Chili Verde

• 1 pork shoulder
• 1 large white onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 2 24 oz jars salsa verde (I used Herdez)
• 1 jar jalapeno salsa (Mrs. Renfro’s)
• cornstarch
• cumin
• salt
• black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• cilantro (optional)
• flour tortillas

Equipment: Stockpot, pot, skillet, bowls and plates for prep, 2 knives and cutting boards, colander or strainer.

With very sharp, thin-blade knife, separate fatty layer from pork shoulder and save.  Cut pork meat into cubes. Set any pieces containing a lot of connective tissue aside, along with shoulder bone.

Slice onion. Dice about ¾ of the onion and leave the rest in larger slices. Mince several cloves of garlic.

Place cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork fat; cook until grease is rendered.

While preparing grease, put pork bone and connective tissue in pot with 8-10 cups of water. Add about 1/3 cup whole peppercorns, ¼ cup cumin, bay leaf, and the onion slices.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Allow broth to cook for about half an hour, or until reduced by about 1/3.

Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet.  Saute in the pork fat until soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes, then place in bowl.  If the skillet is low on grease, add the pork fat again to allow a little more grease to build up in the skillet.

Toss the pork meat cubes in salt and pepper.  Add in batches to the cast iron skillet, allowing the cubes to brown on each side for 1-2 minutes.  Place browned meat on tray lined with paper towel.

Strain broth mixture into a large, clean bowl. 

Place large stockpot onto pre-heated burner (you should have a couple of these!)  Place pork and onion mixture in stockpot, allow to cook for a minute or two, then add both jars of salsa verde and about a third of the pork stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for an hour or two, stirring periodically.  Taste for consistency and flavor.  Add about a third cup of jalepeno salsa (more or  less, to taste) for heat, cracked black pepper and cumin for richness, and 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch for thickness.

Keep a small amount remaining pork stock on hand to thin, if needed.  Place the remainder in plastic containers and freeze for future use.

With a spoon, crush pork cubes.  Place cover back on the stockpot and let simmer for about another hour.

Garnish with a sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired.  Serve with warmed tortillas.

Brunner?

Every year, millions of dollars are spent on relationship advice; it's the bread-and-butter of bookstores,talk show hosts and psychologists. I've been in a long-term monogamous thing for years now, and have found  a single, nearly universal piece of advice: whatever the nature of your relationship, regardless of color, creed or orientation, there is one thing that keeps dudes happy. Brinner. Trust me on this one. Make brinner often, and you'll have a happy home.

Tonight, I didn't exactly make brinner; that would have involved far more frying and stirring than I could handle Instead I whipped up a simple quiche. Dare I say it? Brunch for dinner = Brunner?

Bacon and Spinach "Brunner" quiche:

Ingredients:

• 8-10 slices bacon
• 6 large eggs
• 2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 2-3 cups spinach leaves, roughly torn
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• Salt and pepper
• 2 deep-dish frozen pie crusts*

*I find that it just isn't worth the time and effort to make my own crusts for something so savory and heavy; I save that effort for a dish which highlights the flakiness of homemade crusts.

Equipment:

• Cast iron skillet
• Large mixing or batter bowl
• Spatula
• Whisk
• Cutting boards and knives
• Small plate
• Paper towel
• Aluminum foil

{ingredients: eggs, onions, sour cream, spinach, salt, pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese}

Preheat oven to 375°. 

On one chopping board, cut bacon into pieces about 2-3 inches wide. (Put those utensils aside for washing at once.) On second chopping board, dice onion.

Place cast iron skillet on cold stove. Add bacon pieces and increase burner heat to medium-low. Fry until crisp and place on small plate that has been lined with paper towel. Keeping the burner on medium-low, add diced onion to rendered bacon fat. Cook until translucent, about 7 minutes.

Add eggs and a dash of salt and pepper to the mixing bowl. Whisk slightly. Add sour cream and about a cup to a cup and a half of the cheese, stirring until smooth. Add bacon, onions and spinach, stirring until just mixed.

Pour half of the mixture into each pie shell. Sprinkle the top of the pies with additional cheddar cheese. Tear the aluminum foil into thin strips and cover edges of the pie crust to prevent burning.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the quiche has set and the center is no longer runny. You can remove the aluminum foil in the last 5 minutes of baking.

{Bacon-spinach quiche}

If I'm feeling fancy, I pop the reliable Pillsbury tins into my Louisville Stoneware pie plates. You know, to keep up appearances.

Great with banana bread and additional bacon strips. Brunner is served.

Cheers, y'all.

HCW

Food in Real Time: Monday's breakfast

Kind of a pain-in-the-behind morning here. The day after the day after Daylight Savings Time is always the most brutal, plus I'm coming off a four-day college basketball bender. As I attempt to peel myself off the couch, a task that lies somewhere between daunting and insurmountable, I'm enjoying coffee and banana bread. But not just any coffee and banana bread.

 {Dancing Goats coffee and Tyler Florence's Banana Bread with Pecans. UK Wildcats coffee mug-- gift from my sister-in-law; dessert plate via Fiesta in the beloved and long-retired Rose hue.}

The coffee is Dancing Goats --   the best roast we've ever found. Seriously, y'all. We got hooked on this amazing roast when we lived in Nashville -- it was the house blend for an amazing cafe near our house--and now we bribe any and all Southbound friends to make a Smokey and the Bandit-style coffee run so that we can keep our bean habit alive. It's an amazing dark roast that can be used either for coffee or espresso. The first note you taste is of bittersweet or dark chocolate. The chocolatey note is followed by a very smooth, non-acidic body, uncommon in a roast this dark. The finish has a slightly citrus note -- too delicate to be orange; clementine, perhaps. Add some half-and-half, and it's heaven in a cup. On particularly brutal mornings, when I know we'll run through at least a pot, I grind the beans, then add about a teaspoon of cinnamon to the filter and stir so that the grounds are evenly coated. It gives a subtle, lovely flavor and cuts more acidity.

The banana nut bread is a variant of Tyler Florence's recipe. The texture is more like a banana pound cake than the usual quick bread, due to the inclusion of two eggs. I alter the recipe by mixing all the bananas into a banana cream with the Kitchenaid wisk attachment,  rather than leaving a few that were mashed; I don't care for the chunky texture of traditional banana bread. I also throw in about a teaspoon of cinnamon and about 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. Oh, and I omitted the powdered sugar.

Cheers, y'all!

HCW

Creole Shrimp and Grits

2 lb unpeeled 26-30 count raw shrimp

¼ cup olive oil

1/3 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp Creole seasoning *

• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 1 to 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• Garlic powder
  

*Prepared Creole seasoning, like Tony Chachere’s, is fine, but I find it has an overly salty taste; I keep a jar of homemade seasoning on hand: 2 parts cayenne pepper to one part each salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and oregano

Peel shrimp, reserving shells; devein shrimp. Bring shells and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes or until stock is reduced by nearly half. Pour shrimp broth through a colander over a large bowl, pressing shells with back of a spoon; discard shells. (I use a large pyrex mixing bowl, with measuring demarcations, such as the Pampered Chef batter bowl, so that I can easily measure the amount of stock being used)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot (I use the 10 gallon Le Creuset stockpot) over medium heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until a caramel-colored roux has formed (about 10 minutes). Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in 2 cups shrimp broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, Creole seasoning, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 10 minutes, stirring in ¼ to ½ cup remaining shrimp broth to reach desired consistency.

Meanwhile, bring milk, 2 ½ cups water and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Add garlic powder and shredded cheese to taste. Simmer 2 more minutes. Serve shrimp mixture over grits.

Serve with with warm, crusty garlic bread and Louisiana hot sauce.

Mint Juleps

Mint Juleps:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water 
• Maker's Mark Bourbon Whisky*
• Club Soda 
• Mint Sprigs 
• Shaved Ice
• Chilled silver julep cup or Derby glass
  

Make a simple syrup by adding 2 cups sugar to 2 cups boiling water; bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Fill cold julep cusp about 1/4 full of syrup, and bruise a couple of mint leaves in the syrup. Add Maker's Mark and crushed ice (just pulse it in the food processor), and top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.

*Never argue with a Kentuckian about his/her choice of bourbon. Many folks love Woodford Reserve , while Early Times is the official bourbon of the Race. I'm a Maker's girl, and I'll never be convinced otherwise...

Ina's Boef Bourguignon with HCW's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten/ Food Network

Note: I used a Le Creuset Stockpot for preparation. Spirits used included a 2007 Côtes du Rhône
and Hennessey V.S.  

nocoupons

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
• 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• 1/2 cup Cognac
• 1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
• 1 can (2 cups) beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound frozen whole onions
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For Serving:nocoupons

• Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices.

Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

 

HCW's Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

• 5-7 large russet potatoes
• 1-2 sticks butter
• 1 cup cream or half-and-half
• 4-5  cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste.
  

Place unpeeled garlic cloves in small baker or cast-iron skillet.  Roast in oven for 45 minutes until soft and fragrant. 

Wash potatoes thoroughly.  Add to large cooker containing 8 cups of water, on medium-high heat. Bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat.  Let cook until soft.  Drain, cut potatoes into large chunks.  Add all ingredients, including peeled garlic cloves, to bowl of Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.  Using paddle attachment, mix until mostly blended, allowing some chunks to remain.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've tried many recipes, including the overpublicized one from Magnolia Bakery, but the classic version is the best.  I'm thinking of substituting blue food coloring for tailgates and game nights....








Cupcakes:

•    2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•    1 1/2 cups sugar
•    1 teaspoon baking soda
•    1 teaspoon fine salt
•    1 teaspoon cocoa powder
•    1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
•    1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
•    2 large eggs, at room temperature
•    2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
•    1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
•    1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cupcake pans with foil muffin liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

In Kitchenaid stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed. (Use paddle attachment to mix)


Spoon into muffin tins.  Cook 25-30 minutes.  Yields approximately two dozen cupcakes.


Cream Cheese Icing:

•    3-4 cups confectioner’s sugar
•    1 Eight oz container cream cheese
•    1 stick sweet cream unsalted butter
•    2-3 tablespoons vanilla extract *

In Kitchenaid stand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese.  Pour in vanilla extract, to taste.  Add confectioner’s sugar by cup, adding until desired consistency and amount is achieved.  (Use whisk attachment)

* Vanilla extract: in clean, sterile bottle, cover 1 vanilla bean in Absolut Vodka.  Let sit for at least six months.  Add vodka and additional vanilla bean as needed.

Deliciousness in 12South

We kicked off the Holiday Weekend with some delicious flavors in Nashville's cute and eclectic 12South neighborhood: fantastic pizza from Mafiaoza's topped off by the Food Network-famous Mexican popsicles at Las Peletas. 

Mafiaoza's consistently delicious Brooklyn-style pizza is made with excellent ingredients; personal favorites include the oil-packed sun dried tomatoes and the spicy link Italian sausage.  TLOML and I are fans of the "18" Don", which provides some late-night leftovers to take home.  Other favorites include the Da Vinci, two huge manicottis stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach in a rich Alfredo sauce, and the unique scampi cakes, an appetizer portion of deep fried balls of chopped shrimp, red pepper and garlic served with a light lemon-basil aoli. Our lazy Friday evening got off to a lovely start with a sampling from the massive wine list (which is broken down by Italian region) and the similarly expansive tap list. Happy Hour is 4-7 weeknights, with 2 for 1 drinks; be prepared for uneven service and pasta entrees, delicious pizza, and long lines at night.

After our fabulous, filling dinner, we decided to cool off at Las Peletas.  We had planned to try these gourmet popsicles for quite a while, and were prompted to finally seek out the famously-hard-to-find shop after watching their recent Food Network appearance.  I certainly think we will be back again soon!  TLOML had a honeydew popsicle which, although overly sweet, had the clean and pure taste of the melon.  My peach popsicle was far better, the consistency of frozen peach nectar and perfectly balanced.  The Mexican Caramel which we shared had the classic taste of dulce de leche.  We intend our next visit to be more adventurous, with tastes of hibiscus or chocolate chili.  We also need to remember to bring cash-- Las Peletas doesn't take plastic!

Our little 12South excursion started the weekend on a laid-back and delicious note that I would recommend to visitors and locals alike.

Rendezvous

Rendezvous, originally uploaded by heathercw.

Tucked in an alley just by the Peabody Hotel is Memphis' famous Rendezvous. This is, hands down, the best barbecue I've ever eaten. The ribs, generally not my favorite dish, are dry-rubbed in spices that form a hardy, moisture-sealing crust around the smoked meat. The legendary sauce unleashes the flavor of the rub nicely. TLOML and I also sampled the sandwiches (we were exhausted and famished after hours at Graceland!) and found both the pulled pork and chicken to be first rate. The real standout, however, were the baked beans, which were seasoned with chunks of the pork barbecue.

Rendezvous lives up to its reputation as one of the South's top BBQ joints with its first-rate food and rapid, no-nonsense service. Our waiter exasperatedly informed us that "you can only order beans and slaw, 'cause that's all we've got", after similarly informing us that "we've only got Michelob on tap." After I realized to just shut up and let the man bring me some food, I enjoyed one of the best meals in recent memory.

Atomic Cafe

Max surveys the crowd, originally uploaded by heathercw.