Chorizo Empanadas

Enticing Edibles



When I was in Spain a few years back with my family celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, we had a lot of excellent restaurant meals in addition to the meals we fixed ourselves at the villa we stayed in. One thing we didn't eat in Spain was tapas.

I'd been looking forward to trying tapas in Spain since my first visit to a tapas place in DC a couple of years earlier. But every time I'd bring the subject up — and I brought it up several times — my mother immediately squashed the idea. I've no idea why.

It turns out that empanadas are primarily a Latin American dish. I only found one Spanish recipe in my searching.

So I was surprised a couple of weeks ago when she called and said she was having a tapas party and would I make empanadas for it. I've still no idea why she was so opposed to tapas in Spain — and I'm 90 percent sure she wouldn't remember it as I do so I haven't asked. But I've been meaning to make empanadas for some time and this, obviously, was the perfect excuse.

It turns out that empanadas are primarily a Latin American dish. I only found one Spanish recipe in my searching. But who cares? They would certainly make nice two-bite morsels suitable for munching with a glass of sherry or wine and it would be easy enough to create a recipe that tasted more of Spain than Honduras or Cuba so that's what I did.

They turned out fine if not excellent, the main problem with them was the Spanish Chorizo. Although I cut it into a little dice — a tad over 1/8 inch — the pieces were still too chewy. So in the recipe below I recommend coarsely processing the sausage to make the overall texture of the empanadas more palatable.

Chorizo Empanadas
Makes about 16 small empanadas.

Pastry for two crust pie
4 oz Spanish chorizo
1/2 md. Spanish onion — 1/4" dice (about 1/2 c)
1/4 red bell pepper — 1/4" dice (about 1/2 c)
1 yellow potato (about 3" in diameter)
1/2 tsp dried Herbes de Province
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c chicken stock
2 tbsp white wine
1 egg
Smoked Spanish paprika

Make pastry, divide in half, form into flattened balls, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate.

Peel and cut potato into 3/4" dice. Place in a covered, microwave-safe container and cook on high for about 5 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, rinse, and cool. Mash coarsely with fork.

Cut chorizo into 1/4" dice and process until coarsely chopped in a food processor. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix potato, chorizo, onion, bell pepper, herbs, salt, pepper, chicken stock, and wine. Mixture should be slightly moist but not wet — you may need to add a bit more wine.

Heat oven to 400F.

Roll out pastry as for pie crust and cut into 3" diameter circles (I used a glass and knife to cut the rounds). Moisten half the edge of a round (I find my finger, dipped in a small bowl of water works best), place a rounded tablespoon of filling toward the moistened edge, fold other side over, and crimp edges with fingers to seal. Place filled empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Beat egg with a tablespoon of water and brush tops of the empanadas with the mixture. Cut a slit in the top of each pastry and then sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes about 30 empanadas.

These are good hot, but also at room temperature. They should freeze well, unbaked, and I would put them unthawed in a 400F oven for 40 - 45 minutes to bake.

Here are few more tapas/meze/hors d'ouevres...
Duck Rillettes
Country Pate
Saganaki

Originally published November 17, 2006.

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Super Bowl Munchies

Although I suppose it's possible for me to be less interested in the Super Bowl than I am, but it's hard to imagine and this coming February 7 I'll probably watch a movie. Nevertheless Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest "food consumption" event in the US - second only to Thanksgiving. So just in case you are a football fan or married to one I thought I'd offer some ideas for munchies to eat on game day.

Deviled Eggs" I adore deviled eggs and am quite capable of eating half a dozen (three whole eggs) at once. So I don't make them very often. There are two keys to deviled eggs, the first is to use older eggs (at least two weeks old). Older eggs are far easier to peel than fresh eggs because the membrane attaching the shell to the white weakens with age (and note, eggs will easily keep a month in the refrigerator so the eggs will be perfectly fine).

Sausage Balls: I used to make sausage balls every year around Christmas when I was growing up, and the I completely forgot about them until a couple of Christmases ago. They were every bit as greasy and delicious as I remembered. I got to thinking, they'd be a great addition to the Super Bowl because although they're best hot, they're also good at room temperature.

Feta-stuffed Peppers: These little bites are not only delicious, but they're easy to make and as good at room temperature or cold as they are warm. Because of their ease and flexibility they’re one of my favorite picnic foods in addition to being a great amuse Bouche. You can also substitute chèvre for the feta and use other herbs.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Instead of being stuffed with crab or shrimp these muchrooms are stuffed with pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmigiano. I developed this recipe for a particular client and they were a real hit at her party and at subsequent parties when I've served them.

Hummus bi Tahini: I make up a batch of hummus for snacking on about once a month. Sometimes I eat it on pita triangles and other times on carrot or celery sticks - and I'm above just sticking my finger in it and sucking on my finger. My recipe is a bit tart and slightly spicy and I'm addicted to it.

Sausage Rolls: Sausage rolls are a fixture in English pubs - or at least they were when I was in England. And although my great love was Cornish pasties sometimes I'd get a couple of sausage rolls as a snack, and they were my standard breakfast when I was attending highland games.

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Deviled Eggs

A Perfect Munchie



I adore deviled eggs and am quite capable of eating half a dozen (three whole eggs) at once. So I don't make them very often. There are two keys to deviled eggs, the first is to use older eggs (at least two weeks old). Older eggs are far easier to peel than fresh eggs because the membrane attaching the shell to the white weakens with age (and note, eggs will easily keep a month in the refrigerator so the eggs will be perfectly fine). Note: Chop up the whites instead of stuffing them and mix with the yolks and you have an excellent egg salad.

The second key is avoiding that green band around the yolk. The band is composed of sulfur compounds created by cooking the egg at too high a temperature. But a perfect hardboiled egg isn't hard to make at all:

1. Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a saucepan.
2. Cover with water to a depth of one inch.
3. Bring water just to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 17 minutes.
5. Cool eggs in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
6. Once cooled, peel.

Deviled Eggs
Makes 12 servings.

12 hardboiled eggs
1 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise (depending on your preference)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of a small lemon
3 tbsp finely minced fresh dill
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut eggs in half and dump yolks in a small mixing bowl.Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly (I use an electric mixer). Taste and adjust flavors. Spoon into yolk mixture into whites and serve.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | Deviled Eggs | appetizers | eggs

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Saganaki

Greek Meze Extraordinaire



A few years back I catered a tapas/meze party for my parents. As someone who is inordinately fond of tapas (Spain), meze (Greece), apertivos/antipasti (Italy), and hors d'Oeuvres (France) I had a ball coming up with a menu. I have. I didn't stick to a particular cuisine but instead came up with a smorgasbord of bite-sized munchies.

I served Mushrooms Stuffed with Pancetta and Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spanish Chorizo baked in Wine and Herbs, Artichoke Bruschetta, Pinchos Morinos (I did these as small cubes of meat), Spanokopitas, Lemon-Chicken Strips, Keftedes, Feta-Stuffed Peppers, Tuna-stuffed Eggs, and Saganaki. I'd made all of these dishes before — at least in some form — except the saganaki.

The saganaki got the most comments, and no wonder, it's not only good to eat, but is also fun to eat.

Saganaki is a Greek fried cheese dish and can be made with a number of different cheeses: kefalograviera, kasseri, haloumi, or graviera. Kasseri and haloumi are the easiest to find here in Knoxville. Kasseri is a dry cheese similar to Parmigiano and haloumi is sort of a cross between feta and mozzarella. I prefer the milder flavor and chewier texture of haloumi. Note, you can fry the cheese in butter, but I prefer using olive oil.

Along the lines of saganaki, I once had a Lebanese friend who would fry Lebanese feta in butter for breakfast. He would stuff the fried cheese on pita and drizzle it with honey. It was a great breakfast, but I've had difficulty finding a feta that works.

Saganaki
Serves 8.

16 oz cheese — kefalograviera, kasseri, haloumi, or graviera at room temperature
1/2 c flour
2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp olive oil
2 lemons — cut into quarters

Combine flour, pepper, and nutmeg in a small pie plate. Cut cheese into 2 x 1 x 1/2 inch slices and dredge in flour, shaking off excess, then lay on a sheet of wax paper.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, dredge cheese in flour again, shaking off excess, and fry in batches until browned - 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over cheese.

Of all the things I served at that party, the saganaki got the most comments, and no wonder, it's not only good to eat, but is also fun to eat. Not sure why, but it is fun.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | appetizer | meze | greece | cheese

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Artichoke Tapenade

"A" is for Artichoke



I usually eat lunch around noon and supper around 8:00, which means I get hungry half way through the afternoon. So I have a snack. Cheese and crackers is a favorite as is cheese and salami - I usually have two or three cheeses in my fridge. Focaccia makes a great mid-afternoon snack if I've made a batch lately (by the way, this Rosemary/Grape Focaccia is my all-time favorite). And this Prosciutto Bread also make an out standing snack. Hummus is one of my all-time favorite pick-me-ups with a round of warm pita bread.

This is both quick and easy to make and will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

The idea in most cases being something I can eat with my fingers and yet won't get my fingers too greasy because I'm usually working at the computer when I eat the snack. However I've broken that rule the last few days because I made up a batch of Artichoke Tapenade and it drips all over everything. I first had this tapenade when I bought a jar of it at Copia, the now-defunct Museum of Food and Wine in Napa, California. Because Copia was a good three-hour drive from my house in Sacramento I had to come up with my own recipe.

This is both quick and easy to make and will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator (I would hesitate to keep it longer than that because of the raw garlic in it). Lately I've been eating it on a loaf of ciabatta and the large holes are good at keeping spillage down - but it's still a mess to eat.

Off subject: Kathy at Panini Happy recently hosted a grilled cheese contest and oddly enough, I won. I say "oddly" because my submission was as basic as it could be - albeit with an anal-obsessive attention to detail.

Artichoke Tapenade

1 15-oz. can artichoke hearts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 roasted red bell pepper
1 sm. lemon; zested and juiced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried*
1 Tbsp, fresh parsley; finely chopped
1 clove garlic; finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. capers

Drain artichoke hearts and chop coarsely in a food processor with roasted pepper. Then stir in all remaining ingredients, including lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust flavors to suit and allow mixture to sit for four hours to meld the flavors

*Note: You can substitute oregano, marjoram, chervil, or tarragon.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | artichoke | snack | appetizer | tapas

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Sausage Balls

Early Genius - Holiday Pork



I was nine or 10 when I got the assignment: make sausage balls. I suspect I brought it on myself. My memory from so long ago is fuzzy but I seem to recall lobbying my mother to make them one Christmas (she must have made them the previous year) and, as she was wont to do, her response was, "If you want them, you make them."

You know the things I'm talking about, country sausage, cheddar cheese, and Bisquik mixed together, rolled into balls, and baked. The perfect task for a nine-year-old cook. So I made them and when we had our annual Christmas Day open house my sausage balls were part of the spread. Woohoo! I not only got to make them and eat them but I got to show them off to all the adults!

My job, my Christmas calling, was to make sausage balls.

Well…. From that day on I was the sausage ball king. As the years passed and my cooking skills improved I'd contribute other things to the Christmas open house menu, but my job, my Christmas calling, was to make sausage balls. And I did, every year until I left home.

I made them a few times thereafter, but eventually I forgot about them until I was writing an yesterday article about those long ago Christmases and remembered them. How could I have forgotten? Sausage is the next best thing to bacon and these included cheese! So this morning I had to go to the store, buy the ingredients, and make a batch. Lordy, lordy, lordy…

They were everything I remembered: greasy, chewy, spicy, bready, delicious. There is nothing remotely sophisticated about them: the flavors are simple, assertive, and one-dimensional; the preparation is so simple a nine-year-old can do it; and they were invented simply to offer another way of using Bisquick (current Bisquick recipe). But, nevertheless, they're damned good. If you want to get a tad fancier you might make these sausage rolls, but frankly, the sausage balls are better.

Sausage Balls

1 lb. bulk country sausage
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese — shredded
2 c. Bisquick

Heat oven to 350F.

Measure Bisquick into a large bowl. Add small pinches of sausage to the Bisquick, stirring often to coat the sausage. Add shredded cheese and mix thoroughly. (Note: I used my KAStand Mixer with the paddle blade to do the mixing.)

Form mixture into 1-inch diameter balls and place on a baking sheet (Note: I usually line the pan with aluminum foil to eliminate cleanup.) These will fill two quarter-size baking pans.

Bake the first pan for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly browned, cool pan on a rack then peel foil from balls. Repeat for second batch.

Options: Gruyere would be a great alternative to cheddar as would comte - even Jarlsburg would work. You could also use Italian sausage and provolone.

Although most country sausage includes fennel seed and/or sage, bumping up either of those flavors would work.

You can offer a good brown mustard or a homemade flavored mayo as a dip - but frankly that's gilding the cabbage (there's no way these can be called lilies).

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | appetizer | pork

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Munchies, Tapas, & Hors d'Oeuvres

'Tis the Season to Party



When I was growing up my parents often had cocktail parties - in fact they often had parties, period. But I particularly remember the cocktail parties with their large collection of munchies. There was of course the obligatory plate of crudities with Lipton Onion Soup dip and there were smoked oysters (which I absolutely craved) and Swedish Meatballs figured prominently. They usually offered a cheese plate and went a step beyond the common cheese ball by offering a real selection of imported cheeses from a mail-order company in New York.

As I recall, we were invited to attend the parties if we wished, but we had to keep quiet . In fact we were always encouraged to associate with adults, but to remember we weren't adults and, unless asked, no one cared about our interests so don't volunteer. Pretty much "be seen and not heard."

These days one of the most popular classes I teach is titled, "Tapas, Mezethes, & Small Bites." That's about the most accurate title you can imagine because I include a few tapas recipes, a few recipes for Greek and Middle-Eastern Mezethes, and a few other things that are distinguished by the fact they are only a bite or two in size. It's also one of my favorite classes because it reminds me of those parties when I was a child.

So given that it's party season, I thought I'd offer a round up of some of my favorite party munchies.

Feta-Stuffed Peppers: This is one of my go-to recipes. They're easy to make, easy to modify, they can be made in advance because they're as good at room temperature as they are warm, and they're bright and colorful on a platter served with pickles and olives. They always surprise guests who haven't had them before and they always disappear before the party's over.

Tuna-Deviled Eggs: Everyone loves deviled eggs and although the idea of tuna in deviled eggs initially puts some people off, once they try them they're convinced. This is a Greek meze but I tweaked my version by adding smoked, hot Spanish paprika to the yolk and tuna mixture. The hot paprika provides the deviling with an added fillip of smokiness that I think rounds these eggs out beautifully. These are easily made a day in advance.

Prosciutto Gougeres: Although gougeres are at their absolute best when pulled, just-baked, from the oven and served, they're still pretty damned good made in advance and reheated. You can make them a day early and refrigerate them overnight, then reheat them in a 350F oven, or you can even freeze them for a few weeks, then heat them up just before serving.

Prosciutto & Chevre Canapes: As long as you're buying prosciutto, buy a bit more and make these canapés. You simply mix together chèvre and minced prosciutto and spread it on slices of baguette. Garnish with a parsley leaf or twist of lemon peel. This recipe is completely my invention, but is based on the tubes of ham and cheese spread you can find in Europe.

Duck Rillettes: This very French appetizer requires a lot of effort, at least it does if you're making your own duck confit. But Oh My God! Spread on a baguette (such as those you bought for the canapés above) they are heaven on earth. You can also get duck confit mail-order from companies such as d'Artagnon or Hudson Valley Foie Gras. I make my own confit so I don't know how good those products are, but I do know and respect both companies.

Ceci Fritos: Fried Chickpeas are addictive - especially warm from the skillet. They can be made in advance and keep well for a day or two, but because it only takes about 7 or 8 minutes to make them if you have access to a stove then make them at the last minute (you can prep them in advance).

Stuffed Mushrooms: I know, I know. They're old hat, overworked, and certainly nothing to write home about. Except these aren't. Choosing an Italian accent, I stuff these with a mixture of pancetta and sun-dried tomatoes. They get raves and I've been told more than once, "They’re the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had." I suspect that's as much a reflection of how expected most such recipes have become as a true statement, but surprise is a genuine element of excellent food so I nod and say, "Thanks."

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | appetizers | tapas | meze

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Stuffed Mushrooms

A Great Success



"Rode hard and put up wet." And, in fact, that was pretty much the case. I had just catered a reception for 20, without help as always, immediately followed by a private dinner for four. I'd been on my feet, in the kitchen, for almost two days solid and when I got home at 9:00 Sunday night all I could do was crash on the couch for an hour of mindless TV to unwind, and then nurse this stiff old body into bed. The parties, though, were a huge success.

For the reception I made:

Feta-Stuffed Peppers
Saganaki (fried halloumi cheese)
Pears Wrapped in Prosciutto
Stuffed Mushrooms
Smoky Spiced Nuts, and
Pinchos Morinos (I did these as cubes of meat on toothpicks)

For the dinner I served:

Rack of Lamb with Port Demi-Glace
Potatoes Savoyard
Carrots Glazed with Mint and Lemon
Braised Brussels Sprouts, and
Chocolate Pots de Crème .

I'd done a previous dinner party for these folks so I knew the kitchen (a great work space with only one flaw, bad positioning on the fridge) and they knew me. They treat me with respect and appreciation as a professional providing a valuable service — a point that I was reminded of when one of their guests treated me like a servant by "ordering" a glass of ice water. (I was not serving the reception.)

All the food was a hit, and I absolutely nailed the quantities for the reception because at the end there were only three or four bites left of everything except the stuffed mushrooms. And I must admit, the mushrooms were exceptional.

My client is gluten-intolerant and so I had to come up with a mushroom recipe that didn't include bread crumbs. When I suggested crab stuffing I learned she couldn't eat shellfish either. But the solution immediately presented itself and it worked — witness the lack of any leftovers.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Pancetta and Dried Tomatoes

24 large button mushrooms
2 oz pancetta, finely diced
2 oz dried tomatoes (not oil-packed, and an ingredient the client suggested — it was perfect)
2 tablespoons Amontillado sherry
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1 oz shredded Parmigiano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400F.

Remove stems from mushrooms. I find the best way to do this is to make a vertical cut around the stem with a paring knife and then pop out the stem — this leaves a nicer and more predictable cavity for filling than simply pulling out the stem. Place the stems in a food processor and chop until about the consistency of very coarse corn meal.

Bring 1 cup of water (or chicken stock) to a boil in small sauce pan. Add dried tomatoes, remove from heat, and rehydrate for 15 minutes. Then remove the tomatoes from the liquid and coarsely chop.

Cook pancetta in a small, non-stick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel and discard all but a tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

Add chopped stems to skillet over medium heat along with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper and the thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are dry. Add sherry and chopped tomatoes and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

Mix pancetta, mushroom mixture, onion, and Parmigiano in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stuff into mushroom caps and bake until you can see liquid leaking out — about 15 minutes. Serve.

Note: you can make these up to the baking point a day in advance and keep them in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to cook.

By the way, apparently the Host of this party hates Brussels sprouts, but She insisted I keep them on the dinner menu because She loves them and never gets to eat them. I did and added the glazed carrots to make Him happy, but told Her He had to try one sprout. That recipe has converted more than one sprout hater and in this case he ate two of the five he was served. Apparently, in the past, his record was a mere half a sprout. And that was my greatest success on Sunday.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | party | stuffed mushrooms | hors d'oeuvres | appetizer | canape

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Cece Fritos

Ciao! Cece?



I’ve seen it argued that the most important dish in a meal is the dessert. This argument is akin to the idea that it’s best to have the last word in a debate, it is what people leave remembering. I think there’s a lot of truth to this thought, in both debates and meals, but the alternative assertion, that the first statement in a debate sets the terms, also has an element of truth and, in turn, the first thing served at a meal sets the terms for the meal.

Fortunately, at a meal, the cook can set the terms of the debate as well as making the last arugument. When I have a dinner party, or teach a cooking class for that matter, I like to have a munchy or two sitting out for people to snack on as they arrive. It gives them something to do right off the bat, covers my ass if I run late on the meal, and a well-chosen canapé or hors d’oeuvre sets the tone for the rest of the meal.

At a meal, the cook can set the terms of the debate as well as making the last arugument.

I haven’t posted many recipes for appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, or canapé because I seldom have time to take photos when I’m hosting a party or teaching a class. The number of such recipes certainly doesn’t reflect the number of such dishes I’ve made over the past four years. But I taught a class on Italian cooking last week and began with this recipe. When I had un-cooked cece left-over I brought them home and made a small batch. Too small a batch, sadly, because I could have easily eaten an entire can’s worth.

They’re so easy to do that even making them at the very last minute is practical, which is good because they’re best when eaten still warm from the skillet. They’re also messy — a greasy finger food — so provide plenty of cocktail napkins.

Cece Fritos (Fried Chickpeas)

2 cans chick peas/garbanzos (15oz cans)
1/4 c olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Drain, rinse, and dry the chick peas. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chick peas and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the peas begin to pop.

Drain chick peas on a paper towel and sprinkle with seasonings, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin weeks | seriously good | appetizer | munchy | chickpeas | garbanzos | italian

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Pork Chops Florentine

alla Fiorintina



A few weeks ago Doc/Rev Biggles of Meathenge posted a photo of a gorgeous grilled pork chop. Then a week ago I received the August 2007 issue of Cuisine at Home that offered a recipe for "Pork Chops Florentine-Style." This was just too much. I haven't eaten a grilled pork chop since last summer and it was clearly time to do it again.

The recipe in Cuisine at Home intrigued me. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a famous dish made with a thick T-bone or Porter House steak. I started doing research on it.

In this country we associate "Florentine" with spinach and cream sauces because of dishes such as Eggs Florentine or Chicken Florentine. The origins of this association aren’t clear, but according to one tale Catherine de Medici (yes, of those Medicis) brought spinach to the French Court and in honor of her Italian heritage, she called any dish containing spinach alla Fiorintina: "of the Florentines." Apocryphal or not, it probably was the French, those irrepressible arbiters of culinary terminology, who applied the term to any dish including spinach and cream. But no cuisine, particularly not one with the history of an Italian region behind it, can be so neatly encapsulated in a single preparation.

According to Lidia Bastianich, "[Steak Florentine] seems to have its origins with the many people from Northern Europe who fell in love with the countryside around Florence and decided to move to Tuscany. In fact, so many English relocated to the Chianti area that is has been dubbed 'Chiantishire.'" At any rate, ideally the beef for
Steak Florentine is from the Chianina cattle of the region, which were used primarily as draft animals and could be so large that a single steak might weight 6 pounds.

As I expected, the recipes were all over the map. If anyone ever tells you "this is the absolutely authentic and only way" to prepare a dish, put your boots on, the manure is getting deep. But lemon juice and olive oil were common ingredients in most of the recipes. So I took that as a given. The recipes were divided between marinating or not. I decided to marinate. I also decided not to include any acid in the marinade.

The two chops I had were grass-fed Berkshire hog and grass-fed meat tends to be tough. Marinating in acid would have made the meat even tougher. So instead of juice I elected to use lemon zest. To make sure the lemon got into the meat I heated the olive oil to a low simmer and infused it with the lemon zest, fresh oregano, and garlic. That was some damned-fine tasting oil.

Braciola di Maiale alla Fiorentina (Florentine Pork Chops)
Serves 2.

2 bone-in rib chops, at least 1 inch thick
1 cup olive oil
zest of two lemons (reserve lemons)
2 cloves garlic — minced
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine olive oil, lemon zest, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble around the oregano sprigs. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a ziplock bag, add chops, and refrigerate for at least eight hours — turning occasionally to distribute marinade.

Remove pork from fridge an hour before cooking to warm up.

Build a hot fire in the grill. When the coals are ready, remove the chops from the marinade and dry on paper towels. Cook on each side for about 2 1/2 minutes over direct heat — until mahogany brown. Move chops off the direct heat but with the bone facing the heat and cover the grill and cook for four minutes more.

Serve with lemon wedges.

I had tabouleh with these chops — a perfect accompaniment. The flavors from the marinade are mild, but detectable, especially with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top. Encourage your eaters to season generously with salt and pepper. Encourage your eaters to gnaw the bones as I did, searching for that last delectable morsel.

Technorati: Food | recipe | italy | italian | steak | pork | pork chops | florentine

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Paisano: Treats on the 4th

Paisano: Treats on the 4th



A few years back when I lived was living in Eugene, Oregon I got a call from the Paisano the last week of June. It was an odd call. First he didn't really sound like himself — there was something funny in his voice. He sounded off. Second, he wanted to know if he could come for a visit.

Although I didn't know him as well then, I did know the Paisano never asks if he can visit and certainly never offers warning. He either shows up on my doorstep or calls me to come pick him up at the nearest airport, bus station, train station, or even gas station. On this occasion, he said if I didn't mind (didn't mind?) he would like to visit for a spell and thought he'd take the train up from California in a couple of days if that was Ok. WTF?

"In my family I am the baby so you must be my younger brother. When I am dying, bring food."

I said sure, come on. What else could I say? I picked him up at the train station on Sunday afternoon, July 2.

As usual I got a bear hug and kiss on both cheeks. As usual his baggage was a single military canvas duffle bag (no insignia, only the scar of a badge and a bleached section to leave you wondering which military). As usual his grey hair was a bit shaggy and his beard was immaculately trimmed. But on the drive back to my apartment he was a bit less ebullient than usual, his laugh a tad less hearty. When I asked if he knew how long he was staying he said he had to be in Vancouver at the end of the week.

July 4 was on a Tuesday that year, and I'd arranged to take Monday off to prepare for a party I was having on the 4th. I lived about half a mile from the University of Oregon stadium and each 4th the stadium hosts a big fireworks display — I had a near perfect viewing spot in my backyard. I figured we'd have a collection of munchies while watching the fireworks and then come back inside to eat dinner.

Sunday evening we talked about the party and menu. Paisano, as a matter of course, wanted to change everything, but gave up surprisingly easily when I resisted. So I told him I wasn't happy with the "bites" I'd planned on munching on while watching the fireworks and asked him to come up with something. We spent the rest of the evening tossing ideas back and forth and then went grocery shopping Monday morning.

I knew better than to push him about his problem. He puts Dick Cheney's secretiveness to shame. If I asked a direct question I'd get a direct answer — but maybe not a true answer. With the Paisano you listen between the lines and if he trusts you and wants to, he'll tell you. It took until Tuesday when we were prepping for the party for him to start talking.

With a chefs knife in a one hand, a glass of wine in the other, and array of ingredients spread across the counter, he began to talk.

His oldest brother, Michael, was dying of kidney disease in a hospital in Vancouver. They were close, but the connection didn't occur until Paisano was grown up, ten years was far too much distance to overcome as children. And, perhaps because the connection had come so late, it was particularly fierce. And now my friend was going to Canada to say goodbye. This was not something he was good at.

Eventually the guests arrived for my party bringing blankets and lawn chairs. Paisano immediately ditched me to handle the final dinner prep on my own while he served his hors d'ouevres, made new friends, and watched the fireworks.

Paisano made a half dozen meze or tapas, but these two were the most popular. They would be perfect to munch on July 4.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

24 large cherry tomatoes
4 oz chèvre
2 tbsp mince basil (or oregano, chives, tarragon, …)
2 tbsp finely minced red onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

Remove tops of tomatoes and core (a demitasse spoon is perfect for this task). In a small bowl combine all other ingredients then stuff into empty tomatoes. Serve at room temperature. (Note: these are best if the tomatoes are never chilled, but they can be chilled for picnics and such.)

Tuna Stuffed Eggs

6 hardboiled eggs — shelled and cut in half
1 can oil-packed tuna
2 tbsp finely-minced red onion
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked hot Spanish paprika

In a small bowl beat together the egg yolks and all other ingredients until smooth. Spoon into hollowed out egg whites. Chill and serve.

The next morning when I woke my friend had already made coffee and had eggs ready for an omelet. He was back to himself again: "I told J.D. you might be late today and he said that was ok. We must go to the store again. I need to cook for Michael." J.D. was my boss and had been at the party the night before. Arranging my schedule with my boss (and without consulting me) was pure Paisano.

So we went to the store, came back and spent the day making Michael's favorite foods — "I can't cure him, but I can feed him" — and around 5:00 that evening I put the Pasisano on the train to Vancouver. When we parted he hugged me with particular vigor.

"In my family I am the baby so you must be my younger brother. When I am dying, bring food."

I will, brother.

Note: Pasisano is a fictional character created for a column published twice monthly on Gather.com.

Technorati: Food | recipe | paisano | deviled eggs | stuffed tomatoes | appetizers | hors d'ouevres | tapas | meze

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Feta-stuffed Peppers

Making a Meze



Last week was hellishly busy and up until today, so has this week. That's a good thing because it means I'm making money, but by last Saturday I was a vegetable and that was my only break before today. All of which is by way of explaining why it's been so long since I posted something real here.

The killer last week was a meze party on Friday evening for 25. Meze is the Middle-Eastern name for what the Spanish call tapas and I spent all day Thursday and Friday making "small bites." The menu consisted of:

Keftedes –— Greek meatballs
Marinated Lamb Kabobs
Hummus with pita and vegetables
Stuffed Peppers
Dolmades

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six. ~ Yogi Berra


Lemon-marinated Chicken Strips
Tuna-stuffed Deviled Eggs
Fried Kefalotyri (cheese)
Orange/Yogurt Cake

It was a good selection of dishes and, aside from the dolmades falling apart during cooking (which prompted a substitution of mushroom crostini) the prep went smoothly. Although there was plenty of food, no food came back on plates meaning everyone liked everything they ate and while there was a bit of food leftover, everything was tried.

Ordinarily when I do these affairs I don't have time to take photos, but I've been wanting to post the recipe for these stuffed peppers for a couple of years now. These little bites are not only delicious, but they're easy to make and as good at room temperature or cold as they are warm. Because of their ease and flexibility they’re one of my favorite picnic foods in addition to being a great amuse Bouche. You can also substitute chèvre for the feta and use other herbs.

Feta-stuffed Peppers

3 ea lg. bell peppers (assorted colors)
6 oz feta chesse –— crumbled
1/2 ea lemon –— juiced
1/4 c minced red onion
3 tbsp minced fresh dill
1 ea egg –— beaten

Heat oven to 375F.

Stem the peppers and cut into eighths, top to bottom. Remove pith and seeds. Cut eighths in half cross-wise.

Mix all remaining ingredients in a small bowl with a fork, crushing any large chunks of cheese. Spoon about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each pepper segment and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack until cheese begins to brown – about 15 minutes.

Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold.

Technorati: Food | recipe | meze | tapas | appetizer | hors d'ouevres | picnic | greek

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