Thanksgiving!

I know many bloggers are out there, piously telling you what they are thankful for today.  That's not my style.  Today, you can be thankful for me.  It's ok.  Allow yourself to bask in my glow.  There's enough to go around. 

And as my gift to you I present a chronology of today's cooking.

We are at my parents' home, and after a big clam chowder meal last night, my body is prepared for the day ahead.

7:42   Wake up.  Stagger for a few minutes during morning preparation. 
7:48   Coffee.  Coffee brings clarity to life. 
7:50   Get the turkey out of the brine, rinse it thoroughly and dry it using paper towels.  Let it stand to continue to air dry. 
8:30   Making the cranberries. 
8:35   Cleaning up the stove where I wasn't paying attention and let the cranberries boil over.  My mom reminds me that nothing stains worse than cranberries. 
9:00   Do the dishes.  This will be repeated 7 or 8 times throughout the day.
10:30 Watch football.  My Fantasy Team is number 2 in the league, but I'm on a losing streak.  I have a rooting interest for several of the Thanksgiving Day games.
11:00 I eat a light lunch.  1 slice of bread, 1 piece of ham, a little cheese and 2 grapes. 
11:35 Start the broth for the stuffing.  Giblets, vegetable parts, apple peels, a little salt, sage, thyme and about 5 cups of water in a pot.
12:15 Assemble the rest of the stuffing. 
1:10   Dress and stuff the turkey. 
1:15   Turkey is in the oven.  It's going to cook for an hour breast-side down at 425 degrees.  Then another 45 minutes at 250 degrees. 
1:20   Help the family decorate the Christmas tree now that they've almost finished it. 
3:00   Flip the turkey breast side up, and admire its beauty.  Cook for another hour at 250 degrees.  Mom and my brother are starting to roll out crescent rolls and cooking the squash for the butternut squash soup. 
3:30   We start to set the table. 
4:00   I turn the heat in the oven back up to 425 degrees.  I take the bird's temperature.  It's about 135 degrees so far.  The race is on.
4:15   The dressing goes into the oven.  The soup is in the pot.  I start the bacon in a frying pan.
4:30   The turkey is out of the oven and is resting, covered.  The bacon is crumbled and the potatoes go into the pot to boil. 
4:45   The brussel sprouts are cleaned, split and in the frying pan. 
4:50   The potatoes get mashed.  All the final prep and meal comes together. 
5:00   We sit down to dinner. 
5:40   We all push away from the table, and the conversation slows to idle chatter. 
6:00   We start with dishes and threats of dessert.

What took days of preparation and hours of production, took only minutes to consume.  We relax and deliberate the condition of young people, these days. 

Please feel free to comment on your family traditions, your meals and recipes and any well-wishes you wish to send. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

For tomorrow's meals, we'll focus on leftovers.  Try:

Thanksgiving Sandwiches
2 slices of a sturdy Multigrain Bread
2 tablespoons Mayo
1 slice of Turkey Breast and a similar amount of Dark Meat
2 tablespoons Cranberry Sauce
1 large leaf of Lettuce
if you're really daring, 1 good spoonful of Stuffing

Assemble into a sandwich.  Eat it.  I like mine with a small dollop of yellow mustard and a few slices of swiss cheese.


Turkey Casserole
2 cups chopped Turkey
2 cups Stuffing
2 cups Green Beans or Mixed Vegetables
1 1/2 cups Turkey Gravy
Mashed Potatoes

In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, stuffing, vegetables and gravy.  Spread evenly into a casserole dish and top with a 1/2 inch layer of mashed potatoes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the gravy is bubbling and the potatoes are turning golden brown at the peaks. 


Cranberry Shortcakes
2 cups Cranberry Sauce
1 cup Sugar
6 Shortcakes (I like drop biscuits using half and half instead of milk and doubling the sugar)
1 scoop Whipped Cream

In a sauce pot over medium heat, add the cranberry sauce and the sugar.  Heat until the sugar melts and the sauce bubbles. 

Refrigerate until cool.

Heat the shortcakes, and split them open.  Spoon a generous helping of cranberries inside, and put the top of the cake back on.  Spoon another spoonful of berries on top, and add a scoop of whipped cream. 

The Thanksgiving Ritual

"My doctor asked, 'How soon into a meal do you typically stop eating and feel full?' I don't stop eating when I'm full. The meal's not over when I feel full. The meal is over when I hate myself. That's when I stop." -- Louis CK

Our family celebrates Thanksgiving like no other holiday.  Consider: my Mom's prodigious cooking, my love for the finest flavors, and my family's passion for . . . well,  . . .  gluttony.  So much so, that my brothers and I participate in a little (un)healthy competition around the holiday. 

As I may have alluded to in a previous post, we start gorging the week of Thanksgiving.  On Monday, I try to eat an extra meal.  Pre-Brunch, if you will.  Or maybe a Pre-Dinner.  Or even an Apres-Dessert.  Tuesday, I'll work on an extra meal and maybe extra helpings during each meal.  On Wednesday, I don't think I'm ever without food.  My brothers participate in a similar routine, the goal being stretching the stomach to its largest and most unhealthy capacity.  Then we fast the day of Thanksgiving so that we are nearly starving and feel completely hollow by the time we eat The Big Meal.  Like bears gorging themselves before hibernation, we maximize our caloric intake and then rest comfortably.  Americans created another ritual to aid in the rest and relaxation post-The Big Meal: The Detroit Lions Football Game. 

But my side of the family traditionally also celebrates Christmas during the Thanksgiving holiday.  The Christmas tree is put up, the ornaments come out, the Rat Pack serenades us with holiday carols.  Nog may be consumed.  Gifts will also be exchanged.  We started combining holidays years ago when marriages pulled us in different directions during November and December.  So we invented Christgiving.  Or Thanksmas.   Which is also cool, because we get our Christmas shopping done early.    

I'll report back after the holiday, and let you know how it turned out.  In the mean time, here's a few recipes I'm working on for The Big Meal. 

Cranberries with Raspberries and Cardamom
1 package whole, fresh Cranberries
2 cups Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange
pinch of Salt
Water
1/4 cup Triple Sec
6 whole Green Cardamom pods

Rinse and pick out the bad fruit.  Add the fruit, sugar, zest and salt to a medium sauce pan with enough water to come up 1/2 inch below the top of the fruit.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and then reduce to a simmer.  Add the Triple Sec and cardamom pods and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries split open and the liquid is reduced to a thin syrup. 

Refrigerate over night. 

Stuffed Turkey
The art of cooking a stuffed turkey, that isn't too dry, but isn't undercooked, either, eludes most kitchen enthusiasts.  The secret is patience.  And a lot of heat at the right time.  And the brine!
The night before, soak the bird in a brine of your choosing.  Essentially, the brine is a high salt content dissolved in water.  There may be additional flavors.  I like adding lightly crushed allspice, a little sugar in the form of apple cider, or in this case a dark porter beer.  Three hours before cooking, remove the bird from the brine and rinse it thoroughly.  Using paper towels pat it dry, and then let it completely air-dry. (This will help the skin get extra crispy.) 


Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Dress the skin of the bird however you like--I usually just sprinkle a little salt and pepper over it, inside and out.  Heat the stuffing in the microwave until it's about 300 degrees.  Quickly stuff the bird's neck and body cavities, and then finish trussing the bird, lay it on a rack, breast-side down, and get it into the oven. 


Reduce the heat to 450 degrees and cook for an hour.  Baste the back in its juices, and then flip the bird, breast-side up.  Put the bird back into the oven, reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cook for 2 hours.  The breast and thigh meat should be about 135 degrees by this time.  Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook until the breast temperature is 160 degrees and the meat between the thigh and body is reading about 165- 170 degrees.  (The stuffing in the center of the bird will also be about 160 degrees.)  Remove from the oven and cover with tinfoil.  Let rest for 20 minutes before carving.


Autumn Stuffing
1/2 cup Walnut meat, lightly crushed
3/4 cup Onions, chopped
3/4 cup Celery, chopped (include the leaves!)
3/4 cup Apples, peeled and chopped (Granny Smiths or other baking apple)
2-4 cups Turkey Stock
1/2 cup melted Butter
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon ground Black Pepper
1 cup fresh forest mushrooms (I like Chanterelles or Morels)
4 cups Dried Bread, chopped into 1 inch cubes (we use the end pieces or stale artisan bread that we have been collecting for the past several months in the freezer)
cooked and chopped Giblets (optional, but I like them)


In a very large bowl, mix all the ingredients except for the stock.  Slowly add the stock until the bread starts to take on a little moisture, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups.  Seperate out about 1/2 the stuffing to put into the bird.  Follow the directions, above.

Add a bit more stock to the remaining stuffing until it gains the consistency you enjoy.  Move to a baking dish.  Bake in a 350 degree oven, covered for 30 minutes and 5 minutes uncovered.  Serve hot.

The Circle of Life, and All That

This was a meat-inspired week.  And I want to bring honor back to the word "butcher." 

Since returning from our rather unsuccessful hunting trip (*gasp!*  We'll have to buy our own red meat this year.  Read on for a plan), I've been running into meats of all sorts in all sorts of places. 

I've often said that if I wasn't a financial advisor, I would want to be a butcher.  For some, this is the most horrible thing in the world.  Akin to murder.  I challenge that line of thinking on an evolutionary basis.  Consider for the moment the human mouth.  Our tongue not only seeks out those things that provide a wide range of nutritional benefit, but our teeth and jaw alignment is perfectly suited to grind up a wide range of foods.  We have evidence of our earliest ancestors hunting and butchering animals at the dawn of the Stone Age, about 2.5 million years ago.  At that time, our teeth and jaws were much more like a chimpanzee's--sharper, pointed teeth up front, molars in the back in a longer narrower jaw hinged deeply in the skull and attached to massive jaw muscles.  Our palates have grown wider and shorter, and while some evolutionary theorists believe that forks, knives and cooking have made us weaker, I like to think of us as more refined.  We still have sharper, tearing teeth placed up front so that we can remove large bites, and broad molars for grinding and mashing.  Even our saliva is attuned to pre-digesting the essential proteins found in meat. 

But there is more than evolution at play in my admiration of butchery.  In much the same way Da Vinci explored the human figure examining musculature beneath the skin, a butcher knows his or her way around a carcass and creates an artform of separating different masses of muscle from bone.

The Denver Contemporary Art Museum hosted a a week-long art project called Art Meets Beast. Among other elements and events, Jimmy "The Butcher" Cross dissected a half a bison in roughly 2 hours. To put this feat of mastery into perspective, my Dad and I (who have a collective 80 years of experience in butchering our own meat) take 4 hours to butcher a deer, which is about half the mass of half-a-bison. Jimmy's knife (a 6 inch Boner) danced in and out and between bones like Gene Kelly weaving around light poles and umbrellas.  (By the way--there was SUPPOSED to be the music of Buffalo Springfield on the flugelhorn.  I heard no Buffalo Springfield and no flugelhorn.  Roger Green played "Home on the Range" on electric guitar as background music for the butchering workshop, however.)  Peter Marczyk of Marczyk Fine Foods (where Jimmy performs his craft) provided running commentary during the demonstration and expounded on the nature of bison, the butchering process and artform, the rise of American interest in knowing where our food comes from, and the lament that all too often, demand for particular cuts of meat (tenderloin, rib eyes, etc.) drive the price up for a whole animal and changes the marketability of beef, pork and bison in general.   I plan to buy a whole bison to split with my Dad in lieu of the elk we didn't get. 

This week, I also took the time to swing by and see my friends at Il Mondo Vecchio.  Walking through the doors on Loading Dock Friday, continues to bring a smile to my face.  The inviting fragrance of spices and curing meat promise a reward for the palate as well.  And certainly, I'm always excited to hear what's new and upcoming, and exchange recipe ideas.  Gennaro, dressed handsomely and incongruously in a dark suit and a tie, greeted us at the door and showed us around the facility.  He walked us through the curing process and then introduced the samples layed out for us to try.   Hot Coppa, Longanzia, Cured Duck, Beef Bresaola, Vino e Pepe Nero.  I picked up a half pound of Bresaola for my friend and a little of my favorite pork product, and a half pound of Duck Lardo.  On the way out Mark DiNittis was coming back into the shop. We discussed recipes, meats, and love of the craft.  He also let drop that he's going to be featured in a new book, Primal Cuts: Cooking with America's Best Butchers.  The dude is a rockstar. 

I took the Bresaola to Highland Tap and Burger and my buddy Eli, the executive chef there.  He creates a fusion of beer and meat products.  He'll sample the Bresaola in the cheese platter with homemade mostardo and a whole-grain ale mustard.  The nice guy gave me beer for the trouble.  And next week I'll introduce him personally to Il Mondo Vecchio.

If you're not already a committed vegetarian, I applaud you. You know the joys of well prepared meats and the majesty inherent in the noble beast.   If you are a vegetarian, I applaud you too.  You get a golf clap.  Way to stay committed to your principles.

Tonight for dinner:

Awesome Osso Buco
Instead of shanks, you can also use neck bones, tail bones or other less favorable cuts of meat.  Good Osso Buco is about the deep meaty flavor.
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2-4 Beef Shanks (about 3 pounds)
2-4 Lamb Shanks (about 1 pound)
Kosher Salt
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 medium Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk Celery, chopped
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 cup good Dry Red Wine
2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth (or Chicken or Beef)
1 sprig Rosemary
3-4 sprigs Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
4 whole Cloves
12 whole Black Peppercorns

For a prettier presentation, use butcher's twine to tie the meat onto the bone.  Lightly and evenly sprinkle salt on the shanks.  Let stand on end to dry.

 In a large dutch oven (cast iron is great) heat the oil until smoking and lay in the shanks.  Brown them on all sides.  Reduce the heat to medium high and add the onion, celery and carrots.  Sprinkle on the 1 teaspoon of the salt.  Stir until the onion begins to turn translucent and then add the wine and tomato paste.  Stir gently until the paste dissolves.  Add the broth (I prefer vegetable because it's not as heavy and over powering).  Place the rosemary, thyme, cloves, black peppercorns, and bay leaf in a satchel of cheesecloth.  Add to the broth. 

Cover and let come to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Check now and then, making sure the liquid isn't boiling off too quickly.  add more broth if needed.  Using tongs, gently turn the shanks making sure that each part gets the liquid love it deserves. 

Remove the shanks to serving platter.  Discard the cheesecloth.  Ladle on the broth and vegetables.  Add fresh thyme and rosemary as a garnish.  Serve with crusty artisan bread. 

Tuna Fest, or How to Bring It All Together

It's like Iron Chef. 

My brother, my friend and I got together at my brother's house.  "What should we have to eat?" the conversation began.  "Whatever you want.  You figure out the main ingredient and I'll work with it," was my reply.  My brother brought home 2 1/2 pounds of beautiful Ahi Tuna. 

So how to assemble a dinner only just finding out what the theme ingredient is?  How do the Iron Chefs do it?

I wish I could be as eloquent as Michelangelo when he said, "Carving is easy.  You just go down to the skin and stop," but I'm not.   This is similar to bringing flavors together, however.  Begin with simplicity.  Use quality ingredients.  Add until you have the dish you want to eat.  Then stop cooking.  Easy, right?

For people who can draw, drawing a portrait is easy.  For people who can play a guitar and sing, serenading a beautiful woman is easy.  I haven't acquired those skills.  I have developed my sense of taste, however, and like Michelangelo, the resulting accomplishments look effortless.  (Isn't that awesome?  I AM comparing myself to Michelangelo.  I love being me.)  The good news: anyone with a functional nose and tastebuds can achieve the same results or better. 

As discussed before, the senses of smell and taste inform us of what we like and what tastes good together.  Sweet and spicy, bitter and sweet, sweet and sour, salty and sweet, spicy and sour all work together as compliments.  However, bitter and sour or salty and spicy make a very untasty dish.  Even sweet by itself becomes overpowering. 

So how do you develop your senses and use that in cooking?  First, experience it.  Taste what you are tasting.  Open your mouth slightly and breathe air over it, inhaling through your nose and mouth.  What does it really taste like?  What makes a pear, taste and smell like a pear?  Why isn't it an apple?  The subtle differences make all the difference.

So back to Tuna Night.  We wanted multiple courses. My brother launched the evening off with cocktails and a magnificent Tuna Poke (pronounced PO-kee).  I served a papaya and jalapeno salsa with tortilla chips.  I followed with a simple rice and tuna soup.  Then the main course: a sesame-encrusted and seared tuna on a bed of mixed greens and chimchurri.  For dessert, I made a non-tuna panna cotta with a nice aged port poured over the top. 

Laughter, stories of friends and times since past, good food, good drink.  These are the ingredients of a great evening; And better than any Iron Chef can produce. 

Tuna Poke
1 lb fresh Ahi Tuna
1/2 small Onion (Maui), minced
2 green Scallions, diced
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, grated
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Chili Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Cut Ahi into at least 1/2" cubes - set aside & refrigerate.  Combine all other ingredients in a large glass bowl & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to serve toss Ahi and other ingredients together.


Hot and Sour Tuna Soup
2 tablespoons Canola Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (sold by the jar at most supermarkets)
3 cups Vegetable Stock (or 2 cups Vegetable and 1 cup Fish or Chicken Stock)
1 cup Boiling Water (or as needed)
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons White Vinegar
1 cup Long Grain White Rice (I used Jasmine, because that's what I had on hand)
1/2 pound Ahi Tuna, cut into 1" or smaller cubes (it's ok to use the trimmings from the other tuna dishes you're making)
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
Scallion Greens, thinly sliced, for garnish

In a large pot (I used a Chinese clay soup pot, just because it looks so cool!) heat the oil over medium high heat and add the curry paste.  Mash, stir and whisk the paste until loose, runny and dissolving.  Add the stock and continue to whisk until completely dissolved.  Add the soy sauce and vinegars.  Let come to a low boil and add the rice.  Cover and reduce the heat and let simmer on a low setting for about 20-30 minutes. 

When the rice has plumped up, stir in the fish and fish stock.  Add more boiling water if the rice has taken over the broth.  Cover and remove from the heat.  Let stand for at least 10 minutes.  Serve hot, garnishing each bowl with generous pinch of scallions.


Sesame Encrusted Tuna
1 tablespoon Canola Oil
1 pound Ahi Tuna
1/4 cup White Sesame Seeds
2 tablespoon Whole Mustard Seeds
1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Salt


On a plate, combine the sesame seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns and salt.  Mix and spread out evenly.  Lay the tuna into the seed mixture and press gently, coating one side of the tuna completely.  Flip the tuna over and repeat. 


Heat the 1/2 the oil in a large non-stick skillet until it begins to smoke.  Add the tuna.  Cook for 30-45 seconds.  Using tongs, lift the tuna out of the skillet, add the remaining oil, flip the tuna to cooked side up and sear the other side, about 30-45 seconds.


Remove to a cutting board and slice into 1/2 inch slices.  The tuna should be just starting to grey around the edges and raw in the middle.  Serve on a bed of fresh greens with a dollop of Chimchurri and a small cup of soy sauce on the side. 


Chimchurri
1 cup, packed, Cilantro Leaves
3 large cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 medium Red Onion
1 Jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
1 tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

In the bowl of a food processor, add the cilantro, garlic onion and jalapeno, red pepper flakes and salt.  Pulse several times and then scrape down the sides.  Repeat.  Turn it on and slowly add the vinegar and oil, until it comes together as a paste or slurry. 

Scrape into a serving dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 or 3 days before. 

Stovetop Cobbler

Stovetop "Cobbler"
3 large tart Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 tablespoon each of both Butter and Olive Oil
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
pinch of Salt
3 tablespoons Brandy
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1 tablespoon Butter
your favorite Nuts, chopped (honey roasted almonds are good)


Melt the butter in a medium frying pan. Add the oil and let get hot. Add the apples, stir and reduce the heat to medium/medium low. Add the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Stir occasionally. The sugars will get syrupy.


In another pan, heat the butter and oil on high. Add the oats and nuts. Reduce the heat to medium and saute until the oats are toasted and aromatic.


Add the brandy to the apples. Ignite with a match and burn off some of the alcohol. Stir in the oats, and reduce heat to low. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes or so. Serve hot!

Gluttony, The Most Filling of the 7 Deadly Sins

I've spoken before of the prodigious and bounteous nature of my Mom's kitchen.  I kid you not, this is an excerpt from a recent email sent prior to a recent visit to my parents home:

"M, is there something I can do to start roasting tomatoes? If you tell me what to get started, I'd be happy to do it. I bought plenty of garlic today and fresh mushrooms if you need any of that. Also bought fettucine and we have spaghetti here so we're in good shape with pasta. I'll make some French bread tomorrow and I have plenty of stuff for salad, either cuke salad or lettuce salad. I think I'll make meatballs, too, since I just picked up some nice hamburger. Will probably also cook up some shrimp, and as I told you, there's chicken breasts, so just let me know what you all want.

"Saturday's dinner will be lamb, new potatoes, asparagus, butternut squash, tomato tarte, dilly casserole bread, and apple pie and peach pie for dessert with vanilla ice cream and homemade peach ice cream. I cooked a beef roast and shredded the meat and am making green chili right now in the slow cooker so we can have burritos one morning for breakfast. We'll figure out something else for the other breakfast."

Keep in mind, this is a partial menu for 5 people for two days. 

The downside of such a weekend is not only in the waistline; it's also the psychological impact of such an event, or what I like to call the 5 Stages of Gluttony. 

1. Denial.  You'll hear things around the dinner table like, "This all looks so delicious!  I'll have a little of everything.  and maybe a an extra helping of that."  Or, "I'll only take one scoop of that on this pass.  I can take a second helping next time."  This is the most dangerous stage, because it sets up the strategy of your meal.  A sense of eager anticipation pervades the room. 
2. Anger.  Ok,  not so much "anger" in the beginning.  Maybe more like concentration.  As the plates fill up, the conversation around the table grows softer.  Oh yes, jokes are still made, and laughter rings out on occasion, but we slowly grow quieter and quieter.
3. Bargaining.  "Just one more bite."  How often have we uttered these desperate words, and how often have we moved right on to the next stage?
4. Depression.  A pointed silence hangs over the room.  No one looks up, but rather we all stare dejectedly at our plates.  Mom cheerfully rings out, "Who wants more?"
5. Acceptance.  The battle is lost.  The remains of the meal will now be relegated to leftovers.  We start doing dishes and anticipate dessert.

The 5 Stages exemplifies the experience, but it's not quite as hopeless as it seems.  As the dinner progresses, the camaraderie of the participants grows.  The food is delicious.  There will be legends told of our accomplishments. 

Tonight for dinner?  How about a modest salad?  And maybe some steak.  And a baked potato.  And pie . . .

Or maybe:

Mediterranean Baked Chicken Breasts
4 large skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon dried Tarragon Leaves
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 medium Onion, minced
Put the chicken breasts, yogurt and tarragon into a plastic bag and let it marinade for a few hours (up to the night before).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In an oven-proof Dutch Oven (I'm using a cast iron Dutch Oven) on the stove top, melt the butter in the oil on medium high heat.  Take the breasts out of the marinade and shake the excess marinade off (a little coating is good) and lay the breasts in the hot oil.  Cook for 2-3 minutes each side, dusting with turmeric and sprinkling with salt.  Add the lemon juice and onions.  Cook until the onions start to turn translucent.  Add the yogurt and tarragon marinade to the pot.  Cover with a heavy lid.

Put into the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, covered.  I served with Orzo and fresh vegetables.
3/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/3 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

The Weekend Breakfast

Like all good college bachelors, there was once a very pragmatic reason for my learning to cook a fine breakfast.  Now that I am married, however, I still enjoy the weekend tradition of a leisurely breakfast. 

They say it's the most important meal of the day, but most of us (including me) skip it most often.  "Too busy," "I'm not hungry, yet," "I can wait until lunch."  These are some of my very good reasons for not eating breakfast during the week.  But on weekends, breakfasts are a celebration.

This may be a two-part blog, but today I want to talk about the joys of a good breakfast on the weekend.  (I'll be soliciting ideas for weekday breakfasts later--please help!)

A few things that make breakfast my favorite creative meal is the versatility of eggs and bread.  The interplay of sweet and savory.  And really good coffee.

Coffee first: We use a French Press, so the weekend morning ritual begins by putting a pot of water on to boil.  While the water comes to a boil, we fill the press pot with hot water to take the chill off.  We grind our own beans--a coarse grind allowing for the mesh in the press.  As the water comes to a boil, we take it off the heat; empty the press and then add the coffee and the near-boiling water.  We let it steep for 4 minutes and while it does, we heat the cups.  When the coffee finally lands in the cup, the little droplets of the volatile oils release their rich aroma.  This is a perfect start of the day--worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting and a place on future calendars which will reminisce of those halcyon days of yester-year.

When you have a set-up like this, almost any breakfast would be delicious.  But truly great breakfasts demand more.

My favorite breakfast restaurant of all time is Cafe Pasqual's in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  (They do great lunches and dinners, too.)  It's not uncommon to wait 45 minutes to more than an hour for a seat, but they also have a community table where you can meet others and maybe sit sooner.  The waitstaff are informal, busy, and moving through so quickly they could be mistaken as rude.  They aren't.  They are the ninja rockstars of the food service industry.  And they will be your best friends, if you are willing to work with them.  The food is the main attraction, however.  From the unconventional house-made granola, to the very peculiar Smoked Trout Hash, all are delicious and presented perfectly and complete as they are.  If you enjoy a sweet breakfast, try the Tamal Dulce with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate.  If you desire a more savory dish, try the Eggs Barbacoa with Chile d'Arbol.

I love being inspired by great foods from great restaurants.  "Name That Flavor" is my favorite restaurant game, and when I come home it's "What Was That Flavor?"  I try to recreate--and when possible, even improve upon--the meals I've had.  Here's a few of my favorites:

Breakfast Rice Pilaf
1/2 cup Long Grain White Rice
1/2 cup Wild Rice
2 tablespoons White Sesame Seeds
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Water
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon ground Allspice
1/2 cup of Dried Fruit (Golden Raisins, Plums, chopped Apricots, etc)
1/4 cup Honey
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract


Melt the butter in a medium sized pot over medium-high heat.  Add rices and sesame seed and stir constantly until the sesame seed starts to smell toasted.  Add the water and salt and increase the heat to high and quickly stir in the spices, fruit and honey.  Cover, let come to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer.  Let simmer for 30 minutes, covered. 


Remove from the heat, let stand for 5 minutes (still covered).  Add the vanilla and fluff the rice with a fork.  Serve hot with milk and a sprinkle of brown sugar or maple syrup. 


Bombay Potatoes
this is a recipe from my friend Lisa Grant
"Omg, it's heaven. Peel and rough chop a mixing bowl full of potatoes. Put 'em in a hot skillet with a bit of oil. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until soft. While that's cooking, get your spices ready. Turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika, crushed red pepper, garam masala, fresh grated ginger, salt and pepper. I tend to be kinda generous with my spices and I like a slow after-burn, but use however much works for you. When the potatoes are soft, throw in the spices and a good knob of butter. Sizzle, wiggle and dance in the kitchen. When it smells so good that you just about can't take it any more, throw in 1/4 cup of water and mix it all around really well. Crispy, spicy, smushy, and lovely. Mmmm..."

Huevos Motuleños (as inspired by Cafe Pasqual's)
ingredients are per person
2 Corn Tortillas
1/2 cup Black Beans
2 teaspoons Mild Red Chili Powder
1 Red Banana
2 tablespoons Green Peas
1/4 cup crumbled Queso Fresco (or a mild feta cheese)
2 Eggs, cooked to your perfection (I prefer a light poach)
Red or Green Chili Sauce, to taste

Cook the black beans with the chili powder, for flavor.  (This is a fine time to use canned black beans.)  While they are cooking, warm the tortillas and lay them on a plate.  Slice the banana in half, length-wise and heat in a HOT skillet.  Red bananas are good to use  because they are a little more starchy than traditional yellow (Cavendish), but sweeter than plantains. 

Cook the eggs.

Assemble, from bottom to the top:  Tortillas on the plate, black beans, banana, peas, queso fresco, eggs and chili sauce. 

German Apple Pancake
3 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated Nutmeg
3 Eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Milk or Half and Half
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Heat the oven to 500 degrees.

In an oven proof skillet (but starting on the stove top) melt the butter on medium-high heat.  Saute the apples until they are evenly coated in butter.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Continue to stir occasionally. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining ingredients into a batter. 

When the oven hits 500 degrees, pour the batter over the apples, starting around the edges and moving into the middle.  Immediately place the skillet into the oven and reduce the heat to 425 degrees.  Bake for 16-17 minutes.  The batter will puff up and turn a yellow-golden-brown. 

Using a spatula, loosen the pancake as best you can from the sides and bottom of the pan.  Being careful not to burn yourself, place a plate, upside down, on top of the skillet and flip.  (It's like turning out a pineapple upside down cake.)

Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with warm maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar. 

Now, if you've got good breakfast ideas for "on the go" folks like myself, please give me your best!