the patties in tortillas and serve immediately, garnished with lettuce and Fresh Tomato Salsa, if desired.

Yeah! I know! It sounds a bit like Falafel. Hah! Just wait until tomorrow!

I have changed the template for the Blog, again. There’s a whole bunch to choose from, except one that matches my website. SO, from time to time, I meander through the template graveyard looking for a lonely template that needs a home. The one that I have chosen is called “Digital Marine”.

 Now, I have lived in South Baltimore for most of my natural life, surrounded on all sides by shipyards, freight terminals, sugar docks, fruit piers, what-have-you, and I have never seen a scene like that, at least, not on the waterfront.

To me, it looks like what happens when the projectionist screws up at the Governor Ritchie Drive-In. If you can imagine blaring car horns and cat calls, you’re there!

Now I realize that most of the general population will have NOOOOOOOOOOOOO idea as to what I am talking about. Drive-ins are a thing of the past, especially the Governor Ritchie. That’s been gone since Christmas, 1983. But while it was there, it sure was a lot of fun. The best were the Dusk to Dawn features with the really crappy B Movies. My favorites were the Biker Flicks! Badasses on bikes, taking over towns and wreaking havoc!

Ahhh! The Good Life.

Whenever one of the all nighters was queued up, we would pool our money, buy Mark a tank of gas, score some beer, and then sneak into the movie. We (3-5, depending) would pull into the parking lot at Ense’s Spaghetti House and go in to order a pizza. In the meantime, the car with ONE passenger would pay and find a good spot. Once the pie was ready, we would slide through where the fence met the hedge, and head for the car.

The pizza at Ense’s was a thing of beauty. Nice crust; piles of pepperoni, ground beef, onions… I’m getting hungry just talking about it!

There are thousands of ways to top a pizza, but very few GOOD ways to make the dough for the crust. Here is one:

3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups (or more) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface.

Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute.

Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Place dough in a gallon Zip Top Bag and store in refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.

Remove dough from fridge. Place into an oiled bowl, cover, and let set for 1 hour.

Roll out dough. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)

Spicy is good! I love spicy!
BUT... I want more than just a whack in the face with a pepper bush!
Mostardo di Frutta is an Italian condiment that is years old. It has generally been used to add zest to Bollito Misto (boiled dinner), a long simmered mixture of sausages, tongue, chicken, brisket, etc. It is also a lovey accent to cheeses and roasts.
I like a bit on roast pork and even more on HAM. Glorious, rich, salty, smokey, HAM!
(Easter is only a week away)
This recipe will provide you with a relish that you can use on all your favorite. However, if you are on the expecient side, another recipe follows the first.

Mostardo di Frutta

2 1/2 pounds (1 k) fruit
Dried figs

Unripe pear, peeled

Dried apricots

Sundried cherries

Apples

70 grams candied ginger

The juice of one orange and one lemon

1-1/2 pounds (5-700 g) sugar
 light brown sugar
granulated sugar
310 ml balsamic vinegar
1.5 T toasted fennel seeds
18 cardamom pods, seeds extracted

11/2 cups dry red wine

1/4 cup mustard seeds

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 

2 bay leaves 

Pinch cayenne pepper 

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 

Combine the sugar, mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, oil, large pinch salt, and wine in medium skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add the fruit, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the fruit is glossy, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons mustard, adjust seasoning with salt, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving at room temperature.

Mostardo di Frutta

2 1/2 pounds (1 k) fruit

   I started with a pint container of “Fruitcake Mix” from the grocery store. You know! The stuff with the candied cherries and square stuff. It’s in the baking section, year round.

  Candied Ginger, cut into matchsticks

  Dried Pineapple

  Dried Cherries

  Dried Apricots, cut into small chunks

Once all the fruit is ready, put the following into a large pan.

1 ½ c water

1 ½ c White Wine (I used Semi Dry Riesling because it plays well with fruit)

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1 Jalapeno pepper, which has been split on all sides to allow the juice to hit the seeds.

Bring this to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 c Granulated Sugar, now enters the pot, along with

1 tsp Dijon Mustard (the good strong stuff, not the supermarket knock-off) and

1 tsp Coleman’s Mustard Powder

Bring the mixture back to the boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and add the fruits.

Give it a stir and Taste. If it has enough bite for you, remove the pepper. If not, simmer a while longer.

Once the dried fruits have swelled, but before the glace`d fruits begin to lose their color, remove from heat. Discard the pepper if you haven't already. *
Cool for 10 minutes, then put into a resealable container. Leave lid off and cool for 10 more minutes.

You can use it at this point, but if you stick it into the fridge for a day or two, the flavors meld and the syrup to thicken.
*Some of you may be tempted to eat the jalapeno. It will taste odd. Really!

Over the weekend, we met with a couple whose wedding we will cater in August. They were a very nice couple, both Scots-Irish. The men in the wedding party will be sporting Kilts for the Ceremony.
Lorraine, who is also a Scot, was buzzing! She wanted to add some Scots-Irish dishes to the event. So, we began a discussion of the contribution to cuisine by the Irish and Scots.
After a five minute silence, we moved on!
Now, don't get me wrong! I have great respect for Irish and Scottish culture and the mingling of Thistle and Shamrock. But they were never cultures known for their cooking. Scones and bannock, Soda Bread and Oat Farls are lovely fresh and hot from the oven. And you'd be a fool to pass them up! But it just doesn't make the cut for High Falutin' Grub. It's unfair, really, to hold these cultures to Continental Standards when they spent most of their time just trying to stay fed. Abused by Foreign landlords and courts exporting tons of food and goods while the popultion starved...Slow down, Son! Sometimes, the old Rebel tries to dig his way out and I have to bury him again. This is a food blog!
While researching the cuisines, I found a recipe for Cream Crowdie, made with oatmeal. This is a dessert. Here 'tis!

Scottish Cream Crowdie with Raspberries

20 min | 10 min prep 1 -2 servings

1/3 cup rolled oat

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup raspberries (other berries would work fine here)

Toast the oatmeal in a 400°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Beat the cream until it is soft, not stiff. Add and gently beat in the sugar and vanilla.

Fold in the cooled oatmeal and raspberries. Put into a serving dish, cover and chill.

Yum-mo! as my little Rachel would say. Snce I don't know when to leave well enough alone, and since nuttin' from nuttin' makes nuttin'... Try this here one!

Oatmeal Ice Cream Recipe 

50 min | 30 min prep /1 quart

3/4 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

2 cups milk

1/2 cup rolled oat (not instant)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar into the egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow.

In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat; add in the oats, salt, and cinnamon.

Decrease heat and return the milk to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oatmeal is thick and creamy.

Slowly beat the hot oatmeal into the egg mixture.

Let the mixture cool slightly; stir in the cream.

Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight. *

Stir the chilled custard. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat; for firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours.

*Oatmeal Rum Raisin Ice Cream: Macerate1 cup raisins in ½ cup Jamaican Dark Rum for 1 hour, or overnight. Add to the machine when the ice cream is semi-frozen, allowing the machine to mix in the raisins; proceed as directed.

It's Lent. Every year, Lorraine and I give up meat for the 40 days before Easter. It's unlikely that will get me into Heaven, but it does give my Cholesterol numbers a break.
We had a gig last week which left us with a bounty of mushrooms. I searched through my archives and dug out this plum. Since there were some beautiful fingerlings at Martin's last week (and Lorraine LOVES fingerlings), This seemed like a good idea.

Mushroom hash

Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 pound mixed mushrooms (shitake, crimini, maitake, etc.)

3 Tbsp butter, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp minced parsley

1/2 cup white wine

6 sprigs fresh thyme

2 Tbsp heavy cream

1 1/2 pounds mixed small potatoes (fingerlings, boilers, etc.)

1/2 tsp sherry vinegar

Salt; Freshly ground black pepper

1. Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim any hard stems and cut them into roughly almond-size pieces. Try to use a mixture of sizes of mushrooms so you get a diversity of shapes. The small ones can be left whole; those that are a little bigger can be cut in half, and so on.

2. Cut the potatoes into half-inch pieces and steam in a tightly covered pot over rapidly boiling water until they are just tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until the foam has subsided and the butter turns a light hazelnut color. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt, cover tightly and cook, tossing occasionally until the mushrooms begin to glisten and give up their moisture, about 3 minutes. Remove the cover, add the garlic and the parsley, raise the heat to high, and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mushrooms are richly aromatic and soft about 3 minutes.

4. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Add the white wine to the skillet. Cook over high heat until it reduces to a syrup, about 2 minutes. Strip the leaves from the thyme between your thumbnail and finger and add them to the syrup along with the cream. Cook, stirring to incorporate into a smooth liquid. Add the mushrooms back to the sauce, toss to coat well and set aside.

5. Add the potatoes as soon as they are done. Do not let the potatoes cool or they won't absorb the flavors. Add the sherry vinegar and stir everything together. Adjust the salt and season with a grinding of fresh black pepper; add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir to mix well.

(The dish can be prepared to this point up to 1 hour in advance. Before serving, warm the mixture through over medium-high heat)

Fig & Port Vinaigrette

6 dried Black Mission figs

2 cup ruby port

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp minced shallot

2 cup E.V. olive oil

Salt & pepper, to taste

2cloves roasted garlic+

Re-hydrate figs in port until figs are soft. Reduce the port in saucepan over medium heat until it reduces to 1 cup. Puree figs, Garlic, port and vinegar. Add shallots. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt & pepper.

Grilled Beets and Onions with Goat Cheese and Spinach in Pita

Beets

Onions

Goat Cheese, crumbled

Baby Spinach, washed, dried

Pita bread, cut in half, pocket open

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Remove Beet greens and reserve for other use.

I like red beets, which are usually the most reasonably priced. Golden beets would be lovely in this salad, as would Chioggia beets, but the price is, sometimes, a deal breaker.

Peel the beets, and slice into ¼ inch to ½ inch rounds.

I wear gloves when I do this, but you might enjoy having red stained fingers. It certainly is s conversation starter!

Peel the onions, and slice into ¼ to ½ inch rounds.

Any nice sweet onion will do. Bermudas are my favorite. Walla Walla or Texas Sweets will do nicely. On the other hand, we’re gonna grill them, so a stinky old yellow onion will end up very mellow and happy in this dish; you’re just gonna cry a lot when you peel them.

Insert a skewer into the side of the onion, through the rings, to the other side.

Go slow with this step so you don’t break up the slice into a bunch of rings.

Lightly oil the beets and onions and season with salt and pepper

LIGHTLY! I cannot emphasize that enough! If you use too much oil, you will have flare ups and end up with a big old burnt up greasy mess.

Cook until nice grill marks appear on the beets and onions. Flip them and repeat process. Remove from heat.

Break onions into rings.

Cut beets in half (D shape)

Toss with onions.

Place a handful of spinach leaves into Pita

Add a happy scoop of Goat Cheese crumbles.

I know how much of a scoop makes me happy. How much for you?

Place warm beets and onions atop goat cheese.

Sprinkle with Fig and Port dressing to taste.

This completes our salad sessions. We look forward to seeing you at Prince Michel on Saturday!

I love Tacos! And the shame of it is, the crappier the taco, the more I like it. I can go to Taco Ball(if I use an "E", I can get sued) and eat a 10 Pak of crisp tacos all by myself. But it's Lent! No meat for me! This is a very tasty, and very healthy, alternative. I added an option for some Jalapenoes. I don't need it, but there's folks out there crazy enough to add them.
My wife, Lorraine, thinks the tacos would be better if we got fresh tuna and grilled it. This is true, but if you're gonna go to all the trouble of grilling...

Semi Dry Riesling Vinaigrette

Ingredients, dressing:

1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 cup PMV Semi Dry Riesling (2 cups reduced by half)

1/2c white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a mini food processor, pulse the coriander seeds until coarsely ground. Add the Riesling, vinegar and mustard and process until smooth. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until emulsified.

 

Taco of Jicama, cabbage and tuna with PMV semi dry Riesling

6 inch tortilla (corn or flour)

Small head of green cabbage, shredded

Jicama, peeled, julienned

Red Onion, shaved thin

Poblano pepper, cut into very thin strips

*Jalapeno Pepper, cut into very thin strips (optional)

Canned Albacore Tuna (you can use the other stuff, but it won’t be as nice)

DRAIN the Tuna! Put it in a strainer over a bowl and stick it in the fridge overnight.

Prep the other ingredients and add them to a large bowl. Flake the tuna apart and add it to the vegetables. Dress with the Vinaigrette.

Slide the tortilla on to a heated griddle. (electric fry pan does REAL good!)

Heat for 10 seconds on one side, and then flip for another 10. You want the tortilla warm and pliable, not crisp and burnt.

Lay the tortilla on a flat surface and put a heap of the veg mixture in the center.

Fold; eat; repeat!