Josh Pepper and I are pairing up again to teach another fabulous beer and food class. This one is almost full, but I know there a few spots left. This afternoon I am working on the recipes for this class and am just so excited about it. I think this is our fourth class and I can promise you that every attendee rolls out of our classes completely stuffed and full to the brim with excellent beer...not to mention all the wonderful food/beer knowledge we squeeze in between the bites/sips. A great gift for a loved one or a night to remember with your friends.
Dinner Paired with Belgian Beer: Menu 2
Demonstration, with lots of drinking!
Friday, October 3, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $70
Rachael Rydbeck with Josh Pepper
Rachael and Josh are back with another take on this fun-packed, popular class. Here’s how it works: Josh picks one of his favorite Belgian beers, offers up a couple of words to describe the flavor — sweet, spicy, rich, herbal — then Rachael builds a dish on that theme. You’ll be amazed at how well the two go together.
Menu: Belgian Pale Ale paired with Our Favorite Spiced Nuts; Saison paired with Mushroom-Sage Bruschetta; Flanders paired with Crab Fritters with Lemon Aïoli; Flanders Brown paired with Cauliflower Beignets with Sea Scallops and Golden Raisin Puree; Dubbel paired with Roasted Cornish Hens with Caramelized Root Vegetables and Dried-Currant Sauce; Tripel paired with Lemon Crêpes.
Welcome!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Battered Fish
Last week in light of my newly acquired tartar sauce, I decided to make battered and fried fish. Basically the fish and chips, sans chips. I logged into my cooksillustrated.com account to find a recipe as I am not much of a breading and deep frying kind of gal.
3 cold quarts peanut oil (or canola oil)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-thick cod fillet (or other thick white fish, such as hake or haddock) cut into eight 3-ounce pieces
1 1/2 cups beer (12 ounces), cold (I used a light beer, but most recipes recommend a darker beer such as Guinness)
1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl; transfer 3/4 cup of mixture to rimmed baking sheet. Add baking powder to bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, thoroughly dry fish with paper towels and dredge each piece in flour mixture on baking sheet; transfer pieces to wire rack, shaking off excess flour. Add 1 1/4 cups beer to flour mixture in mixing bowl and stir until mixture is just combined (batter will be lumpy). Add remaining beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until batter falls from whisk in thin, steady stream and leaves faint trail across surface of batter. Using tongs, dip 1 piece fish in batter and let excess run off, shaking gently. Place battered fish back onto baking sheet with flour mixture and turn to coat both sides. Repeat with remaining fish, keeping pieces in single layer on baking sheet.
4. When oil reaches 375 degrees, increase heat to high and add battered fish to oil with tongs, gently shaking off excess flour. Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer fish to thick paper bag or paper towels to drain.
I think the secret to this, after having made it once, is to thoroughly salt and pepper the fish BEFORE battering them. Mine were a bit bland. The tartar sauce was incredible...it seemed fairly typical, but what made it stand out from the bunch was a generous kick of horseradish.
3 cold quarts peanut oil (or canola oil)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-thick cod fillet (or other thick white fish, such as hake or haddock) cut into eight 3-ounce pieces
1 1/2 cups beer (12 ounces), cold (I used a light beer, but most recipes recommend a darker beer such as Guinness)
1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl; transfer 3/4 cup of mixture to rimmed baking sheet. Add baking powder to bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, thoroughly dry fish with paper towels and dredge each piece in flour mixture on baking sheet; transfer pieces to wire rack, shaking off excess flour. Add 1 1/4 cups beer to flour mixture in mixing bowl and stir until mixture is just combined (batter will be lumpy). Add remaining beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until batter falls from whisk in thin, steady stream and leaves faint trail across surface of batter. Using tongs, dip 1 piece fish in batter and let excess run off, shaking gently. Place battered fish back onto baking sheet with flour mixture and turn to coat both sides. Repeat with remaining fish, keeping pieces in single layer on baking sheet.
4. When oil reaches 375 degrees, increase heat to high and add battered fish to oil with tongs, gently shaking off excess flour. Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer fish to thick paper bag or paper towels to drain.
I think the secret to this, after having made it once, is to thoroughly salt and pepper the fish BEFORE battering them. Mine were a bit bland. The tartar sauce was incredible...it seemed fairly typical, but what made it stand out from the bunch was a generous kick of horseradish.
Hands on Indian
Last Thursday I had an incredible Hands-On Indian class. We made Naan and Raita and Chutney and many other yummy things. This was a beginner class and was intended as an intro to cooking, but as everyone introduced themselves before we got started I realized we had a classroom full of experienced cooks. With most everyone comfortable in the kitchen everyone really got into the spirit of the thing. There was tasting and tweaking and laughter.
One of my favorite things to make is naan from scratch. I am posting the recipe we used here. This is the thing you cook up right before you eat dinner so it is hot and buttery and ready to go. I like to scoop Indian food onto my naan, but it can also be used an accompanying side to a meal such as shish kabobs, or topped with tomatoes cheese and herbs and eaten like a flat pizza.
½ teaspoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 ½ cups to 4 ½ cups bread flour
1 ¾ tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup ghee or melted butter
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup tepid water in a small bowl, stirring to mix. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Combine 3 ½ cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and stir the yeast mixture into the flour a little at a time, then gradually mix in the yogurt. When the dough begins to form a ball, turn it out on to a floured board. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, adding the remaining cup of flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
3. Punch the dough down. Divide it into 8 pieces (4 ounces each). Shape each one into a ball. Flatten and stretch each ball out until you have a round about ¼ inch thick. Oil the dough on both sides.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add one or two of the dough rounds. Cook until crisp and lightly browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the remaining side. Serve immediately, brushed with butter or olive oil. Repeat to cook the remaining naan.
One of my favorite things to make is naan from scratch. I am posting the recipe we used here. This is the thing you cook up right before you eat dinner so it is hot and buttery and ready to go. I like to scoop Indian food onto my naan, but it can also be used an accompanying side to a meal such as shish kabobs, or topped with tomatoes cheese and herbs and eaten like a flat pizza.
Homemade Naan with Ghee
½ teaspoon dry yeast1 tablespoon sugar
3 ½ cups to 4 ½ cups bread flour
1 ¾ tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup ghee or melted butter
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup tepid water in a small bowl, stirring to mix. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Combine 3 ½ cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and stir the yeast mixture into the flour a little at a time, then gradually mix in the yogurt. When the dough begins to form a ball, turn it out on to a floured board. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, adding the remaining cup of flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
3. Punch the dough down. Divide it into 8 pieces (4 ounces each). Shape each one into a ball. Flatten and stretch each ball out until you have a round about ¼ inch thick. Oil the dough on both sides.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add one or two of the dough rounds. Cook until crisp and lightly browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the remaining side. Serve immediately, brushed with butter or olive oil. Repeat to cook the remaining naan.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Larry the Cucumber
Before going out of town I cleaned my fridge out and donated all my perishables to our friends James and Becky. Included in this mass exodus of fruits and veggies was Larry the Cucumber. He is probably the largest cucumber I have ever purchased and I was very sorry indeed that I didn't get to eat him.When we showed up to deliver our goodies James commented in a very PG-13 way that can not be repeated verbatim on my very G rated blog. Suffice it to say, he was quite impresed and I doubt very much that they ate him.
National Tartar Sauce Day
I went to my favorite local fish market on Monday to buy some tuna and opah for a lovely lentil dish I was making. As I was checking out, one of the friendly Coastal Seafoods employees (who I had always respected for his forthcoming nature), asked me if I would like some free tartar sauce as it was "National Tartar Sauce Day". Not to miss out on anything free and appalled that I myself didn't even know of such a holiday, I readily accepted my free gift.
Thinking that none of you should be kept in the dark concerning National Tartar Sauce Day (or NTSD as I fondly think of it), I began to do my research. I opened google. After a few quick searches it became apparent that I had been had.
I don't feel too bad though as my good friend Mary and former Le Cordon Bleu classmate fell for it as well.
Today I went to Coastal to buy some haddock for making battered fish to eat with same tartar sauce and confronted the fishmonging gentleman concerning NTSD. He just laughed at me and thought it particularly funny that I had left the store and actually looked up the nonexistent holiday.
And just so this isn't a completely wasted blog entry with no enlightenment whatsoever, on Monday I decided to branch out and purchase some bottled salad dressing. GASP!! I purchased Briannas Home Style Asiago Caesar Dressing and am absolutely IN LOVE.
If you can find it, buy it. You won't regret it. It is as good as the stuff I make from scratch - maybe better. ;)
Thinking that none of you should be kept in the dark concerning National Tartar Sauce Day (or NTSD as I fondly think of it), I began to do my research. I opened google. After a few quick searches it became apparent that I had been had. Question: What do you do if you are a fish store and you realize you have made too much tartar sauce.
Answer: You declare a national holiday and give the stuff away for free.
Answer: You declare a national holiday and give the stuff away for free.
I don't feel too bad though as my good friend Mary and former Le Cordon Bleu classmate fell for it as well.
Today I went to Coastal to buy some haddock for making battered fish to eat with same tartar sauce and confronted the fishmonging gentleman concerning NTSD. He just laughed at me and thought it particularly funny that I had left the store and actually looked up the nonexistent holiday.
And just so this isn't a completely wasted blog entry with no enlightenment whatsoever, on Monday I decided to branch out and purchase some bottled salad dressing. GASP!! I purchased Briannas Home Style Asiago Caesar Dressing and am absolutely IN LOVE.
If you can find it, buy it. You won't regret it. It is as good as the stuff I make from scratch - maybe better. ;)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Back from Vacation!
Joel and I spent 9 days in Costa Rica this month to celebrate 10 years of married bliss. :) We stayed at an all inclusive resort which meant I didn't have to scan the price side of the menu before placing my order....which I loved.
There were three restaurants on location and we ate at all three. Not only did we eat at all three, I dare say I probably tried every item on every menu. The true challenge was the restaurant that was all buffet...I had lots and lots of little plates with little bites of all my options divided among them.The food was very basic, fish and chicken (some beef), lots of rice and potatoes, and mounds of fruit and pineapple. Some of our favorites:
- Chicken empanadas
- Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
- Rice Pudding
- Grilled lamb with a chimichurri sauce (herbs, olive oil, garlic, parsley...)
- Baked apple and chocolate (see pic below)
- The Salad bar at the Del Fuego restaurant was incredible...olives, greens, cold cuts
- Onion Soup
- The anchovy on the caesar salad, not so much the caesar salad
- Basil Fusilli soup
- Tikki beef tenderloin served with a carmelized onion sauce
- Ginger creme caramel cake
- German chocolate cake
Ok, so it does look like the desserts win. We loved eating so many fruits and veggies and have tried to reshape our home dining experience to better mimic our eating habits in Costa Rica. I have been making a lot of fish and veggie dishes...which I will make sure to include in future posts.
For those of you curious about Costa Rica, we thought the country was absolutely beautiful and loved being there. I was most surprised with all the wildlife we saw: coati and babbies, large and small iguanas, lots and lots and lots of bugs, crabs, fireflys, white tailed deer, racoons...
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