Pistachio Pesto Penne

I owe pasta an apology.  I’ve abandoned it for a bit.  I didn’t hate it!  But somewhere along the way, I just lost my desire for it.  It would sit there in their boxes on the shelf in the cupboard.  Just waiting.  And waiting.  Not being opened.  Just sitting there in their place in the pantry.  But one day recently, I realized I missed it.  And now I can’t get enough.  I’m so sorry to have abandoned you dear pasta.  Please forgive me.  I have no idea what I was even eating all those weeks – rice, perhaps?  I promise to never leave you like that again.  You come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, and go so well with all types of concoctions – tomato sauce, meatballs, cream sauces, olive oil…and pesto.  After trying you with this creamy pistachio pesto, I don’t know how I ever could have abandoned you!  Plus, who can turn down an opportunity for alliteration?

Ingredients
¼ cup pistachios, shelled and salted
¼ cup basil
¼ cup tarragon
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces pasta (I used penne)
1/3 cup reserved pasta water
1/3 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions
To make the pesto:  Place pistachios, basil, tarragon, and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse.  Slowly pour in the olive oil while the food processor is still running.  Set aside. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and make the pasta according to the package directions.  Be sure to reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water before draining. 

In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, mix the pesto, reserved pasta water, heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Once everything has been heated, add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat.

DIY Canning & Preserving 101

When I was growing up my mom grew her own vegetables and fruit, raised chickens, canned tomatoes and made everything from bread to soap. I have not quite followed in her footsteps, but now and again I take on a project or two. I've made orange marmalade and lately I've been making batches of tamales. I've dabbled in window box herb gardening and last year I bought a kit to make cheese.

I'm not alone. Activities like preserving, canning, DIY, gardening and even raising chickens are all surging in popularity. Whether it's a desire to get back to nature, or to just feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with making something to your own taste, these experiences can be deeply satisfying. If you're not sure where to start, or if you are looking to take the next step, there are plenty of good resources out there to get you going. Here are some of my current favorites:

Williams Sonoma recently launched Agrarian, which is designed to get you up to speed in various foodie DIY activities, preserving, gardening and more. The carefully curated line of products includes everything from guides and kits to make cheese, kombucha and sprouts to garden tools, planters and even deluxe chicken coops and beekeeping supplies. As you'd expect, Williams Sonoma has sought out the best quality and often most stylish products.

And there are plenty of exclusive products that you won't find anywhere else such as Beekman heirloom seeds and seed "bombs" and gorgeous Sophie Conran designed garden tools. Online you'll find how to guides and videos. This is a particularly great place to find a gift for someone who is at any level when it comes to gardening or DIY.

Hedonia blogger Sean Timberlake is the mastermind behind Punk Domestics, the go-to aggregator site for preserving, canning, cheese making and more. Instead of searching individual blogs, you can visit Punk Domestics and find posts on a wide variety of topics having to do with jams, jellies and preserves, pickling, salumi and charcuterie and even foraging. Head over to see the latest or dig in when you're ready to try something new. Let the links on the right hand for things like Drying and Dehydrating or Home Brewing do the research for you.


Here are some books on preserving and DIY I have used and recommend:

If it wasn't for Vanessa Barrington's book DIY Delicious, I never would have tried and succeeded in making corn tortillas. In addition to recipes for ingredients, Barrington also shares recipes for how to use your new creations such as spicy kimchi (hello!) and spicy soft tofu soup with kimchi. This is not a preserving book per se, but more about culinary DIY.

Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it and Can it, Bottle it, Smoke it are two books that cover a wide variety of projects you can take on at home. From easy ones like making chocolate hazelnut spread to more complicated ones such as smoking your own pastrami or making masa from scratch and everything in between (think vanilla extract, beef jerky, ginger beer, graham crackers, etc.) A number of the recipes in these books are also in a long out of print favorite of mine, Better than Store-Bought, which you can occasionally find online, but Karen Solomon's book are much more contemporary and hip.

In The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook Rachel Saunders creates jams with enticing fruit and floral combinations like rhubarb rose conserve with cherries, blueberry jam with mint, Italian prune and cardamon conserve, pear jam with rosemary and pine and boysenberry jam with lemon verbena. Need I say more?

Chef and restaurateur Paul Virant's handsome book The Preservation Kitchen includes recipes for pickles and relishes, jams and marmalades as well as bittersweet preserves specifically mostarda and aigre-doux (a kind of sweet sour vinegary preserve of fruit or vegetables) and fermented and cured foods in addition to pressure canned preserves. The second part of the book consists of seasonal recipes using the preserves. 

Home Made is a hard book to describe; it's got a little bit of everything, like preserving vegetables, making broth, herbal teas, cheese, ice cream, chocolate and mustard. The layout is amazing with lots of photographs, technique shots and even hand drawn illustrations. There are also tons of recipes that just use fresh ingredients.  The seasoned labneh balls in olive oil are particularly good. 

Put 'em Up and Well-Preserved are two great books on preserving, and include drying, freezing and dehydrating. Both have compelling recipes and easy-to-follow clear instructions. It's hard for me to say which of the two I like best, the major difference is that Put'em Up is all about preserving, whereas Well-Preserved focuses on small batch preserving and also includes recipes for using the preserves such as preserved zucchini in a shrimp and preserved zucchini salad.

More links:

National Center for Home Food Preservation
Canning Across America note the monthly canning Twitter chats
Canning: Recipes & Instructions from Epicurious
Preserving and Canning Food from Better Homes & Gardens
Karen Solomon Author and Preserving Expert
Food in Jars blog

Some of the books were provided as review copies

Bison Tacos with Avocado & Radish

American bison are an important part of the prairie ecosystem and after a decline almost to extinction around the end of the 19th century, today there are many ranchers working hard to bring them back. I enjoy cooking and eating bison (sometimes referred to as buffalo). The brands I've tried thus far have all been grass fed, lean, raised in a more sustainable manner and well, delicious. You may be able to find ground bison at your supermarket and it's pretty easy to use in recipes that call for ground beef. Bison steaks however are another story.

Because most bison is grass fed, it's leaner, like grass fed beef. Considered a highly nutrient dense food, it's lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than even chicken, it has 40% more protein than beef and is high in iron, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Without rich marbling, it needs more tender loving care. Wild Idea Buffalo recently sent me some samples of their products. Their ranch is located in South Dakota between the Black Hills and the Badlands National Park and their herd is raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones. I knew immediately what I wanted to try with the New York strip loin steak. An extremely lean piece of meat, I knew I would cook it quickly, searing to get some nice color and flavor, and serving it very rare. Because it is so lean, it's particularly good paired with something rich, like avocado.

I got my inspiration from a Martha Stewart recipe, Beef Tacos with Avocado and Radish Salsa. My adaptation is very close to the original. Here's what I did differently. I used bison instead of beef and I used a lot less of it! I rubbed the steak with oil and just sprinkled it with both cumin and chile powder. I used fresh jalapenos instead of picked ones and I added scallions. Most importantly I made my own tortillas. Please, do yourself a favor. Buy a tortilla press
and a big bag of masa harina (Maseca is a good and easy to work with brand) and never settle for store bought tortillas ever again.



Bison Tacos with Avocado and Radish (adapted from Everyday Food, Martha Stewart)

Makes 6 tacos

Ingredients

10 ounces bison strip loin steak
vegetable oil
chile powder
ground cumin
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
4 radishes, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2-3 tablespoons cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, diced, more or less as desired
2 limes
pinch salt
6 small corn tortillas, preferably homemade

Instructions

Allow the steak to come to room temperature. Pat it dry with paper towels then rub it with a just enough vegetable oil so it is glossy, but not slick. Sprinkle all sides with chile powder and ground cumin. Heat a cast iron skillet. Sear the meat 3 minutes on the top and bottom and then another 2-3 minutes on the other two sides (loin is almost square shaped). Allow to cool 10 minutes then slice thinly.

Make salsa by combining the diced avocado, radishes, green onions, cilantro and jalapeno. Slice the limes in half and squeeze them over the salsa, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, gently mix then taste. Adjust seasoning as you see fit. Heat the tortillas, top with slices of steak and salsa.

Enjoy!

If you are interested in trying bison, you can receive a 20% discount by using the code Amy-Buffalo20 at Wild Idea Buffalo Store  through July 1st, 2012.


My thanks to Wild Idea Buffalo for sending me samples of their products to try.

Chewy Pistachio Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the love child of Alton Brown’s “The Chewy” chocolate chip cookies and the Momofuko Milk Bar “Compost Cookies.”  Of course, like many children, they possess traits that neither parent can understand or account for, and toss out many of the notions their parents hold dear to fit their new world view.  In this case, that world view is to have a bunch of movie snacks together in one ever-chewy cookie form! Pistachio, pretzel, dark chocolate, and semisweet chocolate… a beautiful melody of sweet and salty.  These cookies do come with one rule, though.  You must drink them with a glass of milk.                      

Ingredients 
1 cup unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
2 ¼ cups AP flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground coffee
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pretzels
2 ounces chopped dark chocolate
½ cup salted and chopped pistachios
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Instructions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and ground coffee.  In another bowl, mix the chocolate chips, pretzels, dark chocolate, and pistachios.  Pour the butter into the work bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.  Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, then cream on medium speed (will take a few minutes).  Add the egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract.  Mix them until everything is well combined.  Slowly add the flour mixture.  Once that has been incorporated, add stir in the chocolate chip and pretzel mixture.  Chill the dough at least an hour.  Heat oven to 375.  Scoop the dough out in about ¼ cup-size portions.  Bake about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Pour the 1 cup of milk into a glass.  Dunk cookie in milk for 6-13 seconds before eating.  Enjoy.

Day 194! Vietnam ~ Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Nuoc Cham (Vegetarian) - Up Next Yemen

Tuyệt vời - That's as close as I can come to the Vietnamese translation for the word awesome. Vietnamese food is my very favorite Asian cooking style, as it relies on fresh, clean flavors and is much lighter than my close second favorite, Thai cooking. Plus the standard combination of mint, lemon grass and basil is just insanely, insanely sexy -- in an herby way. Without even thinking about it, I can tell you that  any time I'm lucky enough to get to a Vietnamese restaurant, I always order the Spring (Summer) rolls. I love the look and texture of the the rice paper wrappers, crunchy fresh vegetables, chewiness of the tofu, cellophane noodles and sweet/hot mix of the accompanying sauce. And of course, they're just so pretty. I've made won-tons, pot stickers and egg rolls before, but have never attempted these until today. All I can say is...dayyyam, these are slammin'. Working with rice paper took a little getting used to as it's super thin and very delicate, but after a couple of clumsy tries, I got it down. I hope you will too!

Map Courtesy of Lonely Planet

Vietnam is the eastern-most country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Bordered by China, Laos, Cambodia and the South China Sea, this beautiful country boasts lush countrysides, mountains, a sparkling coastline and rolling rice fields. Having survived colonialism, communism and capitalism, Vietnam has finally come into its own and now considered one of the most spectacular countries on the earth to visit. The country became independent from China in 938, but was later colonized by the French in the mid 19 century. After the fist Indochina war, the French were expelled from the country, leaving Vietnam divided into south and north Vietnam. Following the Vietnam war in 1975, a communist government ruled the country until 1986 when market-based economic and political reforms took hold.

Cuisine in Vietnam is influenced by Chinese, French and Indian traditions. Dishes differ from region to region, but for the most part, fish sauce, shrimp paste soy sauce, rice fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables form the basis for this extraordinarily healthy food. Herbs such as lemon-grass, mint coriander and Thai basil leaves flavor and scent Vietnamese cooking. Unlike Chinese cooking that uses a fair amount of oil, Vietnamese cuisine uses far less oil and relies on fish, chicken, pork beef and seafood for protein. Known for beautiful, healthy vegetarian dishes (influenced by Budhist traditions and values), broths and soup-based dishes are also commonly eaten.


The basics: red leaf lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, mung beans, chilies and daikon

 Mint - the stuff that takes over my garden

 Julienned carrots and cucumbers

 Serrano chili for the Nuoc Cham sauce

 Rice paper wrappers (made in Vietnam)

 Working on a damp tea towel, lay the rice paper out, then put the lettuce leaf on first then layer the other ingredients - roll into a tight cylinder, tucking the ends in 1/2 way through.

 Slice on the diagonal and serve with sauce

Vietnamese Summer Rolls (Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Asian Cookbook)

8 rice-paper rounds, (12-inches in diameter)
8 red-leaf lettuce leaves, stems removed
2 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked in warm water for 15 min. and drained
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
1/2 small cucumber, peeled and seeded, then finely shredded
1/2-lb. block extra firm tofu, cut into 16 slices, each 4-inches long by 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh mint
leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro

Working with 1 rice-paper round at a time, soak the round in warm water.

To assemble each roll, lay a lettuce leaf horizontally on the bottom half of the moistened rice paper. At the base of the lettuce place several strands of noodles, 1 teaspoon of the bean sprouts, and several leaves of mint and cilantro. Be careful not to over-stuff the rolls. Lift the bottom edge of the rice paper and carefully place over the noodles and other ingredients, then roll once to form a tight cylinder. Fold in the sides of the rice paper and continue to roll the rice paper and filling into a cylinder.

Place the prepared rolls, seam side down, on a platter and cover with a damp kitchen towel. The rolls can be held at room temperature for several hours before serving.

Just before serving, cut each roll in half at an angle. Serve with Nuoc Cham.

Nuoc Cham (condiment)


3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 serrano chile, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 tablespoon grated carrot
1 tablespoon grated daikon

Using a mortar and pestle (or mini food processor_), grind together the garlic and sugar until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and 1/4 cup of water. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and add the chile, carrot, and daikon. Makes about 2/3 cup.

© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Favorite Bites - Burgers, BBQ & Beer

The final event of Culinaria was possibly the most popular or at least the best expression of of San Antonio--an outdoor barbecue with a casual, fun and friendly vibe. The theme was burgers and there were several that broke the mold. I picked up some tips and ideas for places to visit on my next trip, as I did at the Grand Tasting (which you will find bolded), best of all it gave me another excuse to visit the Pearl.

The Pearl is the name of what was once a landmark brewery in San Antonio. The grounds which are set on the river, are now home to the latest campus of the Culinary Institute of America, shops, restaurants, bars and a thriving farmers market and small but lively amphitheater. A visit to San Antonio is not complete until you've been to the Pearl.


First up, the venison burger with onions, cucumber and a pickled pepper. It was so rare and juicy. I'd want to check out The Esquire Tavern based on this burger alone.


Another top pick came from chef Johnny Hernandez who runs La Gloria, a Mexican street food restaurant at The Pearl. It was a pork belly and short rib burger, topped with house made kimchi and also featured cucumbers. Note to self, when tomatoes are out of season, try a cucumber slice instead. It was served on a steamed bun, a nod to it's Asian influence.



My last favorite burger was a very innovative one, and it came from Arcade, a restaurant that has not yet opened at the Pearl. It was a thin chorizo "burger" on a bun with spicy arugula and crumbled feta. A thin sausage patty is a great compromise when you can decide between a sausage or a burger!


A black currant macaron with chocolate filling might have resembled a burger, but it was in fact the quintessential French Parisian style macaron. It was so light and with just the right amount of filling. This was no ordinary macaron but a truly outstanding one, the best I've had in a long time. Look for Bakery Lorraine goodies at the Quarry farmer's market.

My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.

Sausage, Spinach, and Quail Egg Breakfast Salad

I know this sounds really weird, and also involves frozen pre-cooked sausage patties, but it has been working for me recently.  This combination came to me in an extreme moment of hunger that suddenly attacked me.  I started scavenging the fridge and pantry trying to come up with something that felt substantial and that was super quick.  The results of my kitchen raid included spinach, turkey sausage patties, some leftover baguette, and two quail eggs.  So I thought about it a bit, realized I could throw some spinach in a bowl, dress it a bit, place the sausage on top, and then the fried eggs.  I mean, what isn’t better with a fried egg on top?  I was quite wary about the taste of all this together, but when hunger calls, usually anything will do.  I actually liked it!   Then I found myself making it again and again, morning after morning, and I realized I was actually eating a salad for breakfast – which is odd for me.  I’m not generally thrilled to eat them at dinner. But apparently if you give it to me in the morning I’m excited, feeling oh so rebellious, subverting some unspoken food norms about appropriate breakfast foods… 

Ingredients 
1 cup spinach
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
handful of sliced grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 patties (or links) cooked breakfast turkey sausage (so we get these frozen precooked ones that you just pop in the microwave for like a minute; they are so useful to us! But obviously you can use any form of breakfast sausage that you want)
2 fried quail eggs (or one regular egg)*
pinch sea salt
pinch red pepper flakes
2 toasted baguette slices for serving

Instructions
Place the spinach, scallions, and tomatoes in a bowl.  Drizzle the red wine vinegar and olive oil and toss a bit.  Sprinkle black pepper.  Place the cooked sausage links over that.  Place your fried egg over that, then sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Slice and toast baguette, and spread a bit of butter on one side.  

*To fry the egg, melt butter in skillet on medium heat.  Crack egg into skillet and fry just until egg white is cooked, or sunny-side up, roughly 1 minute.

Favorite Bites from the Grand Tasting at Culinaria

One of the most elegant events at Culinaria, the wine and culinary arts festival in San Antonio, is the Grand Tasting at the Convention Center along the River Walk. Attending an event like this (or even just reading about it) allows you to pick up some great tips and ideas for future culinary explorations--both dishes to try on your own and a head's up about restaurants that are worth seeking out on future visits (find my tips in bold text).


At the Grand Tasting I had three favorite dishes. First was something very creative and tasty, compressed watermelon with pop rocks! Mainly it was just a lot of fun, juicy and crunchy and crackly. It's definitely a dish with a sense of humor, and while prepared by the chef at the hotel La Contessa restaurant Las Ramblas, it is available from their food truck, Tapa Tapa. I believe it also had a dab of black garlic. Pretty too. Compressing watermelon is a technique to try using a vacuum sealer, no sous vide necessary!


The next dish I really loved was a twist on Italian bread salad called panzanella. It was burrata, tomatoes (undoubtedly ripened in the hot Texas sun) with torn bread, micro greens, balsamic and roast chicken. I'm usually in the "please don't ruin Caesar salad by adding chicken to it!" camp, but in this case, it really worked. The dish was from Luke, a restaurant I got to visit last year.


The last dish was coconut ice cream with fresh red curry, pickled mango coulis and Thai basil micro greens. A sweet and spicy savory bite, I loved the cool sensation of the cold coconut ice cream with the hot curry swirled into it. A very innovative and unsual dish from James Beard nominated chef Jason Dady who runs several restaurants in San Antonio as well as a food truck.

I just noticed all these dishes had micro greens. Not sure why they are in vogue in San Antonio, but I guess you could call it a trend...

My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.

Strawberry Lemon Buttermilk Muffins

I went to the store last week intending to get a quart of buttermilk.  On a side note, I should point out that when I say “I’m going to the store,” it means I am going to our usual grocery store.  No other place is referred to as “the store.”  Any other grocery store is called by its proper name.  It took awhile for Seth to catch on to this, but now I think he gets it.  According to him, any store can be called, “the store,” but that’s just ridiculous, right? Back to the buttermilk.  They only had half gallons of it, so I threw caution to the wind and said, fine, I will use this entire thing before it expires.  And I did!  We had buttermilk biscuits three times during the week ( I may have an addiction), we had buttermilk marinated chicken drumsticks, a buttermilk ice cream, and of course, these muffins.  I just love the way buttermilk adds that tangy moistness to baked goods. 

Ingredients
1 ½ cups chopped strawberries + 2 tablespoons flour
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
zest of Meyer lemon
juice of Meyer lemon
½ cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
lemon curd, for serving, optional

Instructions
Heat oven to 350.  In a small bowl, gently coat the strawberries with the 2 tablespoons flour together and set aside.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.  In a large bowl, mix together lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, buttermilk, sugar, oil, and vanilla.  Mix the dry ingredients into wet, stirring until just combined. Gently mix in the strawberries that have been tossed with flour.  Line a muffin pan with liners then divide batter among the prepared cups.  Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Serve with lemon curd, if desired.

Food Trucks at Culinaria

I'm in San Antonio for Culinaria, an annual food and wine festival with events that range from BBQ to beer and burgers to a grand tasting. For the first time, the events included a food truck round up (hey, it is Texas after all). A $10 ticket got attendees into the event and included beer and wine--including some wines from Texas hill country.


I waited in line the longest for the Say-She-Ate, a food truck chosen best food truck of 2012 by the San Antonio Current. They were serving Akaushi beef sliders with grilled onions and blue cheese and duck fat fries. Akaushi is a Japanese wagyu style beef, and cattle are raised in Texas. While I would have preferred the slider a little less well-done, it was still flavorful and delicious. The fries were great too, though another truck was cooking them in beef tallow and they were crispier.


My favorite bite of the night was from the Duk truck. Duk stands for Dady's Underground Kitchen, but you wouldn't know that from looking at it since it was covered with rubber duckies.


Or from trying their speciality, duck tacos. They were out of tortillas by the time I got there, but chef Jason Dady improvised and served a soft, fresh pita topped with luscious duck confit as tender and juicy as pulled pork, with Thai basil, cilantro, fresh pineapple and crema.


Another great innovative fusion dish was from Spice Runner. Thai coconut hot wings were served with a cooling yogurt sauce and lime wedge. The wings were crispy and the sauce creamy and rich with a hint of peanuts.


Finally for dessert a bread pudding from the Guilty Pleasures truck I would have sooner expected to find in a restaurant. A large portion of super moist bread pudding studded with nuts, dripping with boozy bourbon sauce and topped with ice cream, whipped cream and couple of wafer cookies. What can I say? Everything's bigger in Texas.

If you haven't been to a food truck event, here are my tips:

* Go early! Lines form quickly at popular trucks and are also a good indication of good eats.

* Divide and separate. Each person in your group should choose a different truck and line then meet up to share bites.

* Chat with your neighbors in line, you'll learn what's good and make new friends. It will also help pass the time more quickly.

* Check out the menu before you get in line, there usually aren't a lot of choices, so be ready to order when you do get to the window. You may even be able to research what trucks will be at an event and what they will be serving before you arrive.

* Bring small bills for paying and tipping.

My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.

Spicy Chorizo Dip

So here is an embarrassing admission.  We have lived in Southern California since September of 2008 and we have only tried chorizo for the first time like a month ago.  That’s four years without tasting one of our region’s most delicious local delicacies.  It is pretty ridiculous.  So I finally got around to picking some up a few weeks ago, but for some reason, I pictured it being like a sausage in a casing, and that I would slice it then brown it with some garlic and red bell pepper and maybe serve with a fried egg and toast for breakfast.  Well, it wasn’t actually sliceable.  The mixture turned out to have a sort of runny consistency.  I basically just had to squeeze the mixture out of the packaging like it was toothpaste.  I was surprised by that, but I figured I would put that runny quality to good use and make it into…wait for it…a dip! How surprised are you? The crazy thing is that this dip is intensely delicious, like a spicy, meaty bruschetta.  Perfect with some sliced, toasted baguette or tortilla chips.

Ingredients
1 10 ounce package pork chorizo
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ leek, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves chopped
1 ounce cream cheese
1 tablespoon Mexican crema, optional

Instructions
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add the leek, scallion, jalapeno, garlic, and bell pepper.  Toss in the fresh herbs.  Let the vegetables and aromatics soften for about 3 minutes.  Add the chorizo and mix together.  Let everything cook together, about ten minutes.  Stir in cream cheese and the crema and keep over low heat until the cream cheese has melted into the mixture.  Serve with baguette, chips or whatever floats your boat.

Day 193! Venezuela - Alfajores: Dulce de Leche and Coconut Cookies - Up Next, Vietnam

Got myself a nasty little spring cold, but that's not enough to stop me from trying these amazing Alfajores cookies. I mean really - cognac, lemon zest, dulce de leche and coconut? A litle Hennesey will surely help with the congestion, and what sick girl doesn't feel better with a plate of cookies? I am a woman of appetite. Said to be traditional tea time or snack cookies, these have a wonderful, somewhat biscuit like texture that I love, and despite the ultra-rich dulce de leche filling, the cookies themselves are not over the top sweet. There are recipes for dulce de leche from scratch, but I used the quick version in which sweetened condensed milk is simply baked until golden brown. If you want a special cookie, with a unique South American flavor, I highly recommend you try these little gems of goodness.

Map Courtesy of Lonely Planet

Located on the northern coast of South America, Venezuela (Bolivian Republic of Venezuela), borders Columbia, Guyana and Brazil. This beautiful country's biodiversity includes habitats that range from the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Basin Rainforest, Llanos Plains and the sparkling Caribbean coast, to the Orinoco River delta in the east. Animal life includes manatees, Amazon River dolphins and crocodiles (to name but a few), as well as at least 1,417 bird species. Literally thousands of fungi and plant varieties grow wild in Venezuela, as well as at least 25,000 varieties of orchids. One the world's largest exporters of oil and oil reserves, Venezuela's economy has recovered from difficult years spent laboring under dictatorships, economic crisis and attempted coups to become a significant player in the global economy.

Cuisine in Venezuela varies greatly by region, but is influenced by indigenous and European influences, as well as by African and Native American traditions. Corn, rice, plantains, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, squash, beef and chicken are all staple foods enjoyed in this country.

Cream butter, sugar, then add egg yolks and egg

 Lemon zest gives the dough a wonderful, citrus flavor 

 Corn starch and all-purpose flour make a light cake flour

 Can anything with Hennessy by bad? That's a rhetorical question

Kneed the dough, then let rest for 15 minutes

 Cut into 2" rounds

 Spread dulce de leche on one cookie, then top and roll sides in coconut

 At my husband's suggestion, I drizzled a little dulce de leche on a few cookies

 Presto - these lasted about 10 minutes in my house before the dudes devoured them

Alfajores (Recipe Adapted from About.com)

12 tablespoons sweet unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cognac
2 1/2 cups cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Dulce de Leche
Grated coconut

Cream the butter and sugar together, then mix in the remaining ingredients except the dulce de leche and coconut until well blended. Knead on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth and let rest for 15 minutes.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 20 minutes. When cool, spread some dulce de leche on the bottom of half the cookies and press another cookie on top, allowing some of the dulce de leche to squeeze from the sides. Roll the sides in the coconut until the sides are covered.

To make dulce de leche:

Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil. Place the pie plate in a in larger shallow pan filled with hot water. Do not allow the water to cover the smaller pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored.


© 2010-2012, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Mango Blackberry Salad

If Seth had his way, we would be posting a picture of a bowl filled with blackberries.  And only blackberries.  And actually, it wouldn’t be a whole bowl filled with them.  Probably just a small handful.  Seth is very picky about fruit...  The list of fruits he will eat consists of Granny Smith apples and sometimes a tiny bit of blackberries.  Extensive, isn’t it?  (Editor’s comment: This is completely false by the way.) Vegetables are a different story.  He eats them happily.  But since it is mother’s day, I am getting my way and mixing some blackberries with mango (the horror!) and then drizzling with some lime juice, zest, and fresh mint.  A refreshing, simple salad.

Ingredients 
6 ounces blackberries
1 large mango, diced
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

Instructions 
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl then serve.

Grilled Mega-Spice Mushrooms

One of the best things in the world is grilling at night.  Something about the mix of the cool air, dark sky, and brightly lit, red hot charcoal is almost magical.  That scent of smoldering briquettes of wood wafting through the sweet air of the night – intoxicating! All those juxtapositions and contrasts makes the act of night grilling simply awesome.  These grilled mushrooms share the same sort of contrasts – sweet touches of cinnamon and sugar play off spicy cayenne and chile powders to make for a truly addicting appetizer.

Ingredients
Mega Spice Mix:
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 ½  teaspoons oregano
1 ½ teaspoons basil
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons New Mexico chile powder

Grilled Mushrooms:
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ tablespoons mega spice mix
1 bag charcoal of choice

Instructions
For the spice mix: Place all the seasonings in a bowl and mix together.  You will have leftover mix so keep in airtight container.

For the grilled mushrooms: Place the mushrooms in a medium-sized bowl.  Drizzle the canola oil and toss the oil with the mushrooms using tongs.  Sprinkle 1 ½ tablespoons mega spice mix, coating all the mushrooms evenly.  Set aside and prepare grill.

If using charcoal (highly recommended!), light charcoal according to package directions or using your favorite method.  We like to use a chimney starter, because no lighter fluid is required, and the coals will consistently light and burn down in around 30 minutes, regardless of wind conditions.  We get a lot of wind here, so it is very helpful!  Once 80-90 percent of the charcoal is ashed-over, spread them into a single layer, put cooking grates on, cover, and let the grates heat up for five minutes.  Adjust height of charcoal and air vents, if applicable to get a nice hot temperature (around 350-400 degrees).

If using gas grill, set temperature to high (350-400 degrees) and cover for 5 minutes to heat cooking grates.

Using a paper towel or dish rag, coat cooking grates with a thin layer of canola oil.  Try to not let it drip down onto the coals to prevent flare ups.  Place halved mushrooms on grill, cut side down.  Cover, and come back in about 2-3 minutes to check on them.  Once they’ve started to soften up just a bit, and the bottoms have a nice char, remove from grill and serve hot.

Day 192! Vatican City - Potato Gnocchi with Roman Gravy - Up Next, Venezuala

Today was the first day in several weeks that I've had a big enough block of time to dig into cooking a meal from the Vatican City. Delving into recipe ideas, I came across several for potato gnocchi with Roman gravy. Never having made gnocchi, I decided to give this a try, and boy was I glad. The recipe was easy, fun to make and the gravy was absolutely delicious. I used a small top round roast which I ground in my food processor. The result was a gravy with wonderful flavor and texture. My husband came home from work and promptly scoffed down an entire bowl - which I will just call dinner. If you've never tried making these and have kids, it makes a great family cooking project. If you don't have sweet little ones underfoot, make them for the fun of it and throw down a big old bowl along with a glass of hearty chianti classico. Ciao!

Established in 1929 by the signing of the Lateran Treaty, the Vatican City is a landlocked, sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. The Vatican City is also the smallest independent state in the world in both area and population. An ecclesiastical or sacerdotal  monarchical state, it is ruled by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, who also holds judicial power as well as principal legislative and executive power. Owing to its mild, Mediterranean climate, the Vatican Gardens (which cover more than half of the territory), are an impressive and beautiful tourist attraction with rich historic and botanical value. Initially planted during the Renaissance and Baroque era, the gardens are also enhanced by magnificent fountains and statues. Some of the most famous and magnificent art work is also housed within these ancient walls.

Roman cuisine is generally simple, relying on seasonal availability. Peas, artichokes, and fava beans are staple vegetables and lamb and goat are commonly eaten meat. Pecorino Romano and ricotta as well as strutto (pork lard) and prosciutto are enjoyed. Olive oil is used as well, but mostly for cooking and frying. Pasta and meat sauces are naturally enjoyed in homes and in restaurants through out the city. This is some of my personal favorite kind of eating.

I used starchy russet potatoes

 Peel and boil in salted water

 Mash through a sieve for best results 

 Add beaten eggs

 Add flour

 Blend until mixture is smooth, but not mushy
 Roll out into finger width strips (size of strip and pieces depends on your preference)

 Roll each piece down the back of a fork - then cook in boiling salted water

Roman Gravy: Top round beef, carrots, onion, celery and parsley

 Grind beef in food processor

 Fry vegetables, add meat, tomatoes and wine, then simmer until thick but not dry

 Ground peeled tomatoes

 Serve with gravy and pecorino cheese

Potato Gnocchi

3 large russet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
sea salt

Peel potatoes and boil in salted water until soft. Reserve potato water.
While potatoes are still warm, mash through a sieve. Mix in eggs, flour and salt until mixture is soft.
On a floured board, roll potato mash into long, finger-thick strips and cut into 1" pieces (or bigger if you like).
Using the back of a fork, roll each gnocchi down the back of the fork to make a grooved imprint on each one (this apparently catches the gravy better)
Bring the pot of salted potato water back to a boil, then add gnocchi and let them cook until they rise to the surface.
Once they've risen, let them cook another 15 seconds, then remove and drain.
Serve with lots of gravy and grated pecorino cheese.

Roman Gravy (Adapted from aboutroma.com)

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 handful of parsley, chopped
1 pound top round beef
1 16 ounce can ground peeled tomatoes
1 glass red wine

Season meat with salt and pepper, cut into chunks then pulse in a food processor until ground but still with plenty of texture.
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and fry onion, carrot, celery and parsley.
When browned, add beef and fry, then add red wine and tomatoes.
Simmer until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened.


© 2010-2012, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved