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