This is a (really great) Cookbook

This is a short post...just want to share this cookbook filled with recipes for real food - seasonal stuff, not too fancy or complicated. It's by Eli and Max Sussman and I love it. 

I've had it a few weeks now and so far, I've cured bacon and made grilled flank steak, roasted squash and jalapeño coleslaw. Can't wait to make the roasted corn soup, grilled peach salad and panzanella next summer. (...and tons of other stuff like spicy aioli, orzo salad, roasted leg of lamb, Korean short ribs, grilled whole fish, homemade pasta....)

If you like approachable, simple food - get this cookbook!

Makin' Bacon

I'm completely fascinated by chefs that cook 'nose to tail' style - using every part of the animal - like kidneys, brain, feet and more. One of the most front and center of these chefs is Chris Cosentino. Often as his restaurant Incanto in San Francisco, he'll offer a plate called "Odds and Ends" making amazing dishes out of what many chefs toss. Some say gnarly, I say let's try it. If you're an Instagram user, follow Chris - he's fun. He also founded the artisan salumi company, Boccalone, and they make the most amazing salami and other tasty salted pig parts. I love the orange and fennel. The head salume (the guy who actually makes all of this art), Stephen Pocock is a Baltimorean and a very cool guy. He also runs his own business called Damn Fine Bacon, which keeps Bay Area bacon enthusiasts quite happy.

So, yes...I'm a fairly adventurous eater now, but I was kind of a picky eater as a child. Being the youngest of six (five older brothers) I learned to eat what I was offered...and to grab it pretty darn quick. As I started to cook somewhat seriously in these last few years, I began to try my hand at what I guess I'd call "projects" like preserving food and making things like bread, cheese, pasta and more. Then, when I saw a recipe for curing bacon in Max & Eli Sussman's (awesome) new cookbook, I decided that bacon was next. And, by the way, I've made several things out of the cookbook (the flank steak is awesome and easy) and I love it. Very approachable, good stuff. Highly recommend this cookbook.

First question was where to go to get the 5lbs of pork belly. I immediately thought of the Green Onion Market in Hamilton, which also happens to be run by Bill DeBloom, a 'kid' I grew up with in Kingsville. Ha, kid...we're in our mid-40s now! Bill runs the place with one of Baltimore's own nose to tail guys, Winston Blick of Clementine. These fine folks have been curing their own meats and creating some of the most creative and delicious charcuterie around town longer than most B'more restaurants. They also sell their own housemade charcuterie to many local restaurants, too. I have to say that the word charcuterie - basically, the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, pâtés, etc, primarily from pork - sounds so fancy and foreign at first. But it's really not. It's a simple thing with a fancy pants name...and to me, it's just beautiful. 

Other good spots I like to visit for charcuterie? Bluegrass in Federal Hill and The Wine Market in Locust Point. So flipping good. Look at this little number from The Wine Market. (sigh.)

Back to the bacon. First, the pork belly was from local pigs raised at Zahradka Farm, a local farm that Clementine works with all the time for the restaurant, market and also a very popular local meat CSA. So, Winston was excited to share their own pig with me, the eager student. I followed a New York Times recipe by John Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn, co-authors of Charcuterie. (I want that book - hint, hint...) It was very clear and easy to follow. Basically, you choose your flavors, rub them onto the pork belly and then put it in a zip-loc bag in the fridge, turning it over daily. Then, at the end of 7-8 days, you simply cook it in the over on 200 for 90 minutes. You can also use a smoker, but well, I don't have a smoker and I can't imagine I will be getting one anytime soon.

For the recipes and techniques, I also consulted the Sussmans' cookbook. The only modification I made was to skip one ingredient - pink Himalayan sea salt. It makes the bacon pinkish in color - similar to bacon you'd buy in the store - but it also contains nitrates and Winston said I could definitely skip it at home. He said my bacon would look sort of grey until I cooked it - and he was right, of course. I made one savory bacon rubbed with fresh herbs and garlic and one sweeter kind with brown sugar and coffee. 

This weekend I used my bacon as a garnish in my grits and in my butternut squash soup - so, so good. 

What kinds of cooking projects do you like to do? Are you a pasta pro? A bread baker? Or maybe you're a cheese whiz? (Sorry, that was too easy...) Which end results do you think are worth the time and effort? I feel like bacon is something I will do at home over and over. Really super easy.

There is always more to learn. Onward!

Risotto is your friend

I'd always been told that making risotto is a bear. All that stirring, stirring, stirring. Blah, blah, blah. How do you know when it's done??  But thanks to the wonderful folks at America's Test Kitchen, I've found that it's not that hard. Risotto actually is your friend.

I've written about this show before, but it is well worth repeating: America's Test Kitchen is like no other cooking show. These talented cooks prepare recipes over and over and over, modifying them along the way in order to find the best way to make just about anything. If you like to cook (and learn) and you've not watched this show on public television - and its sister show, Cook's Country - get on it! They also review products and cooking tools on each episode, which I find especially helpful. Host Chris Kimball is adorable, nerdy and fun, so that's a plus, too.

Last year, I bought their MAMMOTH cookbook, which lists all of the recipes from the last ten years of the show, plus a shopping guide (ie: what's the best hot sauce, cheese grater, chef's knife) and also a great conversion and equivalencies guide. I've made a bunch of things from the cookbook - the best so far being mushroom risotto, oven fried chicken and beef stew. Yummm.

I highly recommend becoming a member on their website. I'm a member of Cooks Illustrated online, which is part of the same group of cooking sites. You can try a FREE 14-day trial membership, then if you want to continue after two weeks, it's about $30 for the year. This gives you access to their excellent recipes and videos.

Okay, so back to their fabulous mushroom risotto recipe. So good. I wanted to just eat it out of the dutch oven...but, alas, we got out the plates. Also, I've shared two other risotto recipes I've made over and over.

 Butternut Squash Risotto with Saffron and Sage

Spring Green Risotto

It's getting cold out. Time for some comfort food!

Need a little more help?
Risotto tips from the kitchn
Risotto 'how to' video
Even MORE tips!

Oh, for the love of figs

Figs...

They always seemed a little too exotic for me. Fancy pants. I didn't grow up eating things like figs - we were more of a steak and potatoes kind of family. But the older and wiser (cough, cough...giggle...yep, I said wiser...) I get, the more I want to try new things. So, when I discovered fig paste, I was intrigued. It was on a cheese plate at The Wine Market with Manchego cheese, honey, toasted baguette slices with olive oil, sea salt and pepper...it was the best flavor combo. So simple and perfect! I was in love. Soon, there I was...buying fresh figs at Trader Joe's. I found a recipe for fig paste online and made a pint of the sweet and savory goodness. Shared it with some friends and it was a hit, so I thought I had to make it again. But this time, I went a little crazy. I filled many, many  jars of it...and this time, PRESERVED it! (Feeling so domestic, hon.)

I recently posted about canning...it's so much fun. Here are a few helpful references on both figs and canning:

Successful home canning
Hot water bath canning
Bon Appetit fig recipes and tips
The fig and the wasp

And, some photos of the canning process.

Also, check out this great sandwich - fig, prosciutto, Fontina. Oh em geeee.

Fig tart goodness

Some flavors that love to be with figs:

Honey
Cheese (everything from goat to blue...)
Bacon
Thyme
Crème fraîche
Prosciutto
Orange
Raspberries
Walnuts
Port

And, because it was there on the curb calling my name, I bought a fig tree at Whole Foods and it has a great sunny spot in the backyard. It's three years old now and bore teeny tiny fruit this year...can't wait for next year! The fig tree makes me really happy. 

Feed your soul. My soul likes figs.

Yes, we can!

Whatever you choose to call it - canning, preserving, putting up - I'm into it. I used to be pretty intimidated by the idea of preserving food, it just seemed so, well...domesticated. So, I started out with one of the easiest things you can make...applesauce. It made me feel like, okay, wow. I did it. I didn't realize how easy it was going to be, clearly! Then, later I moved onto jams, jellies, tomatoes and pickles. For the last few years, I've made some pretty darn good fig jam. I sold a boatload of it last year and didn't save any for myself...that's not gonna happen this year. I've already hoarded some...

It's such a bummer when those gorgeous, flavorful, locally grown fruits and vegetables are gone...womp, womp, wommmp. You walk through the farmers market kicking yourself - shoulda coulda woulda. But it doesn't have to be that way...you can savor it! You probably have a friend who's always posting on Pinterest or Facebook about canning and other DIY projects. Ask them to help you get started - working with an experience canner is a great way to learn. Or, jump online and Google what you'd like to make, watch some videos, get yourself the gear (or McGyver your own) and your ingredients and recipes - cucumbers (I love pickles), radishes, tomatoes, apples...etc) and go to town. Get 'er done!

I found a super simple way of canning tomatoes via my very, very, very favorite food blog, the kitchn. As you will see if you click on this link, you just put fresh tomatoes in a roasting pan under the broiler for about 8-10 minutes on each side and just let them cool...then they peel very easily.

Then, onto the canning part...grab your jars and lids and boil them in a stockpot for about 15-20 minutes. Pull the jars out using a jar lifter and let them cool a bit. Fill the jars with the tomatoes, put the lids on and submerge the filled jars in the boiling water for another 20. Using your jar lifter, remove the filled jars from the boiling water, let rest and cool on a kitchen towel. This is the important part: you will hear each one seal with a "thump" sound. They don't all do it right away...don't panic. Sometimes they can take as long as an hour or longer to seal.

Can't wait to get a big 'ol load of tomatoes from the farmers market this weekend. It's gonna be so much fun - a canning partay in Hampden. I'm also going to make this tomato basil jam - oh, my!

Whatever you're preserving, be sure to do your research and follow directions very carefully to be sure you're working safely. This is not a project where winging it will work. This is especially true with tomatoes. Here is a great book to help you along the way - Food in Jars - I want it!







Grab a friend and put some stuff up! Come winter, you'll be glad you did.

My favorite time of year

Fall is the best. Just this week, there's a slight chill in the air, football season is here (and WOW, baseball is still exciting...how cool is that? Go O's!) and soon, the leaves will start their gorgeous transformation. Fall also brings on heartier cooking - for me, it means lots of roasted veggies, soups, stews and other comfort foods. Go to any local farmers market and you'll see squash, pumpkins, beans, apples, greens and much more.

At the Waverly Market, I love to visit the bean man, Thomas McCarthy. He's the quiet, unassuming man with a warm smile who sells the most amazing fresh, shelled black beans, chick peas, butter beans, white beans and more. You can make so many great soups using beans - and if you add greens, you add a whole lot of flavor and vitamins, too. I like to make white bean and ham soup. Soups like that are easy to modify based on what you have on hand. I usually try to use fresh beans and rainbow chard - stalks and all. Yummmmm. Also, Cook's Illustrated's white chicken chili is a big favorite - and has a nice kick from THREE kinds of hot peppers. Whoa!

Last week, I got yellow spaghetti squash from my CSA. Wasn't sure what to do with it...so I asked my 'go to' gal, Joan Norman of One Straw Farm for some advice. She said to prepare it like butternut squash (cut it in half, remove the seeds and roast for 40 minutes.) Once done, use a fork to scrape out the inside of the squash. It shreds easily and has a consistency like spaghetti (thus, the name...duh.) When I roasted it, I added honey, sea salt and olive oil and it makes a great side dish. And, once I remove the flesh, my backyard chickens get to enjoy the skins!
















Whether your favorite fall dish is mashed sweet potatoes, turkey chili, butternut squash soup or something else, get to that kitchen! Host a supper for friends, share with neighbors or freeze the goodness for enjoyment later this winter.

Here are a few of my fave fall-esque recipes:

mashed sweet potatoes
pappardelle with butternut squash and blue cheese
cheddar corn chowder
white bean and rosemary soup
beef chili with kidney beans
butternut squash risotto with sage and saffron
perfect pot roast

What are some of your favorite fall dishes?

The hard part

Loss is a part of having pets. If you've ever lost a pet, you know. It's brutal. Even with chickens.

Over the course of about a week, a predator killed all three of my new backyard chickens. They were two months old and had personalities, names and favorite snacks. As I found each one dead over the course of week or so, I became more and more discouraged. I kept thinking, this is nature. Farmers deal with this stuff all the time. Still, I stood over that little coop and cried.

I knew going in that a hen's time in the coop is limited. They can lay eggs anywhere from two years on up...sometimes as long as seven years. That's pretty rare. I have been thinking a lot lately about what to do when egg production slows down. I am hoping that one of my friends out in the country will take them in and let them stay through their golden years. Or maybe I can find a place like this chicken sanctuary in Portland. Wherever they end up, once they're gone from my care I understand that I won't have a say in what happens to them. I just know that I cannot end their lives. I just can't. I guess I'd be a terrible farmer. I'm sort of a faux farmer...but, I love my girls.

The older three hens (a little over a year old now) are each laying about 4-5 eggs each week and it's the perfect amount of eggs for my household between just enjoying them for meals and also using them in baking. I also trade fresh eggs with friends sometimes. Those girls are very attached to me...or maybe like any other pet, it's all about the food? Either way, they follow me around...telling me stories of their day and they make me so happy. They free range all day and my neighbors tell me they like to hear them in the morning, subtle clucking and the occasional squawk when they've laid an egg. When I'm home, my yellow lab Henry hangs with them, too. Usually they just ignore each other...I really lucked out there. Many of my friends say their dogs would not be so patient or sweet. Henry's downfall? His love of heirloom tomatoes.

Some people say giving farm animals names is not the best idea. But, hey, I live in the city...so I figured why not. But names create identities, attachments and expectations and that certainly complicates things when you have a tragedy like my recent one. My older three hens are named Millie, Dottie and Edie - my little old ladies. Next flock will probably not have names...maybe just nicknames that I use when I'm out in the yard with them. My mom grew up on a working farm in Harford County and she agrees...no names next time. We'll see, I guess.

I'm learning so much. And even though it's been really hard at times, I'm in. My friends call me the crazy chicken lady. And there you have it.