So the other day I was consumed by a culinary quest. I love hibachi, especially steak hibachi. The steak, when done right, comes out amazingly juicy, and is served with a sauce that takes its delicious taste from good to awesome. Well we had a boneless rib-eye and I thought what a perfect complement to it.
Well that is where the simplicity ends. Do you think I could find this shit on the internet anywhere?! Any search of “hibachi sauce” “sauce that is served with hibachi” etc yielded countless hibachi menus, restaurant websites, all of which did not bother to mention what they served with their hibachi (bitches)
Finally after almost 20 minutes of searching (I know it’s hard to be me) I finally found a website (yes a whole freakin website. I follow “Chucks Easy Recipe” but there are others if you feel more ambitious) that listed all of this elusive sauces many aliases, one of which was Yum Yum Sauce (gotta love the Japanese. Why come up with a fancy name when you can just get right to the point. The sauce is yummy = yum yum sauce) The others were white sauce, shrimp sauce, sakura sauce
Well here is the recipe, and let me tell you it lives up to its name. I served it with a pan-seared steak (nom) and cauliflower.
1 cup mayonnaise (Chuck insists quite ardently on Hellmanns)
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon melted butter
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
Whisk all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and smooth. The sauce should then be refrigerated over night so that the flavors can meld. I have to admit I did not and it still tasted good but it is exponentially better today….just an FYI
Monday, August 29, 2011
Boozing 101
So today was very similar to driving a car with no gas. I was out late last night enjoying watermelon margaritas and a round of the Twilight drinking game (more on that later) and then woke up unconscionably early to attend Papermania with my dad, sister and aunt, THEN went to Guido’s, all with a case of post-drinking dehydration and little sleep. Well in the midst of all of this ordered chaos, I get a call from a dear friend with a project. She has recently purchased a bar and wanted advice on stocking it. The project basically consists of creating a list of necessary libations, as well as recommendations as to where to save or splurge on brand, and a general pecking order of importance so each necessary bar component can be purchased in order of necessity (we are young, broke and beautiful after all). She expressed concern that this was an unfairly arduous request in light of my dilapidated state but I assured her the challenge would both be fun and would provide me with a good blog article (This is where you come in neglected reader)
So here are my thoughts.
Necessities:
Vodka: Clear libation, distilled from fermented grains, potatoes, or fruits, with its origins in Poland and Russia. I think this is one of the first bottles that should be invested in. It’s taste is very subtle and therefore it mixes well with a number of things. So if this is the first bottle you buy it has the most variety of potential as well as the most mass appeal.
Investment?
The key question here is “do you like martinis?” (or Vodka Tonics, or any other drink where the Vodka is the predominant player) I ask because I do…like a lot. So for people like me a nice bottle of vodka (I prefer Chopin, which is made from potatoes) is a necessity. However, if you are not into your tini’s straight up and prefer them with fruit juice and some cheeky name (looking at you tart-tini) then there is no need to spend big bucks on a liquor you with then take pains to mask the taste of.
Whiskey: This is, at least to me, the next most important investment. Besides being my drink of choice, I find I use this a lot in cooking. They are either malted (made from malted barley) or grain whiskeys and there are a multitude of types. So I think it matters what you’ll be using it for when deciding what to buy.
Investment?
If you are not a big whiskey drinker I would opt for a bottle of a decent but relatively inexpensive brand like Jack Daniels, or even Jim Beam. These brands are good in something like a jack and coke but also good enough to quiet the rumblings of old-man drinkers like me. (Exciting side note, Jack Daniels is produced in a dry county in Tennessee and therefore cannot be sold in that county….I know!) If you are big into whiskey drinking I suggest a higher shelf bourbon, Maker’s Mark (my personal favorite) or Knob Creek. You could also consider investing in a good bottle of Scotch Whiskey, though I will admit ignorance here as I do not like scotch (too smooth). Scotch is generally distilled twice, and must be produced in Scotland to earn the official moniker “Scotch”. It is not something I would suggest buying though if you are not into it however, as scotch drinkers are like hipsters or Red Sox fans…..hard to please, and therefore you are better off not trying to please this picky crowd.
Rum: I have to admit I’m not a big rum drinker but if you like to mix drinks this is a necessity. Rum in the key ingredient in everything from mojitos to pina coladas. Typically made from sugar cane, I would definitely suggest investing in a decent bottle of the stuff. Most of what goes into a cocktail is light rum, like Bacardi. So this is a more or less mandatory buy
Gin: Gin is a tricky one. The key here is whether you like Gin. (Or again, do you like Martini’s? There is little in this world better than an ice cold Bombay Sapphire Martini) It has been my experience that a house without Gin isn’t usually a problem for most party goers. (I can’t think of a single person who claims Gin as their libation of choice). Gin derives its flavor from Juniper berries. And it is for this reason I caution you not to go cheap. Cheap Gin tends to taste suspiciously like Pinesol and is good in absolutely nothing. My suggestions are Tanqueray or Bombay. And if you are not a “Gin Person” I say you grab a small bottle (like the ones behind the counter at the liquor store) of one of these high-end brands to have on hand for cocktail emergencies.
Tequila: This is another necessity, derived from the Blue Agave plant. If you love Margaritas you should probably move this to the top of the list, but then again if you love Margaritas you probably already have.
Investment?
Tequila is one of those things you really should have, even if you aren’t crazy about it, because at some point you’ll have a guest that does. My advice is to grab a bottle of something like Jose. And for the love of God DON”T GO CHEAPER!!! Trust me. I had a bad experience. If you want to invest in better Tequila, I would still buy the Jose for mixing. I would also advise you to invest in a good Blanco (Like Patron) and try to get your hands on an reposado or anejo (the difference in color and taste comes from the length of the aging process)
Before I sign off I have one more important suggestion to make when stocking a bar. If you are not sure what to buy, don’t underestimate the power of the nip (which also sounds like an obnoxious turnaphrase used in a porn shoot). Stuck between two brands and can’t decide. Go buy a few little bottles (nips) and try them out. They usually contain one shot, and could even lend themselves to a “help-me-decide-what-shit-I-like” party. Remember that it is your bar and despite any efforts to make others happy with your selections it is still yours, you should by what YOU like and if your guests don’t like it they can feel free to drink at home.
I hope she will find this bare bones analysis helpful, as I hope you will too. I plan to come back with more detailed overview of each spirit as well as with some time spend on various “other” bar supply essentials.
So here are my thoughts.
Necessities:
Vodka: Clear libation, distilled from fermented grains, potatoes, or fruits, with its origins in Poland and Russia. I think this is one of the first bottles that should be invested in. It’s taste is very subtle and therefore it mixes well with a number of things. So if this is the first bottle you buy it has the most variety of potential as well as the most mass appeal.
Investment?
The key question here is “do you like martinis?” (or Vodka Tonics, or any other drink where the Vodka is the predominant player) I ask because I do…like a lot. So for people like me a nice bottle of vodka (I prefer Chopin, which is made from potatoes) is a necessity. However, if you are not into your tini’s straight up and prefer them with fruit juice and some cheeky name (looking at you tart-tini) then there is no need to spend big bucks on a liquor you with then take pains to mask the taste of.
Whiskey: This is, at least to me, the next most important investment. Besides being my drink of choice, I find I use this a lot in cooking. They are either malted (made from malted barley) or grain whiskeys and there are a multitude of types. So I think it matters what you’ll be using it for when deciding what to buy.
Investment?
If you are not a big whiskey drinker I would opt for a bottle of a decent but relatively inexpensive brand like Jack Daniels, or even Jim Beam. These brands are good in something like a jack and coke but also good enough to quiet the rumblings of old-man drinkers like me. (Exciting side note, Jack Daniels is produced in a dry county in Tennessee and therefore cannot be sold in that county….I know!) If you are big into whiskey drinking I suggest a higher shelf bourbon, Maker’s Mark (my personal favorite) or Knob Creek. You could also consider investing in a good bottle of Scotch Whiskey, though I will admit ignorance here as I do not like scotch (too smooth). Scotch is generally distilled twice, and must be produced in Scotland to earn the official moniker “Scotch”. It is not something I would suggest buying though if you are not into it however, as scotch drinkers are like hipsters or Red Sox fans…..hard to please, and therefore you are better off not trying to please this picky crowd.
Rum: I have to admit I’m not a big rum drinker but if you like to mix drinks this is a necessity. Rum in the key ingredient in everything from mojitos to pina coladas. Typically made from sugar cane, I would definitely suggest investing in a decent bottle of the stuff. Most of what goes into a cocktail is light rum, like Bacardi. So this is a more or less mandatory buy
Gin: Gin is a tricky one. The key here is whether you like Gin. (Or again, do you like Martini’s? There is little in this world better than an ice cold Bombay Sapphire Martini) It has been my experience that a house without Gin isn’t usually a problem for most party goers. (I can’t think of a single person who claims Gin as their libation of choice). Gin derives its flavor from Juniper berries. And it is for this reason I caution you not to go cheap. Cheap Gin tends to taste suspiciously like Pinesol and is good in absolutely nothing. My suggestions are Tanqueray or Bombay. And if you are not a “Gin Person” I say you grab a small bottle (like the ones behind the counter at the liquor store) of one of these high-end brands to have on hand for cocktail emergencies.
Tequila: This is another necessity, derived from the Blue Agave plant. If you love Margaritas you should probably move this to the top of the list, but then again if you love Margaritas you probably already have.
Investment?
Tequila is one of those things you really should have, even if you aren’t crazy about it, because at some point you’ll have a guest that does. My advice is to grab a bottle of something like Jose. And for the love of God DON”T GO CHEAPER!!! Trust me. I had a bad experience. If you want to invest in better Tequila, I would still buy the Jose for mixing. I would also advise you to invest in a good Blanco (Like Patron) and try to get your hands on an reposado or anejo (the difference in color and taste comes from the length of the aging process)
Before I sign off I have one more important suggestion to make when stocking a bar. If you are not sure what to buy, don’t underestimate the power of the nip (which also sounds like an obnoxious turnaphrase used in a porn shoot). Stuck between two brands and can’t decide. Go buy a few little bottles (nips) and try them out. They usually contain one shot, and could even lend themselves to a “help-me-decide-what-shit-I-like” party. Remember that it is your bar and despite any efforts to make others happy with your selections it is still yours, you should by what YOU like and if your guests don’t like it they can feel free to drink at home.
I hope she will find this bare bones analysis helpful, as I hope you will too. I plan to come back with more detailed overview of each spirit as well as with some time spend on various “other” bar supply essentials.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Breakfast for Dinner
So everyone has those days, those days where you had a late lunch, and it’s now five and you are neither hungry nor do you have any idea what to make for dinner. Well after considerable deliberation…and I mean considerable….like it took forty minutes…my aunt and I decided to make waffles and have the ever popular, breakfast for dinner. Well I go in the pantry to get the stuff to make them and discover that I have a can of pumpkin. Well shit officially got real and I made delicious but unseasonal pumpkin pancakes. They basically follow the recipe for Martha’s Pumpkin Pancakes so that is the recipe I will give you. The only difference is instead of cooking on a skillet, place in a hot waffle iron, sprayed with cooking spray, and cook for about 5-8 minutes.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Bowl 1:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose Flour
2 TBSP sugar
½ tsp cinnamon, ground ginger and salt
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Whisk to combine
Bowl Two:
1 cup milk
6 tbsp canned pumpkin puree
2 tbsp melted butter
1 egg
Whisk together then fold into dry ingredients. Heat skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or melted butter. Cook pancakes three minutes each side.
These are absolutely amazing....trust me.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Hey Dude!!
So it is a cardinal rule of hosting parties is you should never try out a recipe at a party. Well readers rules are meant to be broken (Assert your Independence and fight the system!!!!)
The past week my friends and I attended an outdoor concert here in town. OK we actually sat outside the immediate parameters of the concert in lawn chairs effectively doing the live version of illegal downloading. We are young, broke and beautiful...what can I say.
Well before our shameless concert stealing, we had a nice light dinner. I wasn't sure what to make and deferred to the preference of some of my friends (this is rare as I just usually make whatever I want and you WILL LIKE IT!!! I hope they took full advantage). Pasta was suggested, followed by an adamant request for fresh tomato pasta (as we then recalled was last served one night when my parents were away with three gallons of Cape Codders and some exciting digestive pyrotechnics). The only other suggestion I had was to make a salad with some avocado.
So in light of this I decided to make the aforementioned fresh tomato pasta and a garden salad with Avocado Ranch.
I've seen avocado ranch advertised on restaurant menus, have never had it and have absolutely no idea what it tastes like....BUT I love ranch dressing and had the crazy idea that I could make a version both healthier and more delicious by replacing the mayonnaise with pureed avocado. My thought process was mayonnaise provides the fat and therefore flavor in the original, and since avocados are very high in monounsaturated fat (which can help to ward off threats of heart disease and breast cancer as well as contribute to a less santa-like midsection then high carbohydrate diets) it would be an adequate replacement to the mayonnaise without substantial change to the texture and taste of the dressing. Well folks I was right and though I did break the well established rule to never take on the stress of a new recipe whilst you have company, I was confident that it would be good enough to take this risk. I was correct (as usual….it’s so hard to be right all the time let me tell you)
Here is the recipe:
Combine in a bowl 3-4 tablespoons each of chopped parsley, and chives (this is approximate). Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, ¼ cup of sour cream and one ripe avocado, pureed. Whisk together till creamy. Add skim milk, one teaspoon at a time then whisking until the desired consistency is reached. Season. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
The past week my friends and I attended an outdoor concert here in town. OK we actually sat outside the immediate parameters of the concert in lawn chairs effectively doing the live version of illegal downloading. We are young, broke and beautiful...what can I say.
Well before our shameless concert stealing, we had a nice light dinner. I wasn't sure what to make and deferred to the preference of some of my friends (this is rare as I just usually make whatever I want and you WILL LIKE IT!!! I hope they took full advantage). Pasta was suggested, followed by an adamant request for fresh tomato pasta (as we then recalled was last served one night when my parents were away with three gallons of Cape Codders and some exciting digestive pyrotechnics). The only other suggestion I had was to make a salad with some avocado.
So in light of this I decided to make the aforementioned fresh tomato pasta and a garden salad with Avocado Ranch.
I've seen avocado ranch advertised on restaurant menus, have never had it and have absolutely no idea what it tastes like....BUT I love ranch dressing and had the crazy idea that I could make a version both healthier and more delicious by replacing the mayonnaise with pureed avocado. My thought process was mayonnaise provides the fat and therefore flavor in the original, and since avocados are very high in monounsaturated fat (which can help to ward off threats of heart disease and breast cancer as well as contribute to a less santa-like midsection then high carbohydrate diets) it would be an adequate replacement to the mayonnaise without substantial change to the texture and taste of the dressing. Well folks I was right and though I did break the well established rule to never take on the stress of a new recipe whilst you have company, I was confident that it would be good enough to take this risk. I was correct (as usual….it’s so hard to be right all the time let me tell you)
Here is the recipe:
Combine in a bowl 3-4 tablespoons each of chopped parsley, and chives (this is approximate). Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, ¼ cup of sour cream and one ripe avocado, pureed. Whisk together till creamy. Add skim milk, one teaspoon at a time then whisking until the desired consistency is reached. Season. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
This Poaching Should be Illegal
So last night I endervered another Top Chef inspired adventure, only this time from the Top Chef Tour. One of the contestants, Ashley Merriman, made a Poached Salmon with a warm german potato salad (AMAZING). So my aunt decided, as we were preparing our weekly grocery list, that we should get a piece of salmon and try it. 
Well this is easier said then done. I found this recipe from the NY Times and within the first few lines there is talk of obsessively regulating the temperature to make sure the salmon cooks perfectly. I am already intimidated. But I remember that I am awesome and proceed to rig my meat thermometer in the pan (I am not Martha guys, I only have one thermometer). Then I add the olive oil. This shouldn't be a big deal (the recipe calls for three cups of olive oil) as we have that huge tin of it at the bottom of the pantry. yeah, actually we don't and I panic. Well luckily Marilou had just bought some cheap olive oil (for food projects such as this) the other day and I literally had just enough.
And kids, it was so worth it. The fish was delicious and rich but not heavy. I served it with a quick Dijon Potato Salad:
Boil new potatoes (I did about 7 new red potatoes) for about 15 mins
in bowl, toss 1 tbsp white wine vinegar with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard.
Add potatoes. Toss.
Let cool slightly and toss again
Add 2 tbsp olive oil, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper.
Serve
All in all it was yet another successful Top-Chef-Adventure and I highly recommend you try it. Just make sure you have enough Olive Oil first.
Oh and in honor of my seeming inability to check my ingredients here is a Catherine Tate Sketch from the Catherine Tate show
(I in no way own this video, blah blah blah, limit liability blah blah)
Well this is easier said then done. I found this recipe from the NY Times and within the first few lines there is talk of obsessively regulating the temperature to make sure the salmon cooks perfectly. I am already intimidated. But I remember that I am awesome and proceed to rig my meat thermometer in the pan (I am not Martha guys, I only have one thermometer). Then I add the olive oil. This shouldn't be a big deal (the recipe calls for three cups of olive oil) as we have that huge tin of it at the bottom of the pantry. yeah, actually we don't and I panic. Well luckily Marilou had just bought some cheap olive oil (for food projects such as this) the other day and I literally had just enough.
And kids, it was so worth it. The fish was delicious and rich but not heavy. I served it with a quick Dijon Potato Salad:
Boil new potatoes (I did about 7 new red potatoes) for about 15 mins
in bowl, toss 1 tbsp white wine vinegar with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard.
Add potatoes. Toss.
Let cool slightly and toss again
Add 2 tbsp olive oil, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper.
Serve
All in all it was yet another successful Top-Chef-Adventure and I highly recommend you try it. Just make sure you have enough Olive Oil first.
Oh and in honor of my seeming inability to check my ingredients here is a Catherine Tate Sketch from the Catherine Tate show
(I in no way own this video, blah blah blah, limit liability blah blah)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Faro and Why It Reminds Me of My Deck
With this blog I have to own up to some deplorably Polish behavior. I had a Greek Orzo salad from Whole Foods the other day and it was delicious. Well actually it was delivered by my study-buddy (a phrase I abhor btw) along with a Starbucks (jealous? You should be!). So naturally I had to make it myself. Could it easily be purchased from Whole Foods? Yes. Would that be less work then procuring all of the ingredients to make it? Yes. Does that mean that I will not endeavor to make it myself when it is so easily available? Yeah no.
See this is a hallmark of the Polish-American tradition. Having to make things when they can easily be made by someone else. We are similarly stubborn about scarfs, and other knit wear, furniture, home repair, concrete decks. Case in point: our deck, due to some negligent building, rotted out after a few years of rain pooling by the house, rotting the sill, and causing massive flooding in out basement. The solution: replace the sill, break-up and remove the concrete, and rebuild the patio. And did we have any outside help, NO. This is the Red and White cross I had to bare.
But I digress, this inability to purchase food that has already been prepared lead me to make my own Greek Orzo Salad. I substituted the Orzo for Faro (healthier and lower calorie) and opted to not cook the spinach and instead use fresh baby spinach.
“I’m a Polack” Greek Faro Salad
½ Cup Faro
- Boil 3 cups of water with 1 tsp salt. When it boils, stir in the faro. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a large bowl combine Red Wine Vinegar, salt and pepper, and whisk in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.
Add: 1 cup baby spinach, chiffonade
½ cup diced feta cheese
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/3 cup pitted, diced kalamata olives
And all the cooked faro.
Toss and serve.
It came out pretty good, albeit different than the original.
See this is a hallmark of the Polish-American tradition. Having to make things when they can easily be made by someone else. We are similarly stubborn about scarfs, and other knit wear, furniture, home repair, concrete decks. Case in point: our deck, due to some negligent building, rotted out after a few years of rain pooling by the house, rotting the sill, and causing massive flooding in out basement. The solution: replace the sill, break-up and remove the concrete, and rebuild the patio. And did we have any outside help, NO. This is the Red and White cross I had to bare.
But I digress, this inability to purchase food that has already been prepared lead me to make my own Greek Orzo Salad. I substituted the Orzo for Faro (healthier and lower calorie) and opted to not cook the spinach and instead use fresh baby spinach.
“I’m a Polack” Greek Faro Salad
½ Cup Faro
- Boil 3 cups of water with 1 tsp salt. When it boils, stir in the faro. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a large bowl combine Red Wine Vinegar, salt and pepper, and whisk in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.
Add: 1 cup baby spinach, chiffonade
½ cup diced feta cheese
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/3 cup pitted, diced kalamata olives
And all the cooked faro.
Toss and serve.
It came out pretty good, albeit different than the original.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
One Week of Danger
So there have been a few interesting developments this week.
The first of which is the overall tone of CHOW this week. They are being so rude as to make me look polite. First they discuss the horrendously off-putting audacity of most vegetarians who dare to ask "is it cool for me to pass on the meat?"... bastards.
Next they discuss how shopping makes you basically a moron. How dare you!
Maybe the air conditioning has failed at the offices but any food blog that makes me look pleasant is pretty sad.
The first of which is the overall tone of CHOW this week. They are being so rude as to make me look polite. First they discuss the horrendously off-putting audacity of most vegetarians who dare to ask "is it cool for me to pass on the meat?"... bastards.
Next they discuss how shopping makes you basically a moron. How dare you!
Maybe the air conditioning has failed at the offices but any food blog that makes me look pleasant is pretty sad.
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