Cider? Beer? How about both...

I love a good hard cider. Or rather, I really like the idea of hard cider. Most of the time I end up disappointed. I can't really explain it, except that when I order cider I'm just not satisfied. It's often too sweet and too thin. Like there's something missing. There are exceptions, actually pretty major ones, Dupont (See the post from AC last year comparing ciders) and our friends Paul and Fiona are fabulous cider-makers (retired?). I can also enjoy a cold Crispin on occasion- it's local after all, and Fox Barrel has an apricot-pear cider that's nice, but again, I find both too sweet to have more than just once in a while.

So I was really happy when I discovered Furthermore's Fallen Apple. It was last fall. By the time I made the discovery there were only a few left, when I asked about it I was told it was seasonal.

Sad.

I was delighted when I saw they brought it back this year. It's really good and I highly recommend you get some before it's gone. It's a creme ale (creamy, smooth, flavorful, not hoppy) brewed with apples. You get the density of a nice creamy fall beer with the sweetness of apples. Hurry up and buy some, because I'm not sharing mine!!

Don't like the wine? Cook with it!

I started buying and drinking boxed wine when the AC was in India for four months and I was stuck at home in graduate school. The whole higher quality boxed wine concept had just started- Black Box- and my taste in red wines was still fairly basic. More importantly, I had developed a taste for wine with dinner, felt guilty about opening a bottle without finishing it and didn't want AC to come home to a drunk. So boxed wine fit the bill, I could have one glass and that's it (okay, okay, that was the goal). Now the wine in a box industry has grown and there are more options. You'd think this would be a good thing, but I have found that the quality varies tremendously and since one box is four bottles, it's become a bit of a crap-shoot and a commitment to a lot of wine you may not want to drink.

Case in point: I bought a box of Pinot Grigio, same brand as a Sauv Blanc I enjoy.  I poured a glass and it was just blah, nothing, watery, not good. I'm not a boxed wine snob AND I don't want to drink something that I really don't enjoy, kinda defeats the purpose. Anyway, I regreted the $18 I spent, but figured we could use it for cooking. AC comes home from a business trip and goes to Costco. I get home from work and he's all excited about a box of Pinot Grigio he got for $14 at Costco.

Yep. Same one. Even he can't stand it. Hello recipes that use white wine.

This became a pretty easy challenge, as white wine can replace any liquid. For this recipe we substituted wine for water when cooking Quinoa. We're new to this whole grain, but have really come to like it. As with any grain, adding flavor is important, and it's easy to over-salt, cooking it in wine instead of water was delicious. It added moisture and very subtle flavor that added to the overall dimension of the dish. We added dried cherries to the Quinoa after cooking and it's really all it needed. So here's your recipe.

Pork Chops and Quinoa

• Two small boneless pork chops, each cut in half. 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 finely minced cayenne pepper (any hot pepper will do, if you use powder add it at the end)
• 1/2 sweet bell pepper, diced
• 5-6 crimini mushrooms
• 2/3 c artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/4 c dry vermouth
• 1 tbsp butter
• olive oil, salt and black pepper

Saute garlic and cayenne pepper in oil olive over medium/high heat. Lightly sear both sides of the pork chops in the pan, add red bell peppers, mushrooms and vermouth, reduce the heat to medium. Let the sauce cook the pork and reduce. When reduced to about half the amount (about 2 min), add butter to thicken the sauce. Add the artichoke hearts and basil, salt and black pepper to taste.

We made the Quinoa in our rice cooker, following the directions on the package, using white wine instead of water. Add diced dried cherries and a little salt when done.     

We've been using this method of cooking meat a lot lately (sear first, then poach in broth, wine, vermouth, you name it) as it browns it nicely and ends up really moist and flavorful, picking up the flavors of the broth. It's also really hard to over cook your protein this way. It is particularly amazing with Salmon, cooks perfectly every time.

Filfillah Restaurant

 Filfillah Restaurant 4301 Central Ave Columbia Heights
 Filfillah had a rocky start. As a long-time Northeaster my attention was piqued a couple (if not more) years ago when I saw a brand new restaurant on Central that appeared to be going all out. They had two very professional looking signs, were completely gutting the building and had their logo on two cars, one a van the other, a sports car. Just as quickly as they appeared to be getting everything together, they promptly stopped, with an official shut-down notice from the city on the door. Oops.

Filfillah finally opened again about a year ago. We heard positive reviews from friends but didn't get around to checking it out until we came across one very important detail in a Heavy Table blog review. The detail is this: Filfillah makes their own Shawarma. What is that? Simply, it's gyro meat. There's only one other place in town that does this, Java, an Egyptian restaurant off Nicollet. Everyone else uses the same pre-made meat from a supplier in Chicago. I'm not ripping on it, but there has to be more to gyro meat than the compressed, thin fried-like stuff everyone else uses, and this is it. 

We visited for lunch last Saturday. The place was empty, but understandably as it is October and 85* outside. The owner immediately greeted us and once realizing we'd never been there and had seen the Heavy Table article, he went all out to give us the whole experience. He was charming and very earnest, explaining his specialties and the ways he tried to make his restaurant stand out. We order the shawarma wrap, of course, and the falafel plate (in the appetizer section). Both are highly recommended.

Exhibit A

Exhibit A- the shawarma. OMG, do you see that? It is clearly freshly made, not overly garlicky, like most, and the meat was perfectly cooked. The bonus- fresh baked bread. It came out warm with a perfectly crunchy outside and soft, chewy inside, it held the meat, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley perfectly.

Exhibit B

To the left is Exhibit B- the falafel plate. It came with eight falafel, fresh tabbouleh, the same fresh bread (piping hot), hummus and fresh made tzatziki. It was a large portion, of which I brought a ton home, and very good. The falafel aren't the best I've had, but it was made up for by the dipping sauces and fresh salad.

Finally, dessert. If you know us, you know the odds of us ordering a dessert for a weekend lunch are pretty much, I don't know, the odds of having more than a week of temperatures higher than 80* in Minnesota in October (I know just can't get over it). But the earnest, charming owner would not let us leave without giving us complementary baklava. Um, wow. It was delicious. It was very nutty, light and crispy and not overly sweet. The perfect end to the meal. So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself to Filfillah, you can thank us later .

Chimborazo- My new favorite casual restaurant

Chimborazo, 29th and Central Ave NE
You'll know this restaurant when you see it, it's very yellow and very square on Central Ave and 29th St NE. There used to be a small white and yellow restaurant called Charlies in this location. One of my good friends told me they served guinea pig and that the place was awful, so we never went. Then it was painted and turned into Chimborazo. My hairdresser tipped me off, she said the breakfasts were amazing, especially the huge pancake with plantain. So we went.

Since I'm more of a protein person, I ordered something with eggs and sausage and wasn't really impressed. The AC ordered the Llapingachos and was very happy. So, he was impressed, I wasn't, which means we didn't go again for some time. Then AC started going there for lunch. He's been working from home since April, and really needs to get out mid-day. Each time he raved about the soup and sandwich combos. We went again and I was blown away. I would trust this chef to make me anything. Every single homemade soup is amazing. I mean- AMAZING.

If you go there, start with a soup and sandwich combo. Get the Sopa de bolas de verde. It consists of a fabulously hearty and flavorful dumpling in the center, surrounded by an addicting peanut broth and vegetables. Get it with the roasted pork sandwich. Trust me. You'll be really happy. The last time we went was a Wednesday night, when they have a special "cheap date night". Two entrees and a bottle of wine for $35. At first we were a little hesitant as they decide which entrees and which wine (choice between a white or red). We were served the pan fried talapia and the house Ecuadorian answer to fried rice. The talapia was served whole and came with a small green salad, lime, their special hot salsa and beans and rice. It was good. If you're not comfortable with a whole fish you may not be a fan, but it was perfectly cooked and the combination of the salty, crispy outside with the sweet, tender meat inside was very nice. The fried rice, again, blew me away. I really don't order fried rice in Chinese restaurants because compared to everything else, it's pretty boring. This Ecuadorian fried rice brought the concept to a whole new level. The dish had three types of meat, chicken, pork and shrimp. It was spicy and very flavorful. It's comes as a huge portion that you think you'll never be able to eat, until you're staring at the bottom of the plate. The best part are the three perfectly fried, soft but lightly crispy pieces of plantain. Dipped in the green salsa, you'll think you died and went to heaven. The wine options were limited, but the Sauvignon Blanc we chose was very drinkable and with just enough acid to balance the food nicely. I highly recommend you check this place out.

Simple Inspiration: Decontructed Guacamole

Avocado is my all time favorite food. I could eat it everyday at every meal and still want to eat it more. It's just so simple but rich, creamy and full of possibility. It's also really healthy, the only item with enough good-for-you-fat and nutrients that it could replace all other food in your diet. Even I wouldn't do that, but if I had to, I think I could.

The AC is aware of this other love. It was fully realized the first time we went to Mexico together and he realized I really could eat guacamole for every meal and still want more. He believes I will tire of it if I eat it too much, which I agree would be a tragedy. So, although he makes it for me, he tries to space it out a bit, which I must admit, does make me enjoy it even more. This post is about lazy guacamole, we call it deconstructed. The irony is, while it is very lazy, it stands on it's own, literally- there are no chips- and figuratively- it truly makes the best of the beauty that is a perfectly ripe avocado.

So we start there, with a perfectly ripe avocado. This used to be pretty much impossible to come by in good ol' Minnesota. When my love affair first started I would only buy them in little Mexican grocery stores on Central Avenue, and still had to put it in a paper bag for a day to ripen. Now they are everywhere and while it still takes about ten highly focused minutes evaluating a  box at the grocery store, you can get them ready to eat. It just takes patience and a little know how. First you want it to be soft, you should be able to squeeze it lightly and feel a fair amount of give. Second, feel around to see if there are any hollow spots, you'll know when you try to do this, it literally feels like the skin has separated from the fruit, don't buy it, it's too ripe. When I find a good one I'll buy another that's slightly under-ripe so I can eat it in the next couple days, once they're ripe you need to eat them.

After you've found the avocado, it's super simple. Cut the fruit in half, lengthwise, remove the seed by putting your sharp knife into it and pulling it out while twisting the nut. Remove the meat with a spoon, scooping in one smooth movement. Discard the shell. Place the avocado face down on the serving plate and slice into 1/2" size pieces, keeping the original shape. Squeeze the juice of a slice of lime over the avocado, add some salt, black pepper and a chili pepper. Don't use jalapeno, the tastes are not complementary. We use either Thai chili or habanero from our garden, if you don't have taste buds that can withstand nuclear heat, use a serrano pepper diced very small or a sprinkle of cayenne is good too. Add as much as you like. Then sprinkle with cilantro or parsley.  And you're done. This is great as a side for summer dishes, added to antipasto meals as a palate cleanser, it goes awesome with eggs for breakfast, or just a perfect mid-afternoon snack. Simple inspiration, it's the best kind.

A Nutella Ganache Risin' From The Dead

I cannot believe it is OCTOBER and this is my first post since July. Ahhhhh, writer's block, busy summer, lack of inspiration, too many house guests in short order and a ton of travel. This blog hit them all, but we're still here. Believe it or not, when I returned to write tonight I saw five half written posts in draft form, unfinished. Two in July, two in August, one in September, I vaguely remembered they existed. Whoa. Don't worry I just started mindfulness classes, guess it's overdue.

All of this ended at my breakfast table this morning. See the picture to right and you'll understand.

Last night I suggested oatmeal cakes, as they were a huge blog hit, I really like them and we haven't made them since. While AC was cooking I ran to the corner Super America for half and half. I scoured the shelves for yogurt to top the cakes and stopped to stare at the glazed donuts. It's mostly childhood nostalgia that causes me to do this. My childhood best friend and I used to go on walks that included the local SA and buy glazed donuts, joking that our exercise made up for the calories. Ever since, I have a hard time passing without at least checking them out. I reminded myself of the breakfast in progress, gave up on finding the yogurt, figuring we could use half and half with some preserves instead.  

I walked into my house to the most amazing hazelnut smell. We're talking the best-chocolate-croissant-you- can-find-smell. Peeking at the mixing bowl AC was standing over, I saw the jar of  Nutella that we always forget about and what looked like a rich, smooth ganache. Okay, somebody tell me again why I deserve this man? Oh yeah, never mind, there are lots of reasons. But the blog drought has ended!!

Make the sauce while the oatmeal is cooking.

• 3 tbsp Nutella
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey 
• 1-2 tbsp B&B liqueur (which is a spiced brandy, you could use spiced rum, if you don't want alcohol, use the equivalent amount of half and half with a pinch of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.)
• Stir together in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy, it will thicken a bit.

Oatmeal Cakes:

• Heat a skillet on medium high.
• Put 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 cup milk in a sauce pan. 
• Add a pinch salt, 3-4 fresh ground cloves, 1 ground allspice seed(?), 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp fresh, finely minced ginger.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Add just over 1 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal 
• Boil for a little more than 5 minutes 
• When the oatmeal is fairly dry without burning, add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground star anise. 
• Blend, cover, let sit for 3 minutes to continue to thicken. 
• Melt 1/2 tbsp butter on the skillet and coat. 
• Divide the oatmeal into four portions and place on the skillet. 
• Form a patty and with the spatula and cook one side only until it is nicely crisped. 
• Place on plate, fried side up, pour the Nutella sauce and put cut fresh, ripe peaches on top.  

Can you say wow?

Cocktails Volume 1: Margarita or Mojito?

Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy a good cocktail. Those who know me better also know that the Alpha Chef and I both used  to be bartenders. Very happy bartenders, I might add. In fact, if it wasn't for the horrible dermatitis I get on my hands when they are washed, soaked in alcohol and squeezing citrus too much and the shitty benefits, I'd probably be a bartender to this day. It's very similar to being a therapist, except you facilitate their relapses, listen well according to how much they tip, when they're jackasses you can kick them out and you don't have to write progress notes...um, someone tell me why I spent five years becoming a mental health professional again...

This post is the first in a series about summer cocktails. I will present a few of my favorites and the summer "well-stocked bar" essentials that will have you making so many variations, you'll never need a drink recipe again.

My first love is a good margarita. Making it is so simple, and yet so many people still buy that green syrupy crap to mix with (shockingly, even when in Mexico, I'm not naming any names, you know who you are!). A real margarita consists of three crucial ingredients, a fourth if you like it a bit sweeter and a fifth for interest plus a bit of club soda to top it off. That's it.

First and foremost, tequila. I prefer a 100% blue agave type, Sauza Hornitos happens to be my favorite right now. Don't fall for the Cuervo gold/1800/silver bullshit, they're all mostly corn based. Just go to the liquor store and find a tequila that says "100% agave" and buy it.

Margarita done simple. 

You'll start with a cocktail shaker, usually stainless steel with a top and a strainer. Put ice in the shaker, add a 1 oz shot of tequila. Next is the orange liqueur. There are options. You can go with a plain old triple sec or pay a bit more- okay a lot more- for Gran Marnier or Cointreau. Both are very good. Gran Marnier is sweeter, Cointreau more smoky and complex, both make a good margarita a killer margarita. Add 1/2 shot of whatever orange liqueur you choose to the shaker. Third, the limes. Using a citrus reamer, extract the juice of one lime, add to the shaker. That's the basic. If you want it sweeter, you'll add some simple syrup. Simple syrup is just that, simple. To make it, put one cup of sugar and one cup of water into a sauce pan and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat when the sugar is completely dissolved, let cool, done. It will save in the refrigerator forever- ours currently has crystals growing on it. Add the simple syrup (start with about a tsp and add to taste) to the shaker. Shake the cocktail mix until the shaker has cold condensation all over it. Pour into a glass, ice and all. At this point I'll add a pinch of kosher salt, straight into the glass. You can do this or salt the rim. To salt the rim simply take a bit of the lime and run it around the rim of the glass you're using. Put some kosher salt on a plate (or in a plastic supermarket deli container, if you're going to do this regularly) tip the glass upside down and put it in the salt, do this before you pour the liquid in. Flavor variations are endless. Simply use the above recipe and add whatever you like. Cranberry, orange, mango, pear, cherry juices (or any other juice I missed) all work well, just add a splash before shaking. Prefer blended? Add a little more ice and put it in a blender. If the mix is still too concentrated or sour, top the whole thing off with a little club soda and enjoy.

MINT!!! Makes the difference. 

Now we move to the mojito. I'm posting the margarita and the mojito together as they are just a simple variation of each other, but due to key ingredients, very, very different. For the mojito, put a generous amount of fresh mint torn into small pieces and about a tsp of simple syrup into your cocktail shaker. Using a muddle (you can find one at Target for cheap) mix the two together, add a slice of lime and continue to muddle. Once nicely mixed, add a generous amount of ice and the juice of one lime. Then add the rum of your choice. You have a lot of choices. We use dark rum- Rhum Barbancourt- it adds a more complex taste but this is not the traditional mojito. You can use a plain white rum (traditonal), Captain Morgan, whatever. Add about 1 1/2 oz shot into the shaker.

Mojito!!

Shake until very cold (see the bit about condensation above) and pour into a glass. Add club soda (basically any sparkling water) to fill and serve with a whole sprig of mint and a slice of lime. This recipe without the mint would equal a daiquiri (see? once you know the basics, it's very simple), adding ice and blending would give you the more traditional restaurant daiquiri experience. To the mojito you can add juice to flavor differently, as I did for the margarita.

There you go. Two simple summer cocktail recipes that do not include gross, pre-made, preservative filled mixers. It's quite simple people! Stay tuned, more cocktails to come.

AlphaChef Technique - Its Easy To Make Tuna Look Good

The UB is always on my case not to be constantly swimming up stream and making everything difficult. I tell her its not like I am cooking so hard that I spawn a new dish and die. We're simply talking tuna here.

First Rule: ALMOST ALL SALTWATER FISH HAS BEEN FLASH FROZEN. This means you have a lot less to worry about except for 40 dollar a pound Japanese delicacy called Fugu or porcupine fish to you and me, and according to Wikipedia "Fugu contains lethal amounts of the poison tetrodotoxin in the organs, especially the liver, the ovaries, and the skin. The poison, a sodium channel blocker, paralyzes the muscles while the victim stays fully conscious along with causing paralysis. The victim is unable to breathe, and eventually dies from asphyxiation. There is no known antidote. The standard treatment is to support the respiratory and circulatory systems until the poison dissipates."

Now back to tuna or almost all saltwater fish. Why is flash frozen fish so important?

The "Kori no Suizokukan" (Ice Aquarium)  displays around 450 specimens of fish from over 80 different species, flash frozen in a life-like state after being unloaded from fishing vessels at a nearby port.

It kills all the parasites. And yes, even that "fresh" 40 dollar a pound sushi grade tuna/snapper/salmon (not Steelhead; that's freshwater) get's flash frozen. Most fish is flash frozen right on the ship.

So this means, don't be scared to let your tuna be pink in the middle.

Now to the basic technique: Heat a pan on medium high. Take your tuna steak and sear each outside edge - usually for about 30 seconds. Then place one side of the tuna steak on the pan for 1 minute and then flip and repeat on the other side. remove from pan. Make sure your knife is really sharp. Slice across the grain. It makes the tuna softer to chew or gum if you are dentally challenged.

Advanced techniques. Marinate the tuna for twenty minutes in something before cooking it. Rub spices on the fish before cooking it. Pour a sauce on it after cooking it.

Most advanced technique. Eat it and don't choke.

Prairie Pride Farm's Pulled Pork: Three Days, Three Meals

We love the St. Paul Farmer's Market. Yes, Minneapolis has many, but St. Paul's is special. For one, everything sold there is completely local. It has a warm, community feel, there's always free parking and making trips there helps me keep up with all the new restaurants and shops popping up in St. Paul. But there is one more reason- the presence of Prairie Pride farm  . They sell pork. And it is amazing pork. Check out their website and they'll give you the details. We have two favorites, the pulled pork and the (ready??) cinnamon bacon. You had to have guessed that bacon had something to do with it. Cinnamon bacon is just that, bacon infused with cinnamon. It is delicious with our weekend morning oatmeal. Yum. Even better, the leftover fat can be stored and used to enhance many recipes, we have found that it combines amazingly with Salmon. But this post is about pulled pork, specifically, how easy it can make your life. One may not think of versatility when they hear pulled pork, but oh how versatile it is. You can go traditional and pair it with BBQ sauce, in fact Prairie Pride farm makes a kick-ass blackberry and chile BBQ sauce that is really good with the pork. In my opinion, though, just dousing the meat in BBQ, although classically delicious, just doesn't use it to it's potential.

Prairie Pride sells the pulled pork frozen in 1.5 lb. packages. Generally we buy one, bring it home to thaw and eat it for at least three meals. The goal is to make dishes that are so different we don't think "pulled pork again?" (I guess I do that a lot).

Day One: Salad style
This dish consists of three main parts. Pulled Pork, black beans and a salad, which will all be mixed together.
Salad:
1 shallot, sliced thin.
1 tomato, cored and diced.
2 Serrano peppers
Black pepper and salt.
Basil flavored oil and white balsamic vinegar.
Flat leaf parsley.
Fresh ground parmesan.
Slice shallot and immerse in the white balsamic, let it soak for about 20 minutes. Do this before you start the black beans and then use the extra time to make a margarita or mojito. Chop your tomato and sprinkle it with basil oil and salt. Dice parsley (enough for just a bit more than a garnish), the serrano peppers and add black pepper to taste. Mix all the above ingredients together and set aside. 

Pork :You'll need 1/2 lb Pulled Pork and an Achiote Annato sauce (at any Mexican grocer, or select Cub foods) it's basically a red Mexican hot sauce- not vinegary. Mix the pork with the sauce, and heat in a frying pan until warm.

Beans: We used 1 can of Kuner's southwestern spiced black beans and modified. Open the can and pour into a sauce pan over medium heat. Mix with black pepper, 2 small cloves garlic, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp dried oregano.

Assemble: Mix it all together (with about half the black beans) and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Day Two: Add an egg. Yum. 
So this is more like a hash. Completely different feel from day one, but you'll use a lot of the same ingredients. As you'll notice above, I said to use half the black beans, that's because you're going to use them again, see the picture?

This dish consists of four parts, you'll notice a vegetable slaw, the pulled pork, leftover beans and a fried egg. You're going to use the pork almost exactly as it comes, without sauce, but you'll add a bit of cayenne pepper to it. Then, in a frying pan coated lightly with butter, saute some onions, bell pepper and garlic, when the onions become translucent, add a fistful of parsley and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. In a sauce pan, heat the leftover black beans. Plate the slaw and heat the pork in the same pan you cooked the slaw. When heated through, place heated pork next to the slaw on the plate. Cook an egg (could use the same frying pan, too, it'll cook fast). Top with the egg and then add the black beans. Top with some slices of sun-dried tomato. Doesn't that look good? It tasted great, and I usually don't like runny yolk. You can cook the egg more if you wish, but the yolk adds sweetness.




Day Three: Pulled Pork Sandwich with Peach compote
If you're buying pulled pork, you do have to make a sandwich. This is the
easiest of all the recipes and equally as delicious. Simply take the remainder of the pulled pork, mix with a conservative amount of your favorite BBQ sauce (you can always add more, too much will ruin it). Buy a nice bun, add a slice of cheese and you're there.

To make this meal more than just a sandwich, the AC created an amazing peach compote. Pretty much dessert-worthy. Not healthy by any stretch. That's your warning.

Sweet Peach Compote: Put 1/2 c brown sugar in a sauce pan with a 1/2 c of water, bring to a boil and cook until the sugar completely dissolves, you're making a simple syrup of sorts, actually more like a caramel. While the syrup is cooking, grind 4-5 cloves and 3 allspice seeds with a mortar and pestle. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the ground spices to the pan with 1/4 tsp powdered ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp coconut extract, 1/8 tsp cayenne and a pinch of salt. Let the sauce reduce to about half and add two thinly sliced peaches and 1/2 tbsp butter, turn heat to simmer and cook until the peaches are soft. Remove the peaches from the sauce and continue to let the sauce reduce until thick. Pour the sauce over the peaches and garnish with fresh mint.

There you are. Three completely different, ridiculously simple, fairly cheap meals to serve three days in a row without any boredom. Don't eat pork? Bummer.

Got Pears?

Ahhh, Pears. It could be me, but pears seem to be making a comeback. They are sweet, like most fruit, but have a subtle, fresh taste that is reminiscent of summer. They can do savory just as easily as sweet and are just a bit unexpected. I work with really picky, McDonald's loving, adolescent girls and even they love pears. The cook has to put them out one or two at a time and even raw, they are snatched up and enjoyed.

The AC has been on a pear kick lately too, and it's pretty awesome. Even better, the pear kick has equaled more desserts, which is always good for me.

Exhibit A

I present to you three dishes, four pictures. The fourth is just to demonstrate the end result, and I liked the image- remember, this is also about photography for me.

Exhibit A. Made while we were hosting some new friends for Art-a-Whirl. Preparation was scant and overall, these were quite spontaneous- The AC gets up from the dinner table around midnight after an evening of over indulgence. He doesn't say a word.  I don't disturb him. And my art friends and I get a treat. Kinda like my sister when she visited. see the fried bananas post and you'll get the idea. A common, green Bartlett pear was sliced thin and marinated in St. Germaine Elder Flower liqueur for a little over 20 minutes. The AC put the pears and the sauce used to marinate in a med-high frying pan, coated with butter. He added cinnamon and ground ginger and fried on both sides until browned and slightly soft. He halved some dried cherries and served.  All were eaten voraciously. The result was a semi-sweet, buttery, warm, just perfect follow-up to a meal.

Exhibit B

Exhibit B. Oatmeal. Served on a standard Saturday morning, with bacon, or course. This was added to demonstrate yet another way to add excitement to oatmeal. Honestly, oatmeal had no idea how exciting it could be until it met the AC.

This version used the pears, again Bartlett, marinated in St. Germaine. The oatmeal was prepared with ground clove, cinnamon, orange and lemon peel and a small hint of french lavender. Think about that, meaty, hearty oatmeal, balanced with citrus, subtle pear sweetened with St. Germaine (yes, I guess that means we consumed alcohol for breakfast) and the clean taste of lavender. This is your license to go crazy on your oatmeal...ready?? Go!

Exhibit C

Exhibit C. Caramelized roasted pears. Enough said. This is truly bringing out the total dessert potential of this fruit. The AC really outdid himself with this. Bosc pears are used. They are the pears with the brown skin, they are ultimately slightly less sweet and very good for cooking.

Exhibit D

To make this, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, cut the pears in half and core. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on both sides. Turn round side up and then lightly drizzle vanilla extract and generously sprinkle with brown sugar. Place the pears on a baking sheet that has a lot of butter coating it, it will be used for more than release but part of a sauce when we're done. Create the sauce using various liqueurs, for these we used a combination of cointreau and plain triple sec. Add cinnamon, ginger, allspice, a bit of salt and a bit of cayenne. Cook the sauce until reduced, pour the sauce over the pears after the pears have cooked about 25-30 minutes (somewhat soft all the way through) and then place under a broiler. Broil until brown and bubbly. Remove from the broiler, pour the remaining sauce from the pan over the pears and then top with chopped dried cherries and fresh mint leaves.

Place in front of your lucky dinner guests and see Exhibit D.

Beta: Home Alone

Over the years the idea of being away from the AC for any length of time has evolved from the "missing you every moment, waiting by the phone" to "oh, good, the house to myself". I enjoy some time alone, in my house, without music, generally vegging out to Hulu.

I have been infamous in my malnutrition while the AC is away. Once, I subsisted on brie, crackers, olives, boxed wine and popcorn. And it was damn good. Of course, I felt way better when the AC came home and pumped actual nutrition into my diet, but there's something to say for a little bit of laziness.

My lack of nutrition when alone isn't because I can't cook, there's some element of rebellion to it. I have often wondered what level of cuisine I would settle on if left alone. I always assumed I'd have to find another chef to cook for me, should we part. But I have evolved. One staple at-home-alone meal for me was macaroni and cheese, yes, the boxed variety. I would fool myself and buy the Amy's, you know, the organic kind with the little bunny pasta, but it really tastes just as bad. Mac and cheese was something the AC wouldn't touch, that I could eat all alone without guilt. Then I added some kind of canned meat, usually chicken or salmon. This was my on-my-own staple, until I found orchietta pasta and tuna packed in olive oil. This elevated the whole mac and cheese concept to a new level of cooking.

It's so simple and easy, but tastes good, the perfect combination. The ingredients are simple: one portion orchietta pasta, one can of tuna packed in olive oil (Trader Joe's makes a really good one), leftover veggies-chopped, grated parmesan (no, not kraft, real parmesan), salt, black pepper and cayenne.  I cook the pasta, drain and remove from the sauce pan, then add to the same pan whatever chopped veggies we have around- helps relieve some of the guilt I was talking about earlier. I add a bit of olive oil from the tuna to cook the veggies, once soft I add the tuna with the rest of the olive oil, douse in salt, black pepper and cayenne and cook until warm, then I toss the pasta in and stir fry for about a minute. I then dump it all into a pasta bowl and cover with grated parmesan. For the version pictured here I used crimini mushrooms and black olives de provence.

So that leads us to the boxed wine. Yes, boxed wine. I'm assuming most of you have explored this new world of premium, not just for cheap parties, boxed wine. For me it has served a very specific purpose, namely, I'm home alone and want a glass of wine, but don't necessarily want to "drink alone"- a concept heavily frowned upon in the 12 step world. I've found that the white varieties are the most drinkable (with the exception of Chardonnay, never drink cheap Chardonnay), probably because it's chilled, but whatever. I have found that Sauvignon Blanc is usually the most drinkable. This brand, Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc, is actually quite good, for a boxed wine. It's crisp, tangy, a tad sweet off dry.

So there you have it, the Ultimate Beta home alone, not so bad. Much better when the AC returns. But then usually I have had a couple days to decompress, enjoy the silence and eat enough junk to really appreciate what I have. I guess that's pretty perfect.

New Kitchen!!!

Radical acceptance. A basic buddhist concept, applied to my kitchen. Radical acceptance is simple. You stop fighting reality. In my case, I dreamed of a bigger, better kitchen, one that would never be able to be built in my actual house with our actual money and actual home values in our actual neighborhood. The minute I gave this up, a miracle happened. At Lowes. We decided to buy new counter tops. They came with a free sink. Then we needed a backsplash. A faucet. Might as well install a real hood that actually vents outside (enough with sneezing the minute the chilis drop in the oil). And while we're opening the backsplash, I've always wanted under-cabinet lighting. Finally, the glass rack we bought at the Container Store but never installed. Then, my fairy godmother waved her wand and this happened (well, okay, three weeks and a good contractor).

This has truly changed my life.

Salmon Patties with Habenero Fig Sauce

My mother used to make salmon patties, she probably still does. Hers were good, the typical Minnesota canned salmon made into patties and doused with creamed peas for flavor and packed with love and home-cooked comfort. A number of years ago I went through a nostalgic phase and suggested the AC make salmon patties. He earnestly set out to make them, in AC style.

The patties were fabulous. He started with canned salmon, mixed in a couple eggs, some matzoh meal, chopped veggies and pan-fried. The best part were the sauces he made to accompany. He started with a sour cream sauce mixed with honey, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Once, we were out of sour cream and used yogurt. Another time we only had vanilla yogurt and a star was born. Sweet and very hot, the sauce was perfect with the salmon cake. The salmon patty quickly became a go-to when we didn't feel like grocery shopping before dinner. Costco has really good canned salmon in bulk. Proving that we are not food snobs, but that anything can be made well and worth making. The patties have definitely evolved and are never boring. This recipe was a departure, as the sauce does not have a creamy component. All of the extra ingredients (cheese, veggies, spices are additions and not necessary that you have them all, but will add flavor and dimension. Get creative if you make your own, you can add pretty much anything you have in your fridge.)

Salmon Patty Ingredients
2 cans salmon
1/2 cup matzoh meal
2 eggs
1 medium shallot, minced finely
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced finely
1 oz. aged, semi-soft chevre, chopped into pieces
1/2-1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp garam masala
Mix above together in a bowl and form into four 1" thick patties. Heat pan to med-high and add favorite oil to lightly coat bottom, we experimented with coconut oil with these, with very tasty results. Fry patties until brown on each side (since the salmon is already cooked, this is just to crisp and warm.

Habenero Fig Sauce

2 heaping tbsp of fig preserves
1 tsp lucky's habenero/garlic sauce
1/8-1/4 tsp lemon grass
Mix above ingredients together.

As I said above, AC has many variations of sauces for the salmon patties. To make our more standard version, take either sour cream, plain or vanilla yogurt and mixed with one chopped chipotle pepper and adobo sauce to taste. Very easy. Very good.

For this meal, the side dish was a nice spinach, cannelini bean salad. Here's the scoop:

1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp black pepper
1 clove finely minced garlic
1 bay leaf

Combine all above ingredients into a sauce pan, boil to reduce into a very thick sauce, add 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp fish sauce and 1-2 dried chili peppers chopped. Bring to a boil and add 1/2 can cannelini beans rinsed until heated and then add 1 1/ 2 handful of fresh spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted.

Bacon Fried Bananas

Have you ever noticed that we don't mention desserts on this blog? There's a story behind that. The AC doesn't have a sweet tooth, a fact he always brags about whenever it comes up. Conversation drifts towards favorite candy, that new bakery that makes the best donuts, and AC gets quiet, waiting for his opportunity to shrug his shoulders and say "I don't eat that stuff, I don't have a sweet tooth, never have". Then he'll talk about the super-human, weight-lifter convenient fact that instead of sweets, he craves protein. Meat. Not sugar. This is usually followed by the story about his mother hiding sweets in his room because she knew he would never eat them. Apparently the Thanksgiving turkey was another story. It was gone before the first sandwich was made. Guess you have to pick your poison. 

As a result we don't order dessert often and make it even less. I, the UB, do have a sweet tooth, but feel like a pig if I eat more than a few bites of the dessert I ordered for myself, the one AC will have "a bite" of, and he does have just one bite. So it turns into a pretty great diet plan for me too. When we're with friends who want dessert, I joyfully join them, happy to have a partner in the crime of utter indulgence.

Out of the two of us I am the baker. I have learned to bake things AC will eat. Pancakes are one, and as you can see, I have several recipes. The recipe with cottage cheese and yogurt are his favorite...no duh. He also enjoys my fruit cobblers, his favorite is cherry/rhubarb, that really is amazing. I add very little sugar and a scoop of ice cream or coconut sorbet. If it ever warms up around here, I'll post the recipe. He'll also eat crepes with nutella, bread pudding, certain fresh baked cookies (but never day-after) and once ate a chocolate cupcake at a bonfire party we hosted, after several rounds of drinks. I was very pleased.

You can imagine my shock then, when AC offered to cook myself and my lovely sister (who was in town and happened to be over for dinner- yay!) bacon-fried bananas. He even said it this way "I've never made you my bacon fried bananas have I?" Apparently he's had this recipe forever and after eleven years hadn't thought about cooking it for me. I guess saving that stuff up makes for new discoveries? Anyway. They were fabulous. He took about five minutes to make them and here is the recipe:

1. Take 2 bananas, and slice into 1/2" slices.
2. Dredge the bananas in panko breadcrumbs to coat.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. Take bacon fat and melt in a hot frying pan. He used enough fat to cover and coat the pan, about 1/8 inch. (Did I tell you we got a new hood? One that actually vents outside? Oh the possibilities...)
5. Place the bananas in the pan, flip when golden brown and cook the other side until golden brown. If you like it sweeter, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
6. Place in a bowl and put down in front of shocked partner and sister-in-law.
7. Earn major points. 

They were made before we even got through the first bit of crazy family gossip and gone before that bit was over. My sister and I were both awed that AC would even suggest a dessert, let alone get up from the table and start to make it, finishing before we even processed what had happened. Anything is now possible. Yes, I realized the dessert involved bacon, but let me have my moment.

The Other "Woman"

Us- OD'ing on sushi, in front of us are the leftovers

So, the AC and I have been together eleven years. Feels like a long time, but then again, it really doesn't seem like it's been that long at all. These eleven years have been easy. As a therapist I know that all relationships take work, but personally, when I hear friends say "relationships are hard", I always think, "they don't have to be". AC and I just work well together. Neither of us yell and scream, even when we're angry. We quibble, but don't really fight. We take time away when we need it and neither of us is really the jealous type. After this amount of time, AC knows me better than I even know myself. And this can uncover painful truths.

Just recently, I have started to become jealous. It has been seeping into our relationship in a way I would have never expected. I wasn't even aware of the impact of my jealousy until recently when I caught AC in the act. One night I had dinner obligations (when I say obligation, I mean, an obligation to eat at a restaurant that I don't enjoy. Because I was meeting the obligation, AC didn't have to). AC and some gym friends decided to grab some food after working out. I returned home, fairly late, to an empty house. After waiting up for almost an hour, a very happy AC came home. I didn't even think of asking where he had been at first, until after I was laying in bed and innocently asked: "where did you end up going for dinner tonight?" A flash of guilt and  hesitance crossed AC's face as he handed me two wrapped pieces of toffee. It took me a minute to place the objects and to understand why AC looked so sheepish...wrapped toffee, gold tie...he ate at Bar la Grassa.

He cheated on me.

As the depth of this betrayal started to sink in, AC starts sputtering, "I told them you'd be pissed if we went, but they pressured me...I agreed to go but figured we wouldn't be able to get in...I brought you toffee...they said I should lie to you, but I would never do that..." Please keep in mind, I never thought I would have a reaction like this and, even less likely, that AC would anticipate this reaction. But all of a sudden, there it was. I had sacrificed and ate dinner at a chain restaurant and he ate at Bar la Grassa!!!

I turned over and wouldn't speak to him. I really did. This is powerful.

Happened again recently, starting with the hint of tastes I got from his lips during a goodnight kiss. Asked again. This time it was the Tea House and my favorite noodles (see the oriental noodles post) that he didn't bring home for me. He had also attended a wine tasting event, but this didn't bother me. The fact that he had gone without me to one of my favorite restaurants hurt. The look again swept across his face. I was amazed again at the feelings of betrayal I noted inside myself- although I was able to laugh at it this time. It's time I start to face my problem.

What is this? It could be that I am simply so passionate about food that I see every meal as an opportunity for a culinary experience. If it's disappointing, I'm disappointed. If AC has the opposite of a disappointing meal, in fact, an AMAZING meal while I was out eating a mediocre meal, of course I'll be jealous. AC reinforces this every time he cooks for me. Maybe he's created this monster. So maybe he'll just have to live with it. And, let's be honest, after being with one person for this long, my reaction probably gives him a rush of excitement, a challenge to see if I'll catch him again. So, maybe I'm reinforcing it too. 

One of our favorite meals out is sushi. I am also prone to jealousy when AC goes out to sushi without me. We started eating sushi a lot when we had been through a run of disappointing mediocre, but expensive, restaurant experiences. The meal always ended with us musing we could make it better at home. So we decided that when we wanted to go out we would get something that wouldn't be practical to make at home, sushi.

Our favorite place is Sushi Tango in Uptown. The atmosphere is nice (although their old location was better), we're friends with a few of the sushi chefs and they have a dish called "Sea-Laab" that is to die for. Minnesota officially has the largest Hmong population in the United States and therefore, most of our sushi chefs are Hmong. The Hmong are from the hills of Laos and they make an amazing dish called Laab. AC is familiar with this dish and the flavors from his time spent in Thailand, and I experienced it when I used to have a large group of Hmong clients and co-workers who celebrated with fabulous picnics. Traditionally, Laab is made with raw meat (usually chicken or beef) and spices, including plenty of thai peppers, mint and fish sauce. It's spicy, sweet and sour. Really perfect. At Sushi Tango they make this dish out of fish. There's nothing like it. So we go to Sushi Tango to get it.

We love sushi so much, it's almost reaches the level of addiction, and we intentionally enable each other. For example, the other night we decided we would go to Sushi Tango and just have a snack. We decided we wouldn't order the expensive pieces and would go for dessert rather than eat our fill, as sushi adds up fast.

We couldn't do it. In fact, I think we spent more than our average that night.

When we have the opportunity to eat sushi, we really don't pass it up. We had sushi twice while in Tucson for Passover. We found a friendly local place that was surprisingly inexpensive and didn't skimp on the portions. In fact, one order of sashimi was probably the equivalent to a whole fish (well not quite, but it was big). We went out with AC's uncle, cousin and sister. We perused the menu and everyone put in their order. Holy shit. The table just kept filling with plates of raw fish, rolls with fish, without fish, a fabulous Japanese fried chicken, dumplings and a notable, perfectly cooked octopus salad with a sweet and spicy sauce. We ate, and ate until jokes about mint wafers started popping up. We packed three boxes of excess sushi to bring home. Three boxes. We felt sick. We had too much sushi.

Since we've been home, about a month now, we have toyed with the idea of sushi for dinner a couple times and it just doesn't sound good. I'm sure we'll be back to our normal selves in no time. But for now we can marvel that what we never expected was possible, happened. So AC could go out for sushi without me, even if I have to go to Applebee's for dinner. Quick AC, go through this window, it's likely to close and you'll once again fear the idea that a friend might suggest a night at Sushi Tango and you'll have to go without me and face my neuroses when you get home.

The Holiday Post - Pesach in Tucson

Tucson, the site of this year's Pesach

If you read this blog much you have most likely ascertained AlphaChef (AC) is Jewish. He comes from a predominantly East Coast based family that, sorry guys, meet every stereotype. They are passionate, political, blunt, opinionated and loud. Friends of myself and the AC may recognize this as a description of us as a couple, so take that image and multiply it by 17, I'm not kidding.

My stock is German Catholic immigrants who settled in Minnesota. We also meet those stereotypes. Somewhat hesitant, polite, quiet, kind, well-meaning and if you disagree, do so quietly so as not to rock the boat. In my family I am the excessively opinionated, passionate, political, loud one that I know they sometimes secretly wish would just be quiet and go with the flow (during my adolescence, change the "sometimes" to "always" and the "secretly" to "openly").

My first introduction to AC's family, in the middle of one of my more rebellious periods, was met with both culture shock and joy that I was entering into a family that seemed much more like me. And yet I was very overwhelmed. Imagine me, who dominates and fights for the last word in most family discussions (mostly because I go on longer than anyone else can tolerate), transported into a place in which I couldn't even get a word in edgewise during group rants. Really. Not an exaggeration. I was deliriously proud if I got a sentence in before the topic changed. This lasted for about the first five years. In this family I was the quiet, sweet, empathetic, Midwestern girl, who finally reigned in the bachelor tendencies of their brother-uncle-cousin-nephew whom they welcomed with amazingly open arms. I'm recovering from that reputation now, don't worry. The other glorious thing about this family is their passion for cooking, food and wine. In this way I fit right in.

One thing I love about AC's family is their tradition of gathering for Pesach (Passover). The Pesach holiday is my favorite of their family gatherings, because it is one this family celebrates more traditionally than they do anything else, which probably appeals to the remnants of Catholicism in me. Due to a wide range of cities in which the families now reside, each year we choose a somewhat central location to gather. This year we were in Tucson, Arizona. And as they say, maybe next year in Israel. But as the AC points out, since they have a special covenant with God that allows them to move Pesach to a date that works with everyone's schedules, Tucson acts a really good substitute. Its dry, hot and has a bonus: good Mexican tortillas.

Another great part about this family is the equitable manner in which meals come together. You will not see the women gathered in the kitchen all day preparing while the men are golfing or watching sports. No, each person or couple is responsible for one part of the meal. Often your reputation proceeds you and you are assigned what you've proven is your strength. The meal always has the same components. The day of the meal is a flurry of shopping and cooking, working around people chatting in the kitchen who will 'hoover' your ingredients if you're not assembling your dish fast enough. The pace is both comfortable and harried, depending on who you are (the one chatting vs. the one trying to cook). Cooking is timed on availability of the kitchen, oven temperature and time requirements and how well you have planned ahead. Miraculously, it always comes together into a complete, amazing meal.

We start with a fairly traditional Seder service, eat dinner and then finish the Seder. The meal is the best part- well maybe not, did I mention the ritual consists of the required consumption of four glasses of wine? Uh-huh.

To the left you'll see the set-up. The book on the plate is the Haggadah. This is the traditional Seder service. This particular one has been in the family since the 1970's even though its titled The New Model Seder. They are a relic in themselves, complete with notations throughout the years. Food is used symbolically in the Seder.




The Seder Plate. Each part of the Seder plate has a traditional meaning and part in the service.

• Maror and Chazeret: Two types of bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitterness and harshness of the slavery which the Jews endured in Ancient Egypt. For maror, many people use freshly grated horseradish or whole horseradish root. Chazeret is typically romaine lettuce, whose roots are bitter-tasting.
• Charoset: A sweet, brown, pebbly paste of fruits and nuts, representing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Egypt.
• Karpas: parsley which is dipped into salt water (Ashkenazi custom) at the beginning of the Seder.
• Zeroa: A roasted lamb bone, symbolizing the Pesach sacrifice, which was a lamb offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and was then roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night.
• Beitzah: A roasted egg, symbolizing the festival sacrifice that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and was then eaten as part of the meal on Seder night.

This year an orange was also added to our Seder plate. The explanation was that a rabbi once said, in opposition to women becoming rabbis, that women will become rabbis when there is an orange on the Seder plate (sort of a "when pig's fly" statement).  According to Wikipedia, "Some Jews include an orange on the seder plate, representing fruitfulness when all marginalized peoples are included, particularly women and gay people." Sounds good to me.

Chicken soup with matzoh balls. This is a collaboration. AC's aunt makes the chicken soup every year, a true labor of love. His brother's family make the so-light-they-melt-in-your-mouth matzoh balls for the soup. They have perfected the technique and no one does it better. Thankfully they have passed the secrets onto their children and this year our nephew demonstrated his skills. Insurance? Division of labor? Maybe a bit of both.



Gelfilte fish. Ahh, gefilte fish. Ever heard of lutefisk? This is the Jewish equivalent of lutefisk. It had to have a purpose at some point, because it stuck as a tradition and we all eat it, every year, no matter what. No matter how bad it tastes. It's basically whitefish that has been boiled beyond recognition, processed and pressed into an oval shape. It tastes as you might expect and looks even worse. Overachievers might try to make this from scratch (you'd never be able to reside in the house afterwards though) but most people buy it in jars, packed in a gelatinous goo. Yup. And never buy the sweet style, its even more hideous. It is served on a leaf of lettuce, and here's what makes it palatable, along with hot horseradish. AC says it's sole purpose is as a vehicle for horseradish, and in that light, it's survivable.  Without the horseradish, the AC says he'd run out to the middle of the desert and hope he didn't survive the forty days and nights. The first Pesach I attended, I was assigned the serving and preparation of this part of the meal. It is not, I repeat, not a good idea to have the Pesach virgin plate up the gefilte fish. It took about five years of earnestly attempting to eat the stuff before I could eat a whole piece, now it just wouldn't be Pesach without it.   

Beef Brisket. AC's aunt and uncle have perfected the brisket, or shall I say, his aunt has perfected the brisket and how to reign in her lovely husband's heavy-hand with the spices (salt!), combining for an always tender, full-flavored, lovely brisket. The importance of this cannot be overstated, as you will be eating the brisket as left-overs for a few days at least. The perfectly done brisket makes amazing hash and sandwiches.

Kugel. According to Wikipedia, is a baked Ashkenazi Jewish pudding or casserole, similar to a pie, most commonly made from egg noodles or potatoes, though at times made of zucchini, apples, spinach, broccoli, cranberry, sweet potato or anything the AC throws in. It is usually served as a side dish.We are assigned the kugel, which resembles a casserole traditionally done with noodles, but since noodles aren't kosher for passover, there are a wide range of variations. One year a woman I worked with brought a traditional noodle kugel to a potluck. I loved it and learned how to make a version for AC, just like his mother used to make. Oh, the tears. I brought it to Thanksgiving one year and we have been assigned kugel ever since. Of course, my kugel was made with noodles, so we reinvent one for Pesach every year. If we were smart we'd find a Pesach recipe that we like and re-do it, but we're not that smart and are still surprised every year we are assigned to make it. We go to whatever Jewish cookbook is in the house, look up a recipe and then change it. This year was not our shining moment. It tasted fine, but not great. AC called them "kugel pucks". And it was not photogenic (this took about 10 shots to get one I could use). We made it out of one large, grated sweet potato, two grated granny smith apples, four grated carrots, diced dried cherries, mixed with spices (cinnamon, ginger, salt, cayenne), a cup of matzoh meal, some baking soda (about a tsp) and a cup of melted butter. Mixed up and placed into muffin tins, baked, covered on 400* for about 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 more. Made excellent breakfast muffins, but so-so kugel. 

Vegetables. Three of AC's cousins were present this year. Cousin #1 and #2 (brothers) made asparagus and green beans. Both were very good. The green beans (pictured) were particularly good, served with a lemon garlic sauce and sliced almonds. They were much more photogenic, which for blogging purposes, is of much value.




Charoset. AC's sister does the Charoset, she has gotten the privilege due to her knowledge and excellent execution of two versions. A traditional Ashkenazi which is apples, cinnamon, nuts and wine and a Sephardic recipe with apples, dried fruits, cayenne and pistachios, which is my favorite.

Coconut macaroons. Finally, Cousin #3 handles dessert, her Pesach specialty is coconut macaroons. Always done perfectly, she'll make simple coconut and then chocolate covered. Actually, all her deserts are excellent, Pesach or not.

After the meal, we finish the Seder. The children run around trying to find hidden Matzoh and the Had gadya competition commences. Had gadya or "our little goat" is a song traditionally sung on Passover. In this family, and I'm assuming, others, Had gadya is a competition, in which each competitor attempts to say the entire Had gadya song with just one breath.  AC has memories of wanting to win, until he won and then it was "okay, so what?" And now he keeps trying to get out of the competition and can't. Sort of like cooking the kugel. It's fun. I've never done it. But very proud as AC is quite good at this. I think he won the first year I witnessed it. Probably why we're still together. That and his family.

Salmon "Fish" Tacos

By now you have probably realized we eat a lot of salmon. In fact, we have been eating so much salmon I have a backlog of recipes and pictures that I am trying to roll out in between other recipes to disguise what actually might be a salmon rut. You may have also noticed the marked slowdown of posts, is it a declining interest in our second month of blogging? Perhaps. Not eating in as much due to kitchen remodeling? Likely. Lack of inspiration due to what feels like a shitty-weather-you-call-this-Spring rut? That too. Will we try to make month three more frequent? Yes.

I wasn't complaining about the frequency of salmon, although the AlphaChef will likely read this and take it that way. I actually love salmon. But as the UltimateBeta, I do feel an obligation to protect my chef from ruts, to stoke his creativity, which can cause hurt feelings, but I do believe the ends justify the means. I mean, if your Beta won't do it, who will? Which brings us to the focus of this post.

It was a Monday night, the first week of AlphaChef's new job, a week that started at home and ended in Tucson by Thursday. Trip anticipation equals an extra-effort to use up fresh produce and other leftovers in the refrigerator. AlphaChef went to Byerly's and brought home, yes, salmon. In a voice that AlphaChef most likely perceived as whiny and ungrateful (see the "Chicken Again?" post, it's not pretty, but it works) I asked, "we're having salmon AGAIN?" I quickly recovered and started thinking about how to make this different from the grilled piece of salmon, cured pork, vegetable rut we were in. (Again, not complaining, okay, well not too much). I landed on fish tacos. I spoke up and the Alpha creative juices were stoked. "Fish tacos?...with salmon? Okay, yeah, we have tortillas, cilantro..." He is so easy, I love my life.

So, pay attention and see if you can see the leftover ingredients from the other salmon posts. We started with a slaw made with the following ingredients:

• 1 c fennel bulb finely sliced
• 2 oz. soppresatta, also sliced finely (yes, we kept the theme)
• 1 medium shallot, finely sliced lengthwise

Place the above into a hot frying pan with a bit of peanut or vegetable oil, fry until crisp, remove from pan, add about 3-4 diced sundried tomatoes and add salt to taste. Set aside.

Using the hot pan and the method detailed in our first salmon post, remove the salmon skin and cut into bite-sized pieces. The following spices are toasted in a dry pan (can do this prior to making the slaw if you're into one-pot cooking) and ground and then rubbed into the salmon pieces:

• 1/8 tsp anise seed 
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cumin (depending on your preference)
• 1/4 tsp coriander seed

Rub the above into the salmon pieces, add salt and pepper and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon (very important), 1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder and 1/2 tsp oregano. Stir fry the spiced salmon, put into soft corn tortilla shells, garnish with cilantro and limes. Place a selection of favorite hot sauces on the table and eat. YUM! Rut busted!