It's time to take up smoking

My brother, Randy & his 18lb yellowtail Sept. 2011

Apparently my brother has some "deep sea" skills and on a recent trip out of San Diego, he reeled in an 18 lb yellowtail and a 12 lb tuna.  I was the happy beneficiary of his catch and I decided to get serious about smoking.  I've been doing quite a bit of research since I smoked that pork shoulder (see earlier post) on my old charcoal smoker and many people actually say that an electric smoker gives better, more consistent results.  I was worried about the flavor difference, but as soon as I heard that you don't have to check temperature, wood and water every hour, I was sold!

You had me at "hello"

Besides the fact that it took me 2 hours to assemble, I love my new electric smoker!  In my defense, I didn't start the assembly process until 10:00pm after a long day at work and I may also have had a teeny little glass of wine.
   
Gettin' Schooled
I decided to make this a real learning experience by utilizing 3 different methods.
1) Jerky - winner!
2) Brined - much better than "cured", but don't brine for more than 6-8 hours
3) Cured - too dry, too salty!

Jerky was the clear winner and by far my favorite result from this initial attempt.  The recipe I found online stated that it could be made using a regular oven (which I tried, but would not suggest).  It was so much more flavorful in the smoker.  I made several changes to the original online recipe to suit my taste.  My version is below.

Island Fish Jerky

Island Fish Jerky

2 lb. fish filets (tuna worked beautifully)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 Tbsp palm sugar (can substitute brown)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground peppecorns

1 dash red pepper flakes

(1) Cut the fish into 1/4-inch thick strips, 1 inch wide and 3 to 6 inches long. Combine the remaining ingredients in a zip-lock bag and marinate in the refrigerator, for at least eight hours, or preferably overnight. Discard the marinade and dry the fish strips well with paper towels to remove any excess marinade.

(2) Oil the grates in your smoker. Put a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to collect any drippings. Place the fish on the rack and set the oven to 140º degrees. (If your oven won’t go this low, set the oven to its minimum temperature and crack the oven door.)  I used a mixture of apple wood chunks, whisky barrel wood chips and a small amount of hickory chips

(3) After two hours, reduce the heat to 130 degrees or open the door wider. The drying time will vary. When done, the fish jerky will be dry but not brittle, so that the pieces crack but don’t break when bent, with a dark brown glaze. Allow the jerky to cool and keep it refrigerated, in a sealed container, until you’re ready to eat it.

His Bark is as Good as his Bite

Kenny's amazing Pulled Pork

Where does a story begin?  Well, at the beginning of course!  And for this one I have to go way, way back.  Back to when my Mom was in kindergarten and she met a little girl named Norma Celaya.  My Mom and Norma have remained friends for over 60 years.  Norma's youngest son, Kenny is my age and we used to play together when we were 5 or 6.  I remember being kinda bossy with Kenny, but he paid me back in spades by mixing all of my Play-Doh colors together.
Fast forward a few years (or 40) and now Kenny is telling me what to do.  I don't mind though because he is mentoring me in the art of pulled pork, which includes proper bark color and the easiest way to remove the pork shoulder bone. 
A few weeks ago, Kenny and his lovely wife, Lucia invited me over to watch a UFC fight.  Kenny smoked a beautiful pork shoulder for pulled pork sandwiches.  It was a WIN/ WIN night for me... great company and awesome food!  I went home that night hooked on, UFC uhhhhhh, I mean pulled pork and inspired to pull out my cobweb covered smoker.

SMOKE EM IF YA GOT EM
Everybody knows that wars have been waged over the "best" way to make pulled pork.  To brine or not to brine?  Sauce or rub? Hickory or fruit wood?  My friend Kenny just has a natural talent in the culinary arts and he graciously and (patiently) walked me through the process.  I took copious notes, made 3 trips to the store and even then, I had several moments of pure panic.  Was my fire too hot?  Was I using too much coal?  Too much wood?  Was I going to catch the house on fire?  I put the meat on at 8:00pm and 13 nearly sleepless hours later, I was greeted with the most beautiful sight and smell.  The neighborhood dogs were going wild.
Thank you Kenny! And thanks to my Mom and to Norma because if they hadn't become friends all those years ago, I wouldn't have learned how to smoke a pork shoulder and you wouldn't be reading this.

KENNY'S PULLED PORK
9-10 lb pork shoulder (bone in)

I chose to brine my pork shoulder in a mixture of:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 gallon of water
Increase amounts according to size of pork shoulder, making sure is it completely submerged in a non metal container for 12 - 24 hours (I brined mine for 24 hours).

pork shoulder in brine

Remove pork shoulder from brine, rinse with cold water, pat dry with paper towels and cover generously with the rub, massaging it into the meat as you go.  This is what makes that beautiful exterior bark.

For the Rub: mix all ingredients in a bowl

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sea salt

4 T black pepper (ground)

2 T shallot powder (can substitute onion powder)

2 T garlic powder

2 T cayenne pepper

pork shoulder prepped for the smoker

Prepare coals in smoker and soak wood chips in water for at least 1 hour.  I used a mixture of hickory chunks, apple wood chips and Jack Daniels wood chips)

coals are ready!

When coals are ready, add water to your water bowl one inch from the top.  Put pork on the grill (fat side up) then add wet wood to your coals.  Be sure to keep your heat low and slow, adding more coals and wood as necessary to keep your smoke going.   Pork should be done after 13-14 hours.

It's done!  Look at that bark!

Let meat rest for 30 minutes and then remove bone with a pliers.  The bone should slide right out.  Shred meat with 2 forks and make sure to chop the bark so that it is distributed throughout the meat.  Serve with artisan rolls, barbeque sauce and coleslaw.  YUM!

Old Family Recipes

You know those recipes that have the ability to transport you right back to childhood?  Well, my list is long and varied.  My Mother, who happens to have mad skills in the kitchen, has chronicled many of these favorite recipes in an old wallpaper covered book.  It's easy to identify the most cherished recipes as the pages are stained with ingredients from great meals gone by.     to be continued...

This cookie recipe is from our neighbor, Mrs. Dryer (Billy's Mom).  Randy would make a batch and eat the whole thing in one sitting.  They are THAT GOOD! 

 

Happy Father's Day 2011

Happy Father's Day to the most amazing man!

My dad, Edgar was born in 1935 on a wheat farm in the Red River Valley of North Dakota.  He is the youngest of 7 children.  Their old farmhouse didn't have indoor plumbing until he was 14 years old.  I'm sure farm life was extremely hard, but I will never truly understand just how hard it was.  We all laugh at the stories our parents tell us about walking 12 miles to school... in the snow...up hill... both ways!  Well, my dad's childhood experience probably wasn't that far off!  Their farmhouse still didn't have a phone when he left home at 17 to join the army.  My Dad trained at Fort Riley, Kansas and Fort Ord, California before he was stationed in the DMZ, Korea.  He was a Supply Sergeant from June 1954 to October 1955.  He later followed his sister to Glendale, California where he met my Mom.  They married February 1st, 1957.

Father's Day 2011

We celebrated my Father this year with a delicious Thai dinner inspired by a dear friend of mine.  My Mom, my sister & I cooked all day long and the whole family had a great time reminiscing, laughing and of course, eating!!!  Here are a few of the recipes. 
I love you Daddy!!!

This served 10 people as an appetizer.  It would serve about 6 people as a soup.  The soup can be served hot or cold but I definitely prefer it cold.

Thai-Spiced Mango Watermelon Shrimp Cocktail

    For cocktail sauce

• 5 cups coarsely chopped mixed mango watermelon, peeled & seeded
• 2 fresh lemongrass stalk*
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 Kaffir lime leaves (optional)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild olive oil
• 1 small hot green chile such as Thai or serrano, finely chopped (including seeds), or to taste
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  

 For shrimp

• 2 cups roasted shrimp
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste   
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• Accompaniment: lime wedges
  

Make soup:
Purée mango & watermelon in a blender until smooth and transfer to a bowl. (Don't wash blender.)

Discard 1 or 2 outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root end. Thinly slice lower 5 to 6 inches of stalk and then mince, discarding remainder.

Cook lemongrass, shallot, ginger, garlic and lime leaves in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until aromatics are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Remove lime leaves and add about one third of mango watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes.

Remove mango watermelon mixture from heat, then transfer to blender along with chile, lime juice, and salt and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Add remaining mango watermelon purée and blend briefly. Season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt if desired, blending if necessary. Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding any solids. Chill soup, uncovered, about 2 hours if serving cold, or reheat in cleaned saucepan.     

Prepare shrimp:
Toss shrimp with oil, and salt. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.  Toss with cilantro

Divide shrimp among small bowls or martini glasses, mounding in center, and pour chilled cocktail sauce over.

 Cooks' notes:  Cocktail sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Cover after 2 hours of chilling.
*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.
  

Father's Forbidden Black Rice
1 cup short grained black rice, rinsed
2 cups coconut milk (if coconut milk is too thick, thin it with water)
2 T soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 kafir lime leaves (optional) 
1 T toasted coconut for garnish (optional)


Place all ingredients in rice cooker and proceed with manufacturers instructions.  Remove lime leaves and garnish with toasted coconut before serving.

Le Creuset store at The Citadel Outlet

Thank you to Frank at the Le Creuset store!

Frank from The Le Creuset store

I had so much fun 2 weeks ago that I braved the June drizzle and a crowd of teen model search hopefuls on Saturday to return to Le Creuset at The Citadel Outlet.  Salesman, Frank was on duty once again and I shared with him the latest kitchen adventures with my new Doufeu (see earlier post below).

For those of you not familiar with this award winning French enamel over cast iron cookware, it is simply amazing!  If its versatility alone doesn't convince you, then prepare to be wowed by its even heat distribution and its ability to compel the toughest cut of meat into tender submission.  It can be used on the stove-top, in the oven, even on your barbeque grill.  But wait!  There's more... it can go directly from stove or oven to the table.

When I entered the store, I was contemplating which piece to purchase and was really leaning towards the 2 in 1 saucepan.  But Frank began extolling the virtues of the Tagine.  I had previously convinced myself that I would never need or want the Tagine because it is a "one dish" wonder.  Oh no, my friends... apparently not!  According to Frank it is a kitchen staple and in fact he had recently used it to make a beautiful frittata.  I guess I just need more time to decide.  So I bought a marvelous little Le Creuset frying pan.

And through Frank's inspiration and a trip to Trader Joes...

Frittata Ingredients

Simple Summer Fritatta

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cooking Time:  25 minutes

Serves: 2

1 tsp butter

1 scallion, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 extra-large eggs
1 T cream
3 ounces shredded cheese

1 garden fresh tomato, seeded and chopped

1 T chopped fresh chives

salt & pepper to taste

Avocado peeled, seeded and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a small oven-proof skillet.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cream, 2/3 of the cheese, tomato, salt and pepper.  Pour mixture in the skillet and place it in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata for about 25 - 35 minutes until it puffs and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Top with a sprinkling of cheese, chopped chives and sliced avocado.

Frittata baking in my convection oven

"The Pot" a family heirloom

Dad & Mom with "The Pot" (on the right) dishing up German dinner circa 1970s

 
In my family, we love to cook and of course we love to EAT!  And when we are not cooking or eating, we are talking about cooking and eating!  Our memories are woven and intertwined with the many great meals we have enjoyed.  In fact, I can conjur up scores of Christmas Eve's past by saying 2 words, "German dinner".  German dinner starts with a trip to Schreiners www.schreinersfinesausages.com in Montrose and then it is lovingly crafted on Christmas Eve in a large beat up stock pot called, "The Pot" which my Grandpa Joe handed down to my Mom years ago.

 German Dinner

• 4 T olive oil, mixed use
• 1 - 2lb pork shoulder or farmer style pork ribs, bone in
• 2 large onions, peeled & sliced
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 1 lg jar sauerkraut, drained & rinsed well
• 6 juniper berries
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 lbs sausages (variety of smoked sausage, Bratwurst, Bockwurst, etc.)
• 1 lg apple cored and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 6 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
  

Directions: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.  Sear the pork on both sides and remove to platter.  Add onions to the pot with more oil if necessary and saute until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add seared pork, ham hock, sauerkraut, broth, vermouth and seasonings.  Simmer over a gentle boil for 2-3 hours.  About 45 minutes before serving add the uncooked sausages.  15 minutes later add the potatos, apple, garlic and smoked sausages.  Cook for another 30 minutes.  Serve "family style" on a large platter with rolls, rye bread and a variety of mustards.  
Note:  If your pot is not large enough to accomodate all the ingredients, the potatos can be cooked seperately.

Last year "The Pot" was entrusted to my care.  I don't know who owned it first but if that pot could talk,  it would tell you stories of a family with full hearts and full tummys.  "The Pot" wasn't just pulled out on Christmas Eve, in fact it was lugged to the park on weekends for our large, extended family brunches throughout the 1970s and I can clearly see it perched on the stovetop in my Grandparent's kitchen for countless birthdays and holidays.

  

Mom making Gumbo with "The Pot" 1981

        Bennett, Mom & "The Pot" making German Dinner 2010

Le Creuset Doufeu - Happy Birthday to me!

For my birthday this week, I bought myself the long coveted 7.25 qt Le Creuset Doufeu in Cherry Red.  I got a great deal on this pot from the Le Creuset outlet store at The Citadel.  Store Manager, Frank was so very knowledgeable and helpful. 

Carnitas

I christened said vessel with a beautiful pork shoulder from Lindy & Grundy (www.lindyandgrundy.com).  Butcher, Amelia Posada graciously shared her mother's recipe.  Thank you Amelia, it was so nice to "meat" you!  After gently bubbling away in a bath of fresh, organic lard, oranges, onions, garlic, bay, cumin and coriander seeds for about 4 hours, the most amazing carnitas emerged.  Heaven!!!

 Carnitas

• 1 large onion, cut in half
• 2 heads garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 bone-in pork shoulder or butt (4 to 5 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 3 oranges cut in half
• 2 bay leaves
• lard
  

Directions:
Heat enough lard to cover meat in a Le Creuset French oven.  Add all ingredients to the pot.  Gently squeeze oranges into pot before dropping them in.  Do NOT cover.  Bring contents to a boil and then turn down heat to simmer (keeping it at a gentle boil) until meat falls away from the bone (about 3 to 4 hours).  Remove meat to a platter and preheat oven to 450°.  Discard remaining ingredients and return the meat to the French oven.  Place French oven uncovered in a 450° oven and bake until the pork is browned.
Shred the pork coarsely with two sturdy forks, discarding any fat. Heap ingredients into tortillas and serve.

The Bells Are Ringing: A Call To Table

I am so very proud of my mom!  She is my teacher, my mentor and my hero!  The success of this cookbook is a testament to her strength, perseverance and of course her incredible talents in the kitchen.   

http://www.ocregister.com/news/cookies-283009-baking-horsch.html

Cooking is a language

Aunt Cathy, Aunt Carol & Mommy July 4th, 2010 - They are all fluent in "cooking"

I come from a long line of devoted foodies and great cooks.  My Mom is a great cook. She has 9 siblings and they are all great cooks, my grandparents were great cooks, my parent's friends are great cooks.  So, at age 21, I naturally assumed that even though I hadn't spent much solo time in the kitchen, I must be a great cook too!  After moving out of my parents house, that notion was short lived.  
My first true dinner party as a young newlywed was a total disaster!  It was fraught with a collapsing barbeque, a tri tip turned soccer ball, decimated potatoes and it ended with my gracious guests going home hungry.

I have come a long way since then.  In fact several years ago my cooking epiphany came when I was looking at a recipe for some dish or other and I knew that if I changed an ingredient here and a seasoning there and added a particular flavor or texture, that it would be a spectacular dish.  From that day on, I didn't need recipes to cook tasty dishes.  It was as if cooking was a language and I could finally speak it! 

In this blog I would like to share recipes, ingredients, ideas, stories and thoughts with my family and friends and perhaps make some new friends along the way.

Mother's Day 2011 at Pascal's