ChezWhat?

New Years Eve and some ancient traditions

2011-12-31T18:06:00.000-05:00

What do you do when the new year rolls around? There are a lot of traditions out there so we try and do a different one every year, sometimes we blend a couple of them together and sometimes we loosely interpret what we think is one. This is one of those years where a loose interpretation was the game plan.

Lentils with cabbage - if you dont know what these two represent then you should get to googling because I am not going to tell you.

Dont go in for all of this good luck mumbo jumbo?

Have some pork belly! This is the last day of 2011 and it has been a great year. I fully expect and hope that 2012 will be even better. Thank you to all of you and I wish you all the very best there is to wish.

Baci d' amore are love kisses - pork loin with a white chocolate hazelnut sauce

2011-11-30T20:53:00.002-05:00

You wont need to roll up the kitchen rugs for this one but it might not be a bad idea. Pork loin stuffed with pears, peppers, mint, scallions and chevre served over couscous with a white chocolate hazelnut sauce is enough to make you shudder.

Butterfly a pork loin and spread the delicious mixture inside and roll it up.

Brown it on all sides and pop it in the oven until it is just right.

Let it rest then slice it up.

Serve it with couscous and drizzle the luscious chocolate hazelnut sauce over everything - baci d' amore - love kisses, love bites and love struck.

Here is the recipe and here is where you can find the Baci d' Amore.

How to: Pate au Choux with rum infused sweet potato puree

2011-11-17T09:02:00.001-05:00

Want to make an appetizer that is easy, eye catching, and delicious?

Then make choux pastry pipped with sweet potato or if you want other ideas try a spinach choux filled with cheese or a carrot choux filled with spinach or a chocolate choux filled with vanilla cream or a vanilla choux filled with chocolate cream or a chocolate/chocolate or a vanilla/vanilla or what ever combination you can think of but remember you heard it here first.

Bake them till golden and pipe in your favorite sweet or savory filling.

You can believe me when I tell you that it is easier than you think. (look at my poor wounded fingers - I had a "knife incident" LOL). Make some pate au choux and impress your guests.

Recipe: purple poached pears plated pleasantly perfect

2011-11-15T23:25:00.002-05:00

Definitely poached pears are one top drawer dessert, and without a doubt it is one of the easiest desserts you could ever make. Poached pears with a red wine caramel and creme anglaise only takes time to make it nice. You will read a lot of recipes that will tell you to poach the pears for about 15 minutes or so but to really get them tender and tasty I suggest no less than 45 minutes at a nice steady simmer.

So how do you make these? Easy. Get some bosc pears and peel them and cut the bottom so they standup. Fill up a nice flat bottomed pot with red wine and about a 1/4 ratio of water to wine to cover the pears - so for example: one bottle of wine and a 1/4 bottle of water. Season the liquid with orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon, star anise, clove, a bay leaf and some sugar - you need to taste the liquid to make sure it is tasty but dont go crazy tasting this delicious elixer or you wont have anything to poach the pears in. Simmer pears in this liquid for 45 minutes then let them cool in the poaching liquid over night. Update: Ciao Chow Linda asked if the poaching liquid travels up the pear and I now realize my photo might suggest that the pears remained upright but they do fall over and I did gently move them about during the simmering process

The next day gently remove the pears and reduce the liquid until it is a nice thick caramel and let the pears come up to room temperature.

This is a pear in the unreduced liquid.

Make a creme anglaise, which is a nice vanilla sauce made with milk, cream, egg yolks and vanilla bean. Put some of the wine caramel on a plate, put some creme anglaise on a plate and put a pear on top of the sauces and garnish with a mint leaf and you are good to go.

Invite 35 of your best friends over to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Poached pears will be on your menus - I guarantee it! Oh and dont forget to check out my latest post at Char-Broil.

We have a winner - Bobby Flay signed a book and I gave it away

2011-11-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

Nothing was more easy to win than this cookbook signed by Bobby Flay and Kim Bee was the lucky winner who made me a winner too.

When I contacted Ms. Kim Bee to let her know she had won she asked if I could sign the book too - how cool is that? Congratulations Kim Bee and thanks for making me cool too!

Bobby Flay is in the house! - so to speak - its a giveaway

2011-10-31T19:43:00.003-04:00

What would be the next best thing to having Bobby Flay in your kitchen? That would be having Bobby Flay in your kitchen thats what! Its the 15th anniversary of the Mohegan Sun and I am giving away a signed cookbook by Bobby Flay! You might have had a chance to eat at his restaurant Bar Americain well now you have a chance to win a signed Bar Americain cookbook!

Check out some of the fun.

So how can you win? Easy. Leave a comment telling me why this would be the coolest thing in your kitchen because the coolest thing in your kitchen now is_____________? I will pick the best one and if they are all good then I will use random.org because I am fair like that. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I wasnt compensated in any way to give this cookbook away - I did it because I wanted to.

Raviolis are easy so make some

2011-10-15T12:58:00.001-04:00

Raviolis are such a fun way to kick up a pasta dish and they are easy to make. You might be a little intimidated by the idea of making your own fresh pasta but there is really no reason to fear - its easy and once you have made the pasta then raviolis are inches away.

Basic pasta is egg and flour but this pasta has boiled carrots, I boiled the carrots until they were soft then I incorporated them into the egg and flour mixture. You can use spinach, butternut squash - you could even use peanut butter, if you were so inclined.

Make the dough, roll out the dough and fill the dough - thats ravioli. You can watch this video for a little more of the tutorial,

Now, you dont need me to tell you that the best part about making ravioli is eating ravioli.

Go make some pasta and stuff it! Ravioli of fresh carrot pasta with a crab filling served with a pepperoncino arrabiatta sauce with cream, basil oil and crab roe - complexity with simplicity and layers and layers of flavor!

chicken fingers with a panko basil crust and two chutneys - how's that for specific?

2011-10-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

So if you havent been paying attention or if you just so happen to live under a rock then I am here to tell you that it is officially "Appetizer Season" thats right its that time of year when we take many small bites. Cocktail party after cocktail party as we wind our way towards January 2. Why January 2? January 2 is the unofficial end of "Appetizer Season" thats why. Here are two easy breezy little noshes to dazzle and impress. Chicken fingers are the same as chicken nuggets - you take ground chicken and flavor it up then you bread it with a mix of basil and panko and instead of frying these you bake them. Serve them nice and warm with a little mango chutney and a little tomato chutney - a nice mix of sweet, tart, savory and tangy makes these little nuggets of gold.

How about a little twist on the deviled egg? Get some little croustades from Siljns and fill them up with your favorite style of deviled egg. This is the entire egg pureed with a little curry powder and a dab of mayonnaise piped into a crispy little cup, garnish with some bits of carrot and parsley or you can use a little crab roe to really make them nice.

Stay tuned as we go through this season of nibbles I will be posting more easy to do little appetizers.

Grillin’ in Da Hood NYC Style My first cook - mixed grill on my Char-Broil Infrared Grill.

2011-09-29T16:33:00.002-04:00

When I found out I was one of the featured bloggers for Char-Broil I was totally psyched for all kinds of reasons but the most exciting reason was the gear I was going to be hooked up with.

Little did I know that this over 200 pound behemoth needed to be assembled. No biggie I have some screw drivers and some wrenches, I can manage it, plus the booklet says it should take about 30 minutes. Well as they say in Spanish "no problemo." To read the whole post go here.

Please follow me (like) on Facebook.

Oxtails as a tropical delight? Thats right! I made pasteles.

2011-09-27T20:01:00.000-04:00

Pasteles are a big treat around here because they are so labor intensive to make, all the folding and tying and what not, not too mention the effort that goes into making the masa but I was challenged recently to do something with oxtail and I decided to do this tropical delight.

I wont bother you with all the details - instead you can watch this dark and out focus video to see how it all gets done.

Basically I put some oxtails in the pressure cooker.

I made some masa out of squash and yucca and green banana and yukon gold potatoes and folded and wrapped and tied a bunch of mini pasteles and simmered them until perfect.

Then I plated up some tasty mini pasteles with some spicy pineapple salsa a little kiwi lime sauce, yellow tomatoes, red tomatoes, some cucumber and some micro greens - and thats all she wrote.

I am still here only better

2011-09-16T21:15:00.000-04:00

You might have noticed that I have been a little absent from my blog as of late well there is a very good reason for that so with out mincing words and dangling participles to get you to read further and perhaps leave comments and click links to enhance my KLOUT and my search engine status and whatever else it is that bloggers subscribe to so that they can become "the one" I will just go right ahead and tell you. I am the new Executive Chef for two catering companies. I cant and wont tell you who these companies are since some of the clients wish to have that information remain confidential but let me reassure you that these are some good clients, popular names and popular places some famous and some not so. I could not be happier. I have had my eyes on this goal for quite some time from early on with my decision to become a personal chef and then the years of commitment that I have devoted to learning the culinary arts going all the way back to my youth. With this hurdle now hurdled I still have the high jump of television to contend with - I want a show! You have seen the Migrating Feast segments - that is only the beginning. Thank you everyone as you are my inspiration.

ok one more giveaway and then we ease into Fall and regular programing

2011-08-31T08:49:00.006-04:00

The winner is

That would be Ciao Chow Linda - Giveaway blogs will be in touch with you in the next 30 days! Congratulations I cant wait to see what you print!

This giveaway is for printing services - you can make a canvas print of your favorite image. Got wall space? Got a cool image? Fill it up with a cool canvas print. If you want to really make me feel good and you want one of my images to hang on your wall if you win just ask and it is yours. This one is happening fast - deadline is tonight!

Prize details:
one (1 ) piece 16” x 20” rolled canvas print, for one (1) winner with 2-inch border or No border,
1 Business Day Turnaround *Free shipping

Restriction: Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only

Sounds simple enough - leave a comment get one entry, "like" my Chef Page get another entry, tweet "I entered to win a canvas print with @ChezWhat and you can enter too http://tinyurl.com/ycnbg7k " for another entry - leave a separate comment for each of these things that you did and you will have three chances to win.

Disclaimer: Required as per FTC Ruling
This canvas printing giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive printing services for rolled canvas by hosting. Check out UPrinting.com for more details about photo canvas.

We have a winner of the Wusthof knife giveaway

2011-08-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

How often does being first pay off in this day and age? Imagine my surprise when I typed in the number of comments (someone commented twice so I had to decrease the number by one) then I hit the generate number and the number one (1) popped up. Congratulations Vicki you are lucky number 1 please e mail me your mailing address so that I can forward that on to Wusthof so that you can get your prize. Thank you everyone who entered and stay tuned this is giveaway season here on ChezWhat and we will be sponsoring a different one very soon.

Who wants some stuff? General ramblings and a giveaway - scroll to the bottom to see what it is...

2011-08-17T16:14:00.002-04:00

Wusthof knives are good and good people need good knives so you can imagine that I would want my good readers to get in on this cherry of a deal. Thats right one lucky reader will be the proud owner of The Grand Prix II Two-Piece Herb Set in Green - this set has a $60 dollar value and is available only at Bloomingdales. What does all this mean? It means that someone who lives in the United States will not have to go to Bloomingdales to get one because they will be getting one right here. One entry per person, no extra entries. You should be following my blog and following me on twitter already and now you can "like" me too- if you arent then get on it. You need to check out the links and then leave a comment there and then one over here on the blog post and you are entered. One winner will be selected on Monday August 22 with the use of Random.org and Wusthof will mail you your prize so that means contact information will be required.

Combining two essential tools to easily cut, chop and mince parsley, sage, dill, cilantro, thyme, chives and other fresh herbs, the new Grand Prix II Two-Piece Herb Set includes Wusthof's top-selling Come Apart Kitchen Shears in vivid Green (model 5558-G) and the perfectly sized, precision-forged, full-tang Grand Prix II 4.5-inch Multi-Prep Cook's Knife (model 4585/12), which sports an apropos Green colored handle.

An essential tool for the kitchen, and ideal for snipping both delicate and hardy fresh herbs, such as tarragon and rosemary, Wusthof's Come Apart Kitchen Shears offer razor sharp blades that easily "come apart" for thorough and easy cleaning, as well as re-sharpening. The Come Apart Kitchen Shears is universally designed for both right- and left-handed cooks.

A cross between the cook's knife and a paring knife, the Grand Prix II 4.5-inch Multi-Prep Cook's Knife features the rounded straight edge blade of a typical cook's knife, which allows for rapid fire chopping with a pro-style rocking motion on a cutting board. Unlike cook's knives, which tend to have long blades, typically 8-inches or more, the diminutive Grand Prix II 4.5-inch Multi-Prep Cook's Knife delivers precise control - the hallmark of smaller paring knives. The Grand Prix II 4.5-inch Multi-Prep Cook's Knife features the collection's signature slip-resistant, pebble-textured handle with a contoured shape that ensures a comfortable and sure grip. The handle's new vibrant Green color adds zest to daily food prep and entertaining.

If you scrolled all the way down to see what the deal was - you missed it - now go back and read the post!

A pie for Mikey - my peanut butter tribute

2011-08-12T20:17:00.002-04:00

Today while reading the vast amount of blogs and facebook entries and news and current events that I read every single day all day long I came across some sad news that touched me very deeply, to find out more go here...or see more here.

I dont want to do the least I can do but if the least I can do will make a difference then I will do it.

Here is my peanut butter pie for Mikey. I am sorry for your loss.

Newman's Own Video Fun Chicken Skewers

2011-08-08T15:20:00.003-04:00

Once again I am the fortunate one and I received a Flip video camera from FoodBuzz and Newman's Own to put my own little twist on an every day item. I made marinated chicken skewers using Newman's Own salad dressing. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Foodbuzz 24x24: We all Scream for Ice Cream - a NYC roof top tasting

2011-07-31T12:36:00.001-04:00

Who hasnt heard this saying - "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream" at least once in their lives - well if you havent then this is your first of millions.

Like so many before me I knew instantly what my proposal was going to be for this months Foodbuzz 24 x 24. Summer heat brings summer fun and what's more fun than ice cream? I will tell you what. Ice cream with grown up flavors, thats what, and if not grown up flavors then dang good ones at that.

For my Foodbuzz 24 x 24 I decided I was going to make a few unique flavors of ice cream - how does 8 out of this galaxy creations sound - then invite a few friends over for a little roof top tasting. So I made some ice cream and I made some ice cream cones and I decorated the rooftop for this special festive occasion. When dont christmas lights make magic out of the mundane?

I started off with a basic vanilla ice cream and added flavors - how else would you do it?

Vanilla Ice Cream

1/2 cup sugar

dash of salt

2 cups half and half
1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten (you can substitute cornstarch or xanthan gum if using eggs is an issue)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine sugar salt and all the milk and half the half and half in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture almost boils then reduce heat to low.

Gradually stir about half of this hot mixture into the beaten eggs to temper then incorporate all together and heat until it thickens stirring constantly, remove from heat and refrigerate 2 hours.

Whip the other cup of half and half with the vanilla flavoring until soft peaks form and fold this into the chilled mixture and pour into your ice cream maker and proceed as per its instructions.

When I had a few batches of vanilla made I then organized my flavors and the chemistry began.

some things from the garden some things from fruit stands

I should mention that "organizing" these flavors involved a trip to the Union Square Farmers Market as well as my garden, fruit stands and the supermarket - all on my trusty red bike. When I narrowed it down to the final 8 flavors - this was the result:

Mint Mojito Majesty is a twist on the mojito (obviously) with a little lime and a little mint and the tiniest splash of rum.

Luscious Lavender will make you wonder why you never had lavender ice cream before now. Aromatic, floral and sweet with the perfume of lavender makes this flavor special.

Mexican Chocolate Chocolate is just that - Mexican chocolate - complete with the cinnamon and the spices and I added in a little bit of mulato chile just because I can.

Sweet Summer Peach - just typing that makes me blush and to say it out loud makes me need a cold shower.

Fantastic Figgy Fig gave rum another mission - get it Mission figs - rum with a mission, hahahaha.

Don’t be Blue Blueberry put a bright blue smile on your face with this blue blast of summer delight.

Lemon Basil Goat Cheese Vanilla takes a simple classic like vanilla and kicks it all the way out to left field with the complimentary tangs of the the lemon basil and the goat cheese - it may not be sweet but it sure is a honey - this baby is all grown up.

Carrot Cake a little carrot a little cinnamon a little cream cheese "frosting" and some "cake" - that is what is carrot cake isnt it? Isnt it? I cant play favorites - just sayin'.

The only way to make these fabulous flavors more fabulous would be to serve them in fresh made waffle bowls and cones rich with the flavors of malt and vanilla and since you are dying to know how I did it I will tell you.

Waffle Cones

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I used my home made vanilla extract again)
1/3 cup Ovaltine malt powder
1 egg
1 cup water (adjust water until a loose batter is formed)

Preheat waffle iron - if you have the actual waffle cone waffle iron then use that a pizzelle maker works great too but I am using an old waffle iron from Norway that makes heart shaped waffles like this. Mix all ingredients together forming a loose and liquid batter pour thinly into hot iron - you are not trying to make big fat waffles but thin waffles. Cook both sides until brown and quickly form into cones or bowls while hot.

I even made a little form for every one to fill out so I could get some focus group feedback. I asked about mouth feel, texture (texture and mouth feel may seem the same but they are not), flavor and would you buy it - the results were interesting. Stay tuned for the next several posts as I am going to be leaking out each recipe as a blog post and then several detailed posts hinting about the consensus of my marketing survey before I actually post the results thereby milking this idea as much as I can so thats 8 ice cream flavors that would then become 8 separate blog posts....ha ha ha ha, just kidding - dont you hate when people stretch out blog posts like that - I know I do. I will give you the results here and now and the recipe is already there all you have to do is flavor it to your liking.

The over all favorite was the Mexican Chocolate Chocolate. The creamiest was the Lemon Basil Goat Cheese Vanilla. The one that tasted most like actual carrot cake was the Carrot Cake. Then Luscious Lavender and Mint Mojito Majesty got best of show for most "cultivated" flavors, and while "most cultivated" was not part of the criteria these two shone through and created a category all their own. This isnt to say that Sweet Summer Peach, Fantastic Figgy Fig, and Don’t be Blue Blueberry werent good rich flavors its that the tasting panel felt they were not exotic compared to the others and everyone would buy every one except the fig - they said it just wasnt figgy enough. So there you have it now go Scream for Ice Cream!

if you're too cool for school then welcome to the cool school - do you quake for shakes, do you need an i-phone app for frappes then you found the hot spot thats the cool spot

2011-07-21T17:14:00.003-04:00

Vanilla Malt - its way too good

Now I want everyone to take out their pad and pencils or uni-balls and filo faxes or i-phones and apps or e- recipes or what ever it is you use to help you in the kitchen because today is your lucky day. If you werent sure you read that right I will repeat - today is your lucky day because today I am going to teach you how to make a classic vanilla malt. Oh you might think its pretty easy but I kid you not you can google recipes for it and if there is a teacher then there must be students.

start with a clean blender

add ice cream and vanilla

time to make more vanilla

add malt

add milk and blend

thick and rich and delicious

step by step visual instructions

too good not to share

I like mine nice and thick and rich and delicious so if you dont like them thick and rich and delicious then this is not the recipe for you.

Classic Vanilla Malted

yield: 24 ounces

16 ounces of vanilla ice cream

8 ounces your choice of milk ( I use coconut milk or soy milk or almond milk)

1/2 teaspoon of good vanilla extract ( I made some here in case you need to know how)

2 tablespoons of malt

Blend everything until its thick and rich and delicious and pour into two twelve ounce glasses and serve with a straw or two.

You see I have used Osterizer and Silk and Ovaltine in my recipe - I know what you are thinking - they should be paying me for this kind of endorsement but it just so happens that is what I had around the house and I did not feel like taping over the labels so this time they get a little freebie and so do you - yup thats right you dont need to give me 99 cents for this perfect little recipe - I give it to you as a gift - its a win win situation all around...you can now take this and run with it - make it your own!

Flan is Crème Brûlée's latin cousin - flan is a kissin' cousin

2011-07-18T17:21:00.005-04:00

my basket of freshly picked salad greens that has nothing to do with flan

Okie dokie folksy wolksies its time for another installment of "this ol' blog" let me see where did we last leave off? Oh I know our hero - me - was extolling those things I extoll about - I mean those things he extolls about (this speaking in third person is tough). My dreams do come true, life is good and everyone is living happily ever after - there the whole thing in a nut-shell. So with all that little hub bub out of the way lets talk flan.

coconut flan with coconut milk

Egg custards of any kind are probably my most favorite desserts and if you know me its probably because it has egg in it, I like eggs, eggs like me, eggs and I have a symbiotic relationship.

coconut flan with coconut milk and coconut whipped cream

Ok lets make some flan and to do that you need a recipe and as much as I despise recipes I am finding that they are important tools of communication between those of us that can cook and those of us that cant. Let me clarify this - some people (me) think outside of the box instinctively so recipes are simply suggestions or guidelines and other people (not me) like to follow the guidelines to a T(ee) because thinking outside of the box makes them nervous, then there are other people (you know who you are) that realize the vulnerable ones are out there and they want to cash in on it so they make easy to follow apps and what nots to teach people things they themselves are not really qualified to be teaching and this whole vicious scenario gets played out all day long on every social media sight that exists - including right here at ChezWhat? - damn I like to rant...lets just make some flan.

coconut flan with coconut whipped cream

Coconut Flan

7 eggs
1 can of coconut milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups of sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325F. Melt one cup of sugar in a sauce pan until amber in color then pour it into the bottom of one glass 9x13 baking pan. Mix milks and eggs in a stand mixer until light then add sugar and vanilla and mix for one minute. Pour mixture into baking pan and bake in a water bath (bain marie) for 45 -55 minutes or until it begins to set, remove from oven and as it cools it will continue to set. When it is cool to the touch refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. Cut and serve with coconut whipped cream and pour some of the sugar syrup that collects in the bottom of the pan.

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 pint heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons coconut powder (you can find it in asian supermarkets)

Whip the cream with the sugar and coconut until stiff peaks form - put in a piping bag and serve.

Once you have had this simple flan - no other flan will do, oh and for an added treat spoon over a little coconut milk as well as the syrup and you will be in flan heaven.

Independence Day red bliss potato salad for the 4th of July 2011

2011-07-05T09:28:00.012-04:00

Everybody loves a side dish especially when the side dish is potato salad and especially if that potato salad is made by none other than me. This potato salad was many years in the making to get it to its "blissful" state and I will tell you why. I hated potato salad growing up! It had to be the way people were making it. I refused to even try potato salad for many years based on the simple fact that I already decided that it sucked. Then one day in or around the time I was 20 years old or so someone asked me to make "the potato salad" and it was at this point that the epiphany occurred - "from this day forward it will no longer suck" I said to myself.

I would not use huge chunks of over boiled eggs and some sort of "miracle" mayonnaise - no not me. In fact I will tell you my little recipe for 5 pounds of potatoes right now so that you will no longer have to suffer through "that other" potato salad ever again. This recipe has been tweaked through the years to get it to the simplicity that it is today.

Christo's Blissful Red Bliss Potato Salad

5 pounds of Red bliss potatoes cut into bigger than bite size chunks

7 jumbo eggs boiled for 5 minutes - chopped fine

small handful of rosemary

1 tablespoon of dried mustard (Colman's)

1 cup of real mayonnaise

1 small red onion - diced

2 stalks of celery - diced

1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water with rosemary until fork tender drain and cool quickly - once cool mix in everything else and cool some more - thats it - its done.

Find a roof top and enjoy.

We are taking applications for volunteers to clean up and build a nice deck on the roof but until then this is it - so if you want to complain about the graffiti and what not you can be one of those volunteers.

You can start immediately.

The perks are the unobstructed sunsets....

.....and Macy's fireworks in the distance

....and lounge chairs and bbq picnics.

I have my eye on things and things may not be as they appear

2011-06-18T09:28:00.011-04:00

Every time I tell the truth I find that I alienate people - every time I alienate people I am glad I told the truth. I tested out of an advanced Sociology class in college for full credit with a report I wrote on how to start a cult and my cult worshipped the cantaloupe. Needless to say I have not started any cults but I certainly know how they work. So in order to bring order back to this disorder we will no longer focus on those types of things that make people examine themselves too deeply. Instead lets just eat ice cream and be happy.

You can probably tell that I am not using my blog to get a book deal or to teach people how to boil water or to be some sort of recipe reservoir as much as this blog is, as the URL implies, all about me, always was and always will be - but that doesnt mean that it hasnt helped me because it definitely has.

I was the lucky recipient of some delicious homemade goat cheese from none other than David Fankhauser the cheese man himself. I have posted links to his website during the times I was attempting new cheeses - if you recall.

A simple radish sandwich on toast with butter can not be beat.

For that matter plantains fried in butter and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk can not be beat either.

Remember that I have my eye on the pulse and the heartbeat...and I dont have normal eyes.

Oh yeah and I made some peach ice cream - nothing says summer more than peach ice cream.

nitty gritty witty ol' bitty - or caprese salad, dumpling house and what nots for good SEO

2011-06-15T16:00:00.008-04:00

Why do people join groups to learn how to do things independently? I will never understand the lemmings and turkeys of this world and if you dont know what I mean by that I will explain - you put one turkey in a box then all the turkeys will want to be in that box - one lemming jumps off a cliff then all the other lemmings will follow. There are so many various blog conferences out there that purport to teach bloggers how to be better bloggers for a fee - well I have news for you - you've been had. These types of conferences are designed to make money for the people putting on the conference by sucking in the gullible who will pay the fees to "learn" and then walk away with a potato peeler and some wine or what ever other little doo-dads they can put together on the cheap. Typically they might get some sponsors and then the sponsors will give things away. Its a pretty simple and basic formula - buy the book on how to get rich but the only person getting rich is the person selling the book. Whats my point? No point, just having a good chuckle to myself when I hear about these "blog conferences" thats all.

Want one of the best sandwiches for an exorbitantly cheap price that you wont even believe its so cheap and then you will tell all your friends and then the price will go up and the quality will go down and the whole thing will be worthless in no time flat?

Then go to Vanessa's dumpling house on Eldridge - not only are they known for the best and cheapest dumplings in all the land but they make a mean sesame pancake sandwich too.

I opted for the peking duck that set me back an outstanding $2.25. Oh, I could give you some kind of negative review like the lines are too long for both the food and the bathroom and its hard to get a seat but that kind of inconvenience would only make you run not walk to the place so why bother.

I will even post the menu so you can see how cheap it is and then you can act all cool like you discovered something when you brag about it to your friends - and just so you know not too many people can remember the place before it got renovated - I am one of those people.

I cook therefore I am - I ergo sum coquus

2011-06-08T17:21:00.018-04:00

I dont know how many of you are aware how much I like the whole food process - I know its a given since this is predominately a food blog that the interest lies in that general direction but I need to tell you that this interest has been going on since I was in grade school, and I have mentioned that before too. Well, with all this history in mind I should say that I have gone through several plateaus in this quest of mine and I am happy to say that once again I have reached a new plateau. I love to learn, I love to grow and I love to change. If you are one of my friends on Facebook then you are probably seeing more constant posts from me than you are here at the blog - and if you arent one of my friends on Facebook I dont know how thats possible since I have over 4000 - and dont think I dont keep a handle on all of that - I am well aware that at least 1000 of them are Chefs in Malasyia and all points East that I barely interact with. Anyway - ChezWhat? will be getting a little more attention from me - I promise - Migrating Feast is going through another edit and hopefully those videos and that documentary will take things to another plateau and that about sums up my little sum up...here is a whole bunch of pictures taken with my phone.

I have been nice and busy and I love it and I hope it never stops I have been cooking and working and working and cooking in all kinds of settings in the last year and even more so in the last few months.

I have been making all kinds of fun and exciting things.

I made some "secret" ingredients

I made some salmon

I get 90% of it done on my bike

I have been all over this city....

...and when I get home I make a sandwich.

I have been as busy as bunnies (get it?)

2011-05-30T09:51:00.008-04:00

Thanking my lucky stars lately since I now have a bit more work to keep my busy hands busy but this new bit of business has slowed up my blogging. If you are longing for my snark and sassiness then you will have to wait a bit longer because it seems like my backhanded verbosity is on hiatus. Laziness will have to suffice and with that you will have to accept that I will simply post a synopsis of pictures that would have been and could have been blog posts chock full of my witty repartee. Take this Molé Poblano for example - imagine what I could say about it.

Chocolatey, spicy goodness in an enchilada suiza cannot hardly get any better than this.

With more time I could go on and on about the sweet and succulent lamb chops dripping with the lamb unctuousness that only lamb can drip and with this extra time I could tease you with the curried lentils it is bathing in but lo I do not have even a spare second.

Morels, specifically, need more of my time and attention and should not be treated like latch key kids with parents too busy to care but sadly this is their fate and this is their life. Morel mushroom barley soup is, by far, the best mushroom barley soup that exists.

Steamy goodness with an earthy bite the delicate yet toothsome barley pearls give a good chew with the husky deliberateness of the morel mushroom. So with all my lagging and veiled bragging I did what I normally do - post pictures and write nonsense - so things are really not that different after all.

I am the first and more will follow

2011-05-24T21:06:00.002-04:00

Yes folks I am the first, the very first inductee into the Culinary Hall of Fame. Now isnt that something!

Migrating Feast Episode 1 & 2

2011-05-17T09:13:00.004-04:00

Episode 1 of Migrating Feast .......

Episode 2 of Migrating Feast - please have a look and let me know what you think...

morel mushroom mousse in a puff pastry cup is the best

2011-05-05T00:01:00.010-04:00

Morel mushroom season is here again at last and I am fortunate enough to be a contestant in the MarxFoods 3rd Annual Morel Mushroom Challenge. Without further ado here is my entry.

The recipe is easy:

Morel Mushroom Mousse

8-10 dried morel mushrooms

2 stalks of green onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 oz butter

1/2 cup champagne

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Reconstitute the dried mushrooms in the champagne. (reserve 2 mushrooms to slice and use as garnish) Saute mushrooms, onions and parsley in butter until soft. Add the champagne that mushrooms were reconstituted in and reduce until dry. Cool completely. In food processor, combine mushroom mixture, Parmesan cheese and salt until finely chopped. In a stand mixer whip the cream to stiff peaks then fold in the cooled mushroom mixture. Pipe mixture into tiny tart shells or onto crackers. Decorate with parsley leaf and discs of sauteed morel mushrooms. This mousse is equally good pipped onto some hot pasta for a new twist on the classic Alfredo.

Makes filling for one dozen 2-1/2 inch tarts, or tons of crackers or a few bowls of pasta.

Light, rich, flaky and delicious - so good with a nice cold glass of champagne but you could also enjoy these with a sparking cider or even a nice dry pale ale.

Wish me luck!

......and while my entry is morel mushroom mousse in a puff pastry cup I thought I would further entice you with the idea of having it in pasta.

Have you seen Migrating Feast?

easily the best tortilla chips you've ever had by far but way better

2011-05-04T20:34:00.008-04:00

Very often and very regularly I make tortilla chips - "nacho chips with nacho cheese" as my son so adroitly calls them. I fry the chips and glob on the goodies and the goodies are always different.

Now what if there was a way to make good-better?

Tostitos has come up with these lovely flavors called dip creations and being the creative sort that I am I used them to season my homemade chips and if you think the chips were good before then these are better.

Chances are this is not how they had imagined that they would be used but trust me on this - it is a great way to add enormous flavor to your world. Fry up some chips sprinkle on the garden onion, country ranch or the guacamole and invite some friends to the party - it sticks to the chip and the chip went from the audition to the grammy's in one quick swoop.

I received packets of these flavors free of charge from FoodBuzz and I was not paid in any way for my opinions.

watch me love me wait for more

2011-05-03T13:40:00.001-04:00

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1. Follow us on Twitter @Plataforma49

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I was not paid or compensated in any way to make this announcement.

inspiration, perspiration, infatuation and me

2011-05-01T22:06:00.004-04:00

Lets not get confused here - it all does come back to me - in the land of Narcissus and his world of blogging we are all his disciples and that is where we get to the tuna.

This is black sesame seed crusted tuna with wasabi mayo and edamame thats about the extent of it. Now lets get back to me.

lots to look at not much to say plenty to do so lets eat risotto

2011-04-17T12:11:00.013-04:00

Perhaps you are wondering where I am? Perhaps you dont even care? Perhaps I dont care? Whatever the case may be one thing is certain - I went from posting every single day down to -

will I ever post again. The answer to that is yes. I have been busy with all kinds of things, things that distract me from the luxury of posting my what nots on my blog. I have been cooking more than ever, I have started new projects, thought about others and completed some. I havent gained a pound and I havent exercised in forever. I joke that I am "a month away from buff" all the time but truth be told I have been "a month away from buff" for a couple of years now and I dont seem to be getting any closer.

Enough talk about me - lets talk risotto. "Risotto" you say "you make risotto all the time" and that would be correct and since I make risotto all the time it only gets better. I make it at home, I make it for clients, I will make it just for fun if you want. The secret(s) behind great risotto are many but it does start with good rice. I have used Arborio mostly until I discovered Carnaroli. Carnaroli is the rice of rices and thats all I have to say about that, if you can find it use it and you will know one more secret.

By now you have realized that this is not the place to come for recipes - recipes are all over the place - this is a place to learn technique, though if you are excited to see some recipes I am working on that as one of my other little projects.

Morel mushrooms and shaved Romano cheese make this creamy dish all that it should be.

By some small chance morel mushrooms and Romano cheese is not enough for you why not put some crumbled bacon on top.

This was so good I couldn't wait to have the leftovers for breakfast, and while it wasnt as creamy as the night before it sure was good with this double yoke poached egg. Get some good rice, make some risotto, practice on having some secrets of your own.

Dont forget your daily vote in the never ending poll.

BIG HUGE WHOOPS - Blogspot deleted the comments for this post!!!

pasta, pesto, pulpo, and pretty pasta plates-please

2011-04-09T10:59:00.009-04:00

With the marathon coming up in November I figured I better start carb loading now since I am not training nor am I going to run even a little bit and my pasta contributions will be my only effort.

For those that have gluten and wheat issues I sincerely feel for you since you cannot nor will not ever enjoy the luxuriousness that is pasta. There are gluten free and wheat free versions that I have not tried so perhaps my previous statement is biased and uninformed - yet where would I be if it were not for my bias and my lack of information. You might recall the octopus? Well it has been on the menu for a little longer than I let on. Fettucini with octopus and black pepper is a little lesson in tasty.

The star of this pasta post perhaps is pasta with pesto - perfect. There is not one single thing wrong with this dish. The guanciale was rendered perfectly, the arugula pesto was the perfect consistency, the pasta was perfectly al dente, the pecorino had the perfect tangy bite and the perfect egg yolk made it all so perfect. The only thing imperfect is that I cant share it with everyone.

This an entry for Denny's and Foodbuzz Baconalia.

frutti di mare from the orchard of the sea

2011-04-01T08:44:00.005-04:00

Less than thirty days ago I made some grilled octopus and it has been on my mind ever since. Then a few days ago Caterina made octopus using the pressure cooker so I had to give that a try. Results: passable. The slow poaching method is by far better but the quickness of the pressure cooker makes this an easy dish to prepare on the fly.

Grilling was not part of the plan today - well not actual charcoal grilling since I did put in the grill pan with a little oregano to smoky it up a bit. Results: passable. Nothing beats the real flavor of fire.

After the octopus was sufficiently cooked twice I chopped it up and tossed it with some garlic, chile, olive oil, more oregano some lime and a little salt and served it over rice. Results: delicious. Make yourself some octopus and if you have the time slow poach it and grill it.

mediterranean chicken in the lower east side of manhattan - aka "belly dancing chicken"

2011-03-30T09:35:00.011-04:00

Through the magic of cooking and blogging I am able to transform regular ingredients into exotic ingredients from far away lands with the application of herbs, spices and heat all in a two hour span. I know that may sound like some kind of tricky mumbo jumbo but its absolutely true. Take this chicken for example: yesterday evening a long time friend, a buddy I have known since we were both 18 years old or so calls me up and says "I have some chicken breasts and I am thinking of grilling them, do you have any ideas?" Well thats like asking if there is sand on the beach - of course I have ideas. Fortunately my friend is usually pretty well stocked so when I asked him about mint he said "growing in the garden" and when I asked about feta cheese he said "a half pound in the fridge" so before you know it he was pounding out his chicken and spreading this mediterranean mixture I had described to him inside the flattened breasts and rolling them back up and tossing them on the grill. We also discussed a potato that was first parboiled then sliced and rubbed with olive oil, oregano and coarse salt that was also grilled. (he sent me a picture from his cell phone)

The consensus between his 9 year old daughter, her 9 year old friend who was over for dinner, his girlfriend and him was - no leftovers - so as much he was hoping to save some for a nice lunch these delights disappeared faster than a wizard in a sandstorm. Well, since I now have mint and lemon zest and chicken and oregano on my mind - I had to get busy.

I had chicken thighs not breasts so I made a nice rub but since I didnt have feta I had to use goat cheese and since I didnt have a garden with fresh mint I had to use some dried mint I had dried myself from my last mint purchase so my version was going to be slightly different. I made a nice mixture in my mortar and pestle of goat cheese, garlic, oregano, mint, lemon zest, salt and olive oil and this was rubbed all over the thighs then I ground fresh pepper over the whole lot and they were allowed to rest in this for half an hour before they were first seared on the stove top then popped in a hot oven.

Chicken is out of the oven looking perfect and doing its resting thing while I slice some cucumbers and fluff up the rice with some of the marinade that I had reserved on the side just for this very flavor footprint, I wanted everything to stroll harmoniously together.

Now if you cant tell these are three different plates then you have no business in my kitchen. The flavors were outstanding, the chicken was juicy with a nice crispy skin, the rice danced ever so seductively with the rest of the plate - it was like belly dancing with out the music and with out the belly dancer but with everything thing else that makes you feel exotic, a little of the far away right here in Manhattan.

teach to learn, learn to teach

2011-03-28T14:35:00.010-04:00

You have heard it "those that cant do - teach - and those that cant teach - teach gym" as the old saying goes but I guess those people already know how to cook. As old as I am I learn something new everyday and I mean every single day and as a constant learner I am now learning how to teach, how to pass on what I know to future generations.

Cooking is one of those arts that you can never stop learning, you may be good at one thing but you might need help with another so there is a never ending supply of things to learn. Today I taught a young student interested in embarking on a career in the culinary arts two of my favorite things to make. Eggs and dessert and what better eggs than Davidsons - Safest Choice, all natural eggs.

Brunch is a no brainer in my world and thats only because I've made it hundreds of times and since it is something so second nature to me it is one of the easiest things for me to teach since it is all technique, no recipe here. We started boiling water and separating eggs for the hollandaise while we thumbed our way through some pages of the Larousse Gastronomique.

While things were whisked and resting and english muffin toast was toasting we got our plates ready with some cucumbers, carrots, avocado and salmon.

Watching her do the "oh my god this is gonna be good" wiggle that some people do when they know they are about to taste something delicious was enough good feeling to last me for weeks.

This tasted fantastic, no doubt, but she has such a refined sense of smell and taste for her age it is exciting to think of the wonderful future she has ahead of her and to listen to her dissect the flavors was very impressive. She had two I had one - she liked it that much. Toasted english muffin with smoked salmon and avocado drizzled in copious amounts of hollandaise with a carrot and cucumber salad, you have seen this one before.

When we had our fill of eggs benedict we made a flourless chocolate cake out of the left over egg whites for dessert - this sealed the deal for the day. Chocolate, raspberries and cream foam how can you not like it? "Give a man(woman) a fish he(she) can eat for a day, teach a man(woman) how to fish he(she) can eat forever, show a man(woman) how to cook fish and everyone is happy" thus spoke Christo!

sharing my strength

2011-03-26T12:32:00.006-04:00

Every now and again this ol' dog gets thrown a bone and everytime this ol' dog gets a bone he throws it so that others can chew on it too. Now I know that is a metaphor with all kinds of mixed meanings and implications but the genuine and whole hearted feeling is whole. Share our Strength is something I have been happy to partner with for the last three years. If you havent got on board I dont know what you are waiting for.

Well it just so happens that Pyrex and Sandra Lee, yup, "that" Sandra Lee are teaming up for the Great American Bake Sale with Share our Strength.

There are rules for pyrex and if you break them well then you end up with broken pyrex so dont break them.

Anyway I got some Pyrex in the mail so I made a casserole since casseroles are fun. Spinach in a bechamel sauce with breaded and lightly fried chicken cutlets and puff pastry - kicked up chicken pot pie. Now its your turn to get out there and share your strength.

how do you make the best green chile in all the land?

2011-03-22T00:01:00.005-04:00

Dont ask me. If you ask me how to make the best chile in all the land I will lie. I have never in my life given someone a recipe that was accurate. I eat by taste, how can I write a recipe. I wish that I was a culinary genius or some kind of needy whatever and that I wrote it all down so you could worship me but I am not. I am a Cowboy Warlord that will lie to you in a heartbeat.

Throw all that like hope and piss in the wind and if you are lucky you get chile. Did you get all that? Its as close to not lying as I can get. You can click this link for another version without a recipe.

take a deep breath and hold on tight this post is all over the place

2011-03-21T09:25:00.007-04:00

Where should I begin, I know, how about smack dab in the middle. The biggest cooking event of the season is happening just next weekend and you are in the loop. You dont want to miss this one and you cant blame me if you do. Here's the scoop:

HSN Cooks Spring Weekend Event Presented by Bon Appétit : March 26-27

Add mouthwatering ideas to the menu as HSN & Bon Appétit bring you world-renowned chefs, including premieres such as Ken Hom, The Lee Bros. and Jacques "Mr. Chocolate" Torres. Find delicious inspiration & enjoy free shipping on select foods as we celebrate spring in the best of taste. For women who enjoy cooking, the HSN Cooks Spring Weekend Event Presented by Bon Appétit is the ultimate kitchen and food shopping experience with celebrity chefs and culinary experts presenting high-quality kitchenware, time-saving appliances and tasty cuisine.

New and best-selling items from top brands: Wolfgang Puck, Emeril and Easy Exotic by Padma Lakshmi.
The premiere of The Lee Bros., southern food-enthusiasts.
The premiere of Chef Ken Hom, notable Chinese-American chef and author with his signature wok collection and healthy stir-fry cooking guide.
New food brand premieres including: Jacques "Mr. Chocolate" Torres, Aunt Ida Baked Goods, Leonetti's hand made Stromboli and more.
Special event pricing, select free shipping, value-packed bundles and HSN Card offers.
Special offer on Bon Appétit subscriptions, plus tips and solutions from Editor Dede Wilson.

There you have it - be sure and mark your calendars and guess what - HSN gave me a $10 gift card for mentioning this and I want to give it to you - I will even pay the 44 cent postage but you need to tell me why you want it and then I will perform some kind of highly subjective selection process and give it to you. You dont need to follow me or tweet me or jump through hoops do back bends or anything. Now on to other matters.

See that poached egg dish? That was the last of the 10 pounds of corned beef I made.

Rye toast cups were filled with corned beef hash then topped with a poached egg all while floating in a mustardy hollandaise sauce - how's that for tasty? I said I was going to post the green chile burrito process but thats going to have to wait so I guess this post isnt as all over the place as I first thought. So tell me why you want 10 bucks to shop on HSN and make it good and its yours.

My blog has been blogging since some of you were kids

2011-03-13T15:16:00.007-04:00

Six years ago I had some kind of foggy notion - to some of you this might feel like a revelation but to me it was nothing more than a foggy notion - and this foggy notion was some kind of idea of what it would be like to make an online log of my nonsense, something they were calling a blog. I wrote in journals all my life and no one would get to see them unless I showed them to them and these journals were chock full of drawings and collages and poems and thoughts and clippings and what ever else struck my fancy. Blogs were the perfect format for me plus I wouldnt have to lug my books around to show people, people were sitting in chairs waiting to see in the comfort of their own environs. Six years later everybody has a blog. I am not saying I was the only one because I wasnt, there were other blogs back then but there wasnt a "blogging community" like there is now. Mommy blogs and gripe blogs and HNT blogs and secret blogs and gazillions of food blogs and you name it are all a click away. In six years some of you went from being teenagers to becoming experts on food and wine - a lot can happen in six years - me I just got older.

I have made many friends probably not made a few too, I have had people that can neither cook nor write, offer to teach me how to cook and write. I have had some people think I was a woman, I guess because of my sensitivity, and then be all confused when they find out I am not. I have also learned a great deal about humanity. Blogs are a great thing. So to toast my blog and the blog world I offer up a little drunken pasta with a salmon cake. Cheers.

Whew, celebrations out of the way lets make room for the good stuff. Salmon gnocchi. Did you catch all that - that was the recipe. I found that cute little wooden thing at a flea market yesterday and I thought it was for making gnocchi, maybe it is maybe it isnt - I used a fork to make mine, I tried the little gadget but the grooves didnt seem deep enough.

The gnocchi were so perfect with their little bits of salmon and the yukon gold potato.

Salmon gnocchi with a Meyer lemon caper butter sauce - creamy, silky, pillowy softness with more flavor than deserves to be on a fork.

You know I wish I could share. I have made gnocchi several times and I always say this but this time its more real than the last - these are the best gnocchi I have ever made.

no need to linger longer lets eat

2011-03-11T12:35:00.011-05:00

A lot of you have probably noticed that I post what I think are teaser pictures on my facebook before I post the blog post and if you do notice then you might have wondered what happened to the salmon cakes? Wonder no more because I am going to give you a little step by step visual "recipe."

Start with a huge piece of cooked leftover salmon with a pistachio crust* - if you dont have this then there is little reason to keep on reading.

Break up that side of salmon.

Add three eggs, some lemon zest, some bread crumbs, some diced onions, carrots and celery not forgetting to salt and pepper to taste.

Form into cakes.

Fry the cakes till golden.

Plate with a carrot and cucumber salad (using the mandoline to cut the carrots and cucumbers is a whiz of a time saver) that has been dressed with lemon juice and olive oil then top with the salmon cake and a little chipotle mayonnaise some more lemon zest a little spring onion a pinch of salt and a few turns of your pepper grinder - mine has a mix of szechuan, white and black peppercorns, I even put on a little parsley cause its fun - then simply sit down and enjoy a delicious lunch.

It sounds easy because it is. I might have spent a half hour to 45 minutes putting this lunch together partly because I make stuff like this all the time and mostly because it really is easy. Enjoy your weekend everyone - spring is in the air.

*you might be seeing a trend here - I work a big party I come home with extra salmon

ridiculously delicious challenge round 3 - recipe re-do

2011-03-10T16:26:00.010-05:00

Let me begin by thanking everyone who voted for me in round 2 of The Marx Foods Ridiculously Delicious Challenge because now I am in round 3. Round 3 is a non voting round so you will also be happy to know that I wont be pandering for votes. This round is different, in this round I need to pick a first choice and a second choice from the 15 entries that moved on and recreate my first choice. I chose Katie at the Kitchen Doors Dillicious - for two reasons 1) I had already made something like this before that was actually a guest post on Marx Foods and 2) I wanted to make it again. My second choice is Fettucini a la Carbonara from We Like to Cook because I just so happen to have some Guanciale in the fridge thats burnin' a hole in my cheese drawer and I know this isnt the best way to describe those grains of paradise but they are like spicy earth and I can imagine them in this eggy pasta delight. Since we are talking about all these choices I can pretty much guarantee that no one will pick mine, who is going to try to recreate the coconut threads?

Without further ado here is my take on this dish. The original used Dill Pollen and the Szechuan peppercorns so I did the same and added in Saffron. I steeped the peppercorns in warm olive oil with a few of the saffron threads to infuse the oil. I mixed sour cream with cream cheese and added in some more saffron that I let soak in a little warm water to bring out the color.

The cucumbers were loosely peeled and cored of their seeds and piped with the saffron cheese and sour cream filling then I spooned over some of the Szechuan and saffron oil and sprinkled on some dill pollen and some Himalayan pink salt then I squeezed lemon juice over the whole thing and scattered some feta chunks around just for flavor fun.

The results were amazing and I quote "these look great and they taste great and they are actually kind of filling" my twelve year old son said this so if he approves imagine what your refined and grown up taste buds are going to say.

If you want to see what he was talking about I will show you the plate he plowed through - I guess they would be a little filling if you ate six of them.

Update: got word from adult palates - Outstanding depth of flavor!

octopus, pulpo, tako, polýpous, pugita, bläckfisk, poulpe, blekksprut, krake

2011-03-09T09:23:00.012-05:00

No matter how you say it or how you pronounce it this cousin of the mollusk family is eight kinds of good, and this cephlapod is more than just a metaphor - "Due to having numerous tentacles that emanate from a common center, the octopus is often used as a metaphor for a group or organziation which is perceived as being powerful, manipulative or bent on domination. Use of this terminology is invariably negative and employed by the opponents of the groups or institutions so described." Before I romanticize it too much lets get down to the nitty gritty, I may seem like an organization hell bent on world domination but it is just a big misunderstanding. (warning: you are about to see a fresh octopus, this might be alarming to some)

Four pounds fresh (actually it was previously frozen since neither the East River nor the Hudson are popular habitats) - in a pot with stock, onions, garlic, finely ground oregano salt & pepper, and a shot of vermouth - set the dial to "low" and let it cook for oh I dont know - 3 hours or so.

Completely reduced in size, firmed up yet incredibly tender I let it sit in the ice box over night in the poaching liquid.

Portioned out and put on skewers with a little extra oregano sprinkled on to create more smokiness and a spritz of olive oil to help it along the octopus is now ready for the grill.

Flashed on a hot grill enough to warm it through and impart a nice smoky flavor from both the coals and the smoldering oregano I plated it up with a little garlic chile sauce, some extra virgin olive oil, course grain sea salt, some lemon wedges and bread that was spread with olive oil and also toasted on the grill.

I dont think I need to tell you how good it was you can plainly see for yourself.

barely, barley, burley wild mushroom soup

2011-03-03T09:26:00.007-05:00

Many of you may not know that I spend enormous amounts of time foraging for wild mushrooms and I have been doing it since I was a kid. (I am not going to post link after link -if you are curious so a search on the blog - mushroomlandia would be a keyword to try) I have loved mushrooms since the very first time I tasted a sauteed button mushroom with lots of butter poured over toast (my very first "gourmet" dish that I made for myself as often as we had mushrooms.) Some of you might remember that I have posted about learning about various wild mushrooms from my grandmother as child growing up in New Mexico and all this adds up to one thing - I like mushrooms.

Seven kinds of wild mushrooms went into this cauldron of barley delight. Maitake otherwise known as Hen of the Woods, King Bolete, White Bolete, Wine Cap, Oyster, Trumpet and King Oyster, some of them from here in the Northeast and some of them from New Mexico. I let the dried mushrooms soak in hot water until they were plump and juicy then I chopped them into big but bite size chunks.

After the carrots, celery, onions and garlic were sauteed a bit I added in the mushrooms and the mushroom soaking liquid and then the pearled barley and I let it simmer for about 45 minutes until the barley had bloomed to a nice al dente consistency.

Serve it up in huge ladles full with a chunk of fresh buttery Italian bread and seconds and thirds would not be unusual. The dish is easy to make and you can use any mushrooms you want so while dried and rehydrated mushrooms do pack a lot more flavor this would be equally as good with sauteed fresh mushrooms. Make some mushroom barley soup, its worth it.

If you havent voted yet you have until March 4th to vote in the Ridiculously Delicious Challenge - ChezWhat - sour cherry ice cream with coconut sugar threads and a pastry is my entry.

always late to the party

2011-03-02T09:55:00.008-05:00

You know what? I could die and I wouldn't find out about it till a week later, its the story of my life. I dont know if its because I am not paying attention or if attention isnt paying me, but whatever the case I am out of the loop. When the American Egg Board had a contest with a deadline a couple of days ago why didnt someone tell me? Its blunders like these that make me wonder. Am I not the egg man? If you havent done it search eggs on this blog and see what you get!

What is so dang hard about saying "Hey Christo did you see there is an egg contest, you like eggs you should probably enter" but noooooo food bloggers are a selfish bunch, sure they talk community but thats only a facade because each and every one of them wants to be the next big thing and how will that happen if they inform others of things, doing that might take away their chance you see. I dont care really, I tell people about stuff all the time and I will keep on doing it. Part of being confident is having confidence and that is not something you learn.

This poached egg is on a mixed carrot and potato "cake" with house made gravlax, sauteed onions, hollandaise and a little cucumber "salad" on the side, and if you had x-ray vision you would see the sliced tomato that is right under the egg. So take this rant at face value but take these eggs for breakfast, lunch brunch or dinner. I guess I wont be making any friends with this blog post - oh well more eggs for me!

If you havent voted yet you have until March 4th to vote in the Ridiculously Delicious Challenge - I made ice cream.

time to vote for the Ridiculously Delicious Challenge at the MarxFoods blog

2011-03-01T07:59:00.005-05:00

Fifteen contestants will move on to the next level and I need to be one of them.

Remember this post? How can you forget it it's the post right before this one, well this is where you go to vote, please tell everyone you know. I dont know how to bribe you but you DO KNOW that I would cook for you if I could.

a giveaway of dried sour cherry ice cream, coconut sugar threads and a pastry for your search engine fun

2011-02-23T12:44:00.012-05:00

Have I ever told you how much I hate SEO (search engine optimization) well I do. Every blogger and their granny (yup she blogs too now) are desperately trying to get their piece of the pie and in order to do that you need to use key words so when people are using search engines (like google for example) they will land on your site first, ideally. Not only are people following along like turkeys to the slaughter house with this blatant use of keywords they are often hogging prime space with their drivel, well today my drivel is gunning for space. Dried sour cherry ice cream with a cream cheese tart and coconut sugar threads and if I had a giveaway I would be giving that away too.

I dont mean to sound so bitter because I am really not - I am more peeved than anything else. Creativity is flushed in favor of what is common and banal. Typically when I am searching for something I want to find what is more unique than what is regular so thats maybe where the differences lie. Its precisely this uniqueness that I am fighting against with this post. I whipped some cream I froze it into ice cream how unique can that be? I am even going to post the very common recipe.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Dried Sour Cherries

1/2 cup sugar

dash of salt

2 cups half and half

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

20 dried cherries that have soaked over night in warm water

Combine sugar salt and 1/2 the milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture almost boils then reduce heat to low.

Gradually stir about half of this hot mixture into the beaten eggs to temper then incorporate all together and heat until it thickens stirring constantly, remove from heat and refrigerate 2 hours.

Whip the other cup of milk with the vanilla flavoring until soft peaks form and fold this into the chilled mixture and pour this along with the cherries into your ice cream maker and proceed as per its instructions. The cherries will color the ice cream slightly pink.

I made two batches - one like this with the reconstituted cherries and another smaller batch of plain vanilla (that I couldnt keep my spoon out of and almost ate all of it before creating this post) that I mixed in some chopped up dried cherries after the ice cream was made and frozen.

Did I forget to mention that this is for the MarxFoods Ridiculously Delicious Challenge? Oh, well it is. All the contestants received 8 mystery ingredients (the same ones) and we were to use two of them to complete this challenge. I chose the dried sour cherries and the coconut sugar resisting all temptation to make something using every single one. I made ice cream and tarts and I spun the sugar into threads.

The tarts are simply puff pastry folded artistically with a filling of cream cheese, coconut sugar and dried sour cherries then baked at 400 until puffy golden and delicious.

The coconut sugar was heated on a very low flame until hotter than lava and then whipped and drizzled and teased into threads.

Two scoops, one of each of the cherry vanilla and vanilla cherry, a tart and some sugar threads. I used my very antique ice cream scoop but you can easily make quenelles using two spoons. March 1-4 I will be annoyingly asking for your votes so gear up.

everyday is a special day especially today

2011-02-15T11:53:00.006-05:00

Today is really no different than yesterday, sure yesterday was Valentines day but if you are doing it right everyday is Valentines day. Mae West said "you only live once but once is all you need if you're doing it right" or something like that - I may not have the exact quote but I definitely have the sentiment. Lets use this flourless chocolate cake as an example.

Okay this dessert might look all frou frou but its really quite simple. Whip some egg whites, add some sugar and some cocoa powder and bake at 400 until its set in the middle. Let cool, cut out shapes with a ring mold and arrange on a plate with whipped cream and fresh berries. Its rich, its satisfying and it comes together in minutes. I used raspberries and what I call Mexican whipped cream which is chocolate whipped cream with cinnamon.

What could be more simple than chicken? Spatchcock a chicken and rub it with a compound butter of lemon zest and oregano and bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.

Rice some potatoes, I used yukon gold and sweet potatoes and forced them through the ricer, I also fried up some little shoestring potatoes to use as a garnish.

Make a glaze out of the pan juices and a little corn starch and some lemon juice and honey and drizzle this over each plate. Everyday is a special day and its easy if you just pay attention to the little details.

its hard not to heart heart day

2011-02-13T19:34:00.008-05:00

Let me be perfectly honest - valentines day when I was a kid was probably the same for me as it was for you, full of anguish and anticipation and all those other things that kids felt except..and this is very assuming of me...except I got way too many valentines stuffed into my little shoe box. This little valentines heyday of the simplicity of the little cards only lasted until 4th grade after that things only got worse, and by worse I mean more of the same. Lets fast forward many, many years and we get to where we are now and let me tell you payback is a bitch. I no longer get way too many valentines and thats just fine with me since the whole she-bang got me a little burnt on the notion but I do make sure to treat the valentines in my life right.

Nothing says you care more than a nice brunch and nothing says brunch better than poached eggs and nothing says poached eggs better than poached eggs in a hash brown potato cup and nothing helps you say this better than salmon and hollandaise sauce.

There I said it.

So if you want to impress someone and you want it to really look impressive then serve this up one after another after another until they can take it no more. They will be impressed.

tailgate party with out the tailgate and without the party

2011-02-07T09:41:00.012-05:00

Anymore it doesnt take much to make a food holiday and Super Bowl Sunday is definitely one such holiday. There is much lead up to preparing the right nachos, pigs in blankets and hot wings for this "meal" of grab and go eats. Myself, I am not much of a sports fan, sure I watch the finals and the big games but I dont go in for the long haul of being an actual fan. Whats my point? Pointless. We ate food on Super Bowl Sunday.

Since having a kegger was out of the question I opted for a "healthy" drink made from sweetened hibiscus tea, orange juice and dark rum. The naturally tart and flowery, fruity flavor of the hibiscus woke up with the little squeeze of fresh orange juice and the rum balanced the whole drink out like a long pole for a tight rope walker.

(I borrowed this shot from an old post)

The menu was diverse which translates to "all over the planet" as we had shrimp sushi rolls and salmon sushi rolls that were made and consumed so fast I didnt have time to take a proper photo but if you have read my blog before you will see that I make this often. (this link will prove it and it actually has a little video tutorial) Oh yeah and there was also fried calamari that flew off the plate so fast I forgot we even had it...my son made short order of that two pounds.

The star of the day, in fact lets go ahead and call this star the MVP, was the oyster. We had them raw on the half shell with some hot sauce and chopped onion.

We had fried oysters, but these oysters were fried for a reason.....

Fried oyster Po'Boy has got to be one of the best sandwiches on earth, add a little watercress dressed lightly with lime juice and olive oil, some chipotle mayo and some Zatarain's Remoulade Sauce and you are in business, big business.

Let me end this post by saying "can you believe these pictures were taken with my cell phone?" Yup thats right my cell phone! I hear a lot of people complaining that they dont have the right high-tech this or the right software that and that is why their pictures are not as good as they want them to be - I say phooey on all of that. Its the same thing with cooking, I can cook with a tin can and a heat source - if there is a will there is a way. Taking a good picture is no different than making a good omelete...it takes a certain - as the French would say "I dont know what."

Marx Foods Ridiculously Delicious Challenge - first post.

2011-02-06T12:19:00.006-05:00

Challengers, pick three items from the below list and answer this question:

What ridiculously delicious thing would you do with them if you won?

**The Goodie List**
Kobe Beef Sliders OR Kobe Beef Burgers	Whole Quail OR Semi-Boneless Quail
Wild Boar St. Louis Spare Ribs	Pink Salmon Fillets
Kangaroo Burgers OR Ground Kangaroo Meat	Wild Mushroom Sampler (contents may change)
Live Oyster Sampler	Ultimate Chile Head Sampler
10lb Specialty Burger Sampler	Mega Pantry Sampler
Pekin Duck Breasts	Fresh Blood Oranges
5lbs Frozen Wild Huckleberries	20lb Heirloom Potato Sampler
1lb Fresh Daruma Wasabi	Specialty Sausage Sampler
14lb Dried Bean Sampler	1lb Bourbon Vanilla Beans
Superior Spanish Saffron Threads	2 Live Geoducks
Edible Flower Assortment &Microflower Blend

Your job, as my lovely blog readers, is to guess which items I chose. (pretend you hear the countdown music from Jeopardy as I wait for your answers)...........

............

Ok I wasnt really serious - I have to pick the ingredients - its part of the contest. So what did I pick and what will I do with them?

I pick the Fresh Daruma Wasabi that I will grate in its entirety and use as a face mask and as a bath salt, I am sure it will be invigorating. I also pick the Peking Duck Breasts that I will leave frozen and use as you would cucumber slices to relieve eye puffiness and thirdly I choose the Pink Salmon Filets that I will puree in the blender and use as a rich omega-3 hair conditioner. You see each of these items have curative and restorative properties so why not apply them topically?

Ok, seriously, I would make a deliciously spicy miso and wasabi soup, and since I would have so much I would make a wasabi remoulade to toss with shrimp and after I get a taste of it I am sure I will come up with more ideas so please lay off the pressure I still have to say what I am going to do with duck and salmon. I might make a terrine of the duck or I might make delicately thin slices and stack them layered with potato and mushroom and maybe even serve them with a light wasabi sauce- who knows. Now about the salmon - I will most likely make sushi rolls and perhaps some kind of salmon carpaccio - I might also make a salmon mousse. Now my experience teaches me that if I want to win this contest I will make wasabi mayonnaise, grill the salmon and pan fry the duck and try to keep it all as simple as possible..we shall see.

coconut madras chicken with saffron rice is my kind of good time

2011-02-03T17:32:00.007-05:00

You will immediately notice the vibrant red color of this dish, do not adjust your screens I added a little bit of tandoori spices along with the red chiles to really kick this up and let me tell you it is even more intense in reality.

From the very first time I tasted food at an Indian restaurant I was smitten. The beautiful aromas the fantastic textures and spice blends, all of it created a world that I was going to be fond of forever.

My first attempt to make any kind of curry or masala I must have been 22 years old and since all we do on these blogs is brag about ourselves I will tell you that the goat vindaloo I made was as good as anything I had ever tasted. Many years have transpired since that time and my cooking skills have improved greatly and I can confidently tell you now that while my first vindaloo was good the dishes I make now are top notch.

I am certain that if you did a side by side comparison my dishes would taste as authentic as authentic can get even though they may look a little bit different since I plate them up rather than serve them family style. I served my coconut madras chicken and potatoes with some saffron rice and my own version of raita, which is a yogurt condiment. If you want you can have a little sag on the side (spinach)

Now my naan bread on the other hand has never really improved, I need to work on its execution a bit, these flat breads I made were good and they suited the task but naan it was not.

if you watch closely and if you really want to you can make a great relleno

2011-01-30T15:26:00.009-05:00

Does this look familiar? It should.

First off there should be no excuse for not roasting chiles. Chile tastes better roasted and from a pure dietary perspective they digest better as well, so no more excuses - roast your chile.

You dont have to have a blast roaster or a special outdoor fire pit or anything fancy what-so-ever. Roast the chile peppers under your broiler, and it doesnt matter whether its gas or electric, the skin will char, the flavor will be imparted and they will be easy to peel. Simple as that - roast the chiles for that real authentic flavor - no ifs ands or buts about it.

Secondly I cant believe its been two or three posts since I last posted chiles rellenos, dang where does the time go? (thats supposed to be sarcastic humor) I think you know already that this dish is one of, if not the, all time favorite of me, my guests, my clients and my friends and family, I make them any which way possible. (search chiles rellenos on my blog when ever you have some time to kill). This time I went for the whipped egg white batter and simply stuffed them with queso de oaxaca and queso de quesadilla, easy cheesy and vegetarian.

Thirdly if you want to make it all "mexican restaurant style" then you need some beans and rice. I made some straight forward pinto beans and some spanish rice. This rice has a little tomato, a little garlic a tiny pinch of oregano, a little cilantro and salt to taste, once again if you want the recipe - tough luck.

Pour on some nice New Mexico red chile enchilada sauce over the whole thing, grate a little extra cheese and toss on some finely chopped partially dried cilantro (I like the texture and flavor) and guard your plate you wouldnt want the relleno zombies to catch wind of this delicacy. (you think this is two shots of the same plate but it isnt - look closely and you will see - I made five of these but only photographed the first two) Make rellenos, impress your friends.

soup for the soul is soul soup and this is the real deal lemon peel

2011-01-26T16:15:00.006-05:00

Soup, when the weather is like it is in the Northeast all you hear is soup, soup, soup and it makes all kinds of sense. Soup is soothing. Soup is comforting. Soup is the answer.

A few mornings ago the weather was so cold that soup was the answer first thing in the morning. I woke up to a cold and dark kitchen knowing full well that in an hour or so this tomb would be alive and warm with the fresh hot smells of soup and not just any soup but Sopa de Albondigas otherwise known in english as Meatball Soup.

Aesthetics are a big part of things around here so I couldnt let the meatballs have all the round fun so I took my melon baller and made potato balls to go along with it. This was a breakfast that set the tone for the entire day, soothed, comforted and charged up and ready to go.

Obviously you cant see the two or three tablespoons of chipotle with adobo that I stirred into the pot but you can believe that you can taste it - just the right heat kick. As usual I dont print a recipe since there are enough recipes floating around out there and since most, if not all, of my recipes are my own little secrets. Keep an eye out you might just see a ChezWhat cookbook popping up and while we are on that topic maybe you can let me know what kinds of things you would like to see in said cookbook but until then - have some soup.

pure and simple comfort food disguised as junk food

2011-01-24T17:41:00.007-05:00

Tacos make my son want to do back hand springs, hand stands, tv stands, jump up and down and giggle stands - totally go into some kind of freaky excited stage - stands - back flips, front flips, run in place and act like a maniac flips; he likes tacos and who wouldnt, they are crunchy, spicy and loaded with goodness.

I like to have full control of things so I even grind my own meat.

As tempting as it is to want to eat this fresh ground angus steak raw I have to strongly urge you not to and I especially urge you not to eat the beef raw with a raw egg and some rough cut green onions. While I do enjoy eating steak tartare the FDA would not be happy if I suggested you do the same. So dont do it. Instead heat up a skillet and brown some of the meat then add some onions and garlic and all kinds of secret chile spices until it tastes like Taco Bell, you'll know when its ready, it will smell too good to be true.

Tacos with a crispy shell wrapped by a soft shell are all the rage around here. Cool as they look they actually serve a purpose. The soft shell has a layer of melted cheese between it and the crunchy shell and the soft shell helps hold the whole taco together from the first bite to the last.

You can forget the soft shell and have them straight and crunchy if cool isnt your game.

How ever you have them make sure you eat at least 3 and I am certain you will flip for tacos just like us.

I am not finished yet - the more you leave the more there is

2011-01-22T23:30:00.006-05:00

Ever cooked too much tuna and ever cooked it too much? Fear not my brethren there is hope. Tuna salad made from fresh tuna is not like tuna salad you have ever had.

Take that over cooked tuna and chunk it into a bowl.

Add chopped green onion and hot house tomato and a big wad of mayonnaise.

Make sandwiches on toasted bread. Leftovers fit for a king.

Are you ready, Are you ready for this Are you hanging on the edge of your seat ........

2011-01-21T14:49:00.007-05:00

"Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust "

That is exactly what happened to this chicken. What was once an inspired chicken soup that was cherished and honored became leftovers in less than 24 hours. What do you do with a pot full of chicken and veggies that is sans most of the broth because the broth was lopsidedly consumed more than the rest of the soup? Chicken pot pie is what.

If you thought making salmon cakes was easy then you can do this in your sleep. Make a nice and light crust for the bottom of the pie or if you really want hassle free use a pre-made pie crust, pierce it all over with a fork and prebake it until its golden. (I made this crust in less time than it took to write this paragraph.) Fill baked crust with shredded chicken chunks of veggies and make a little cornstarch slurry and pour over the whole thing to aid in thickening. Roll out a top crust and lay it over the filling and poke with a fork then Bake at 375 until golden, for the last few minutes brush with an egg wash to create a nice silky crust and crank the heat up to 400.

Slice into wedges and serve with a nice white chicken gravy and I'll bet you dollars to donuts you will be making pot pies all the time after you have one delicious bite. Look at all that chicken and the bits of carrot and potato, it screams out to be loved.

You can use mixed frozen veggies if you like, or you can even buy a rotisserie chicken and make it fresh from scratch. Make extra and freeze them for those busy times when you dont have time to cook. Chicken pot pies are about as comforting as comforting can get, add gravy and its cozier than a campfire.

leftovers leftover are leftovers leftover - make good on em'

2011-01-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

Who cares what anyone says for that matter. Everyone has some opinion about something, whether its right or whether its wrong, in fact some people dont even care about that. I have heard opinions from people that literally had no clue what they were talking about. I learn from all of this since its my pirate way. Oftentimes someone close to me will say "if I only had one of your meals I would consider myself lucky" and to which I respond "but you do and you dont even know it."

Once everyone is adequately confused you proceed to throw together some leftovers. Yeah you heard it - leftovers. Leftovers should not have the negative stigmata that they are so keen to attract. Leftovers should be given the same guardianship that they were afforded when they were not leftovers. Chop up some celery, some cilantro, some onion and smash in some soda crackers.

Take that old leftover pistachio crusted salmon*, for instance, and chunk it up then toss in a couple of eggs and mix it along with the crackers and veggies.

Gently fold together

Make salmon cakes

Fry cakes

Plate salmon cake with a little cucumber and carrot salad and float it in a nice orange/ginger and butter glaze. Leftovers given the respect they need is what I am talking about.

*pistachio crusted salmon is leftover from a party I worked whereby 350 guests were fed delicious pistachio crusted salmon, miso glazed halibut and various other assorted delicacies but by some small stroke of oversight there were some things leftover.

fully Enchanted and back in the Apple

2011-01-18T11:02:00.004-05:00

Our little trip to the Land of Enchantment was unexpected, sudden and now over too quickly. Without going into too much detail we had to go and it wasnt for fun but that didnt stop us from enjoying everything New Mexico has to offer. If you are talking scenic vistas thats a given, cool crisp and clean air as well but whats the biggest draw when you get home - the food!

Of course we had all kinds of things at all kinds of places but nothing and I mean absolutely nothing beats eating at my moms house. One of the biggest all time favorites is the green chile and cheese tortilla burger. Now dont go and try and capitalize on my idea and think you can start a franchise because you will run into a little opposition, worse than cinco de mayo, worse than whatever you think is worse and then more worse than that.

The beef needs to be shaped so that it fits in the tortilla better then you add a little green chile and some grated cheese.

Cooked to perfection you can then add whatever you have around, from guacamole on down but dont forget the yellow mustard the mayo and some onions, lettuce and tomato - now this is one damn good burger.

I am a cultural journey but I only go as far as a taco will take me

2011-01-11T14:39:00.008-05:00

Redefining what we know best is probably one of the best ways to contribute to our own cultures and I like to make my contributions to the food of my people. Mexican food is such a loose description for a multitude of dishes and styles of preparation and that is only in Mexico. Mexican food in the USA is something else entirely because you have TexMex, CalMex, ArizonaMex and NewMexicoMex and out of all of these it is only the TexMex that has a cool name. Particular as I am I think that New Mexico makes the best out of all these other versions since we have readily available our own hot chiles that grow exclusively in the Land of Enchantment, if you dont believe me then look it up in Wikipedia. Ok enough of this business of which state makes the best southwestern food - I think we are all on the same page now.

Enchiladas are a big hit and always a favorite and they typically look like this when you order them out. (you might notice that this is the second time I am comparing foods and you would be right, in fact I might keep on doing this for quite some time so get used to it) Now these certainly do look good and they will do in a pinch but this isnt how I like to see them.

Enchiladas Suizas are simply a rolled corn tortilla with cheese and or chicken and then covered with a creamy sauce, chile and more cheese - incredibly simple and from a cost perspective incredibly cheap to make.

I like to serve things a little lighter, a little brighter and a little healthier after all I want to look as good as my food, dont you?

Stick around I am on a roll here showing you how good this stuff can really be, Mexican food does not have to be glop on a plate, it can be refined looking, healthy and tasty beyond your wildest dreams.

Maybe some of you remember when Billy Chrystal did Fernando Lamas on Saturday Night Live and he would say "you look mahvelous, you really do" well thats where I am coming from. Eat, light, eat bright and eat right and you too will look "mahvelous!"

say hello to my little friend - or is that sey hallo tu maij leetle frend?

2011-01-09T19:32:00.015-05:00

Rellenos are my buddies. Stuffed peppers baby, one of my favorites. If I go to a Mexican restaurant - and its rare that I do - I always order a chile relleno, I dont care how bad they are I always have to have a relleno. For the most part those rellenos are a roasted chile pepper stuffed with cheese and fried, a very good starting point, but I like to turn those babies upside down.

Most of you have probably seen a typical platter from a Mexican restaurant - entree, rice and beans with a little shredded lettuce and some diced tomato or a pico de gallo - pretty standard. What if you put those goodies inside of the pepper instead? It could work, a little protein substitution and bada bing bada boom.

For starters the chiles, poblanos in this case, need to be roasted and when I say "poblanos in this case" I am not singling these guys out, no - all chiles are better roasted unless you are making relish.

Stuff them in a plastic bag, a paper bag or put under a moist towel - or do what I did and tear a paper bag open and wet it before covering the hot roasted chiles.

After the chiles have cooled you can peel them under running water and the skins will slide right off, at this point stuff them. I stuffed them with house ground chicken, skin and fat and all, roasted and chopped poblano chile, a mix of grated mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, herbs and spices like green onion and salt and secrets galore with a nice base of toasty brown rice.

Flour them then egg them then flour them again.

Fry them to golden perfection. You are now ready to plate them up but before we do that I have a little contest and the winner will get a prize, if the prize is more important than the contest then you should disqualify yourself now but if you like a mysterious challenge then proceed. Modern decor didnt wake you up Bathroom cabinets meant nothing to you, why would a handful of baubles be any different?

What are these? (hint) they come in other shapes as well. [I didnt zoom in because I want this to be as easy as possible - there is one person out there that might know and I have to disqualify her before hand - sorry] The answer is one word.

Chiles rellenos they way I have grown to like them - fat and large and full of flavor.

posole, the new year, and doin' it right

2011-01-04T14:53:00.012-05:00

Recipes for posole are about as abundant as stars in the sky, I have already posted two or three myself in previous posts, thats not why I am here today. If you want to start the year off right, as in how we do it in New Mexico, then you need to have a bowl or three of some hot and steamy posole with some spicy hot red chile. Posole can kick chicken soups ass any day when it comes to healing powers, in fact posole makes chicken soup look and seem like a placebo. I am not saying that chicken soup is bad but if you have a choice between the two you would be wise to pick posole.

This particular batch of posole has all the New Years punch that a new year needs to be punched with. If it is unsightly and hard to look at let alone think about cooking, then its in here. You will notice that I tied off the trotters - the butcher thought he was doing me a favor by cutting them in half but all that does is allow the lovely marrow to escape so I went ahead and apprehended that little issue.

Pigs feet, tripe and pork neck bones form the base for this holiday nectar then hominy, onions, chile and cilantro help to flesh it out. I cook everything separately since they have different cooking times and then I combine them all later.

With chile or without its up to you but if you opt for no chile you better creep off and eat it where no one can see you, I would hate to see you suffer from the embarrassment of eating this without chile, its even hard to type that without cringing - sorry Marjie.

You can add red chile sauce or cook some hot pods right in with the soup and then ladle them into your plate so that you can scrape out the chile goodness and discard the peel. (you might notice some blue corn in there too, I discovered some blue hominy when I was visiting my family in New Mexico in August and I was anxious to try some - now these are not chicos but rather what looks like large blue popcorn- its good and earthy with rich corn flavor, not like white hominy at all)

Start your new year right - have some lentils, have some black eyed peas but do not and I repeat do not forget to have some posole, it still isnt too late.

who doesnt like brunch doesnt know

2011-01-01T23:04:00.007-05:00

Brunch is probably one of the best inventions in the land of meals, everyone loves brunch, people love to say brunch and they love to eat brunch and I am one of those people. I love brunch and I can honestly say that brunch loves me.

I had the most overwhelming craving for hash brown potatoes this morning. The thought of the crunchy yet creamy texture of these luscious spuds was all consuming. I knew my guests would be as happy to have this as I was to prepare it so while everyone was still snoozing I set to work on making a simple brunch of poached eggs and potato.

Poached eggs are so dramatic. Poached eggs demand attention. Poached eggs are spoiled little brats.

Red chile is one of the best flavors to pair up with eggs and taters. New Mexico red chile is like eating sunshine and who wouldnt want a little sunshine on the first day of the year.

End of the year end of the years year end end of the year stuff

2010-12-31T17:29:00.004-05:00

Everyone seems to do a "best of" post at the end of the year - not me since that would involve posting every single post all over again - if you have any favorites you might remember what they are and you can go back and look on your own, nope for me its a day just like any other day - sort of. January first is the exact day I moved to New York City - I did that so that I would never forget, I planned it that way and waited outside of the Holland Tunnel so that I could drive in just a little after midnight (it took a little bit to get through the tunnel.) That was 1985 - some of you were not even born yet and some of you were cute little pre-schoolers and some of you were already over the hill - me I was 24 years old and fresh from New Mexico (well I did turn 21 in Paris and I had lived in Texas and Florida so I wasnt that fresh from New Mexico)...

Yes, I have changed a lot on the outside but not too much on the inside - for many, many years I had very long hair, in fact I only got rid of the long hair when my son was 2 and that was 2000.

This is how I look now - New York has given me much and I have given NY much in return. So there you go - the best of issue for 2010. I HOPE EVERY ONE HAS THE MOST ABUNDANT AND GENEROUS 2011 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Eve - stockings stuffed - traditions galore - bring on the abundance

2010-12-24T08:29:00.008-05:00

No matter what I will never get tired of tamales. Tamale making is a big part, no a huge part of my cultural heritage and while we may not gather around in huge extended family groups here in New York City we still get the job done, well I get the job done. I am pretty fast at throwing together a couple dozen tamales and I do it often throughout the year but it is at this time of year that these little wrapped packages of chile goodness take on their magic. Modern decor can abound but the simple tamale will always shine in its perfection. How perfect is a corn husk wrapped around corn masa wrapped around your favorite filling?

When I was a kid in New Mexico my mom and grandmothers and aunts would get together and make massive quantities of these bad boys and because of the sheer volume of of tamales produced the "tamalada" was a big deal. (a tamalada is simply a tamale making party but you can google it for a more specific definition) As a result we all grew up thinking making tamales was a lot of work and it is when you are making enough for our huge clan - that translates into dozens and dozens and dozens and then dozens more.

Around these parts I make a couple dozen whenever the mood hits, 24 tamales is really no big deal and if you want to search "tamale" on my blog you will see how often I make them throughout the year. Did I tell you how much I love tamales? I think of my old friend Buffalo Dick now whenever I make them since he always thought making tamales was similar to climbing Mount Everest, complete with Sherpas and extreme conditions and I wish I could have had the chance to show him how easy it really is - Buffalo you will always be on my mind.

Nostalgia is a big part of the end of the year and I wanted to take the time to reflect back on what a wonderful year it has been. Sure there have been some setbacks and some loss but when it is all said and done the beauty and the hope always shines through. We have all grown as people, as bloggers, as writers, as artists, as cooks and most importantly as a community. What ever holiday you celebrate I hope it brings you joy and if you were anywhere near me you would be receiving a little tamale gift(s) because someone told me once that giving tamales at the end of the year will bring both the giver and the receiver a wealth of abundance so my virtual friends I give you ALL tamales! (vegan, vegetarian, chicken, pork and sweet - you can have your pick and just so you know how non traditional I keep this tradition the tamale plate pictured above is wild mushroom and queso de oaxaca with simple red chile sauce - vegetarian all the way and take out the cheese and its vegan). HAPPY HOLIDAYS and A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

holiday cookies, holiday cheer, holiday ornaments and no bahumbug

2010-12-14T16:18:00.007-05:00

When the weather outside is frightful and the fire is so delightful and the weather man says it will snow, it will snow, it will snow - that is when you wished you lived in a tropical climate. New York City is a beautiful place in the snow and at the holidays but you have to brave the cold to enjoy it and the best way to do that is with a little hot chocolate and some biscochitos.

Biscochito? Whats a biscochito you might be asking yourself. Well, a biscochito is literally a little cookie. Anise and cinnamon are the driving flavors behind these little shortening crumbles that my grandmother used to make pretty much year 'round but for some reason I always associate them with the holidays. Dont expect some old hand me down recipe here - pretty much like everything else I take what is old traditional and I put my own little spin on it.

Christos Biscochitos

1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening (I made the lavender flower batch with butter)

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

4 cups flour

1/2 tp salt

1 tp cinnamon

1 tp anise (I also made a batch with lavender flowers so 1 tp of lavender flowers)

coating

(I altered the traditional cinnamon and sugar coating to include unsweetened mexican chocolate, anise seeds and lavender flowers)

traditional coating

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tps cinnamon

Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy (extra fluffy even- if you want) add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a dough is formed adding more flour if necessary. Roll out on a floured surface and cut like you would sugar cookies. Bake in 400 degree oven on greased cookie sheets or sheets lined with parchment or on a silpat (like I did) for 8 minutes until the bottoms are golden. While still warm sprinkle on the coating mixture and let cool till firm.

Put them on a plate and invite your guests and friends over for some hot cocoa.

We sat around sipping our cocoa and nibbling on our biscochitos making christmas tree ornaments, like we do every year. Every year we make ornaments out of something different. We have made them out of the bakeable clay, we have made them out of wire , we have made them out of sticks and pine cones - you name it - this year they are made out of used soda and beer cans.

I think you will agree that they are absolutely beautiful. Its the season of joy and I hope each and every one of you find more joy than you can handle.

you better crack out your mexican cookbooks or ask rick bayless - this aint yo' mamas taco

2010-12-12T15:46:00.008-05:00

Dont think this is a sope or even confuse it with a hurache and if you said taco or chalupa you are not even close. (start googling - now) Tlacoyo (pronounced tlaw - coy - yo) is in a class by itself and while these are typically served simply with crema and cotija they are even better with a little fresh salsa of jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, tomato and onion - according to me.

Corn masa. You can use blue corn, red corn, yellow corn or white corn its up to you and I dont care what anyone tells you I can taste subtle differences in each of the corns, some are sweeter some more earthy so in my book its more than just color.

Anyway, you make these similar to a pupusa, fat like a sope, shaped like a huarache and they are stuffed. Cheese, beans, guajes, chicharron you have some filling choices, these are stuffed with refried black beans.

Tlacoyo is ready when you are, if you want to break away from the tacos of everyday then this is the dish for you.

What is wrong with this picture? I will tell you - its the knife and fork - tlacoyos are meant to be eaten with your hands - I cheated because I didnt want to get any on my new shirt.

fresh flour tortillas and a recipe -I know - totally insane.

2010-12-09T13:24:00.010-05:00

Growing up we had flour tortillas with almost every meal - no let me make that clear - we had flour tortillas always. I was probably a teenager when I had eggs with toast for the first time and I have to tell you it put me off a little bit at first - I wasnt sure what I was supposed to do. In fact this played a big roll in why I turned down sleep overs at my friends houses when I was little - I didnt know what was going to happen if they didnt have tortillas at breakfast. Tortillas were and still are a mainstay in my household and they are so easy to make.

Basic Flour Tortillas

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of shortening cut into small pieces

(I use bacon fat that I keep in a container in the fridge)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

3/4 cup warm water

Directions:

In a bowl, blend flour, salt, baking powder and shortening (cold bacon fat) until it resembles fine meal.

Add warm water a little at a time to flour mixture and knead gently until liquid is incorporated. Water amount will vary with different flour types. Form dough into a ball and kneed on a floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, careful not to over work it or the tortillas will not roll out instead they will bounce back.

Divide, and make 12 smaller balls. Cover and let stand at least 30 minutes.

Cooking Tortilla:

Roll each ball of dough on a floured surface to make 6 or 7 inch sized tortillas. Place on a pre-heated griddle (comal) or cast iron skillet and cook till medium golden on both sides.

Remove to a basket lined with a cloth towel or put between a towel until cool. After the tortillas have cooled completely, store them in a plastic bag.

This recipe will make approximately 12 flour tortillas.

Fry up some eggs, make some red chile and you are living like a champion.

If you are in a huge hurry have a quesadilla to tide you over.

I put a little cheddar, a little powdered red chile and some scallions in my quesadilla. Make yourself some fresh hot tortillas and your life will never be the same. If you havent voted yet the Iron Foodie 2010 contest is still on and I am not even close to winning.