johnnyd

I did the Ruhlman method as posted in the NYT last week, curing for six days. After much searching, I found a butcher who gave the exact amount needed for my 4.5lb point in one gallon of water - he gave me one and 1/4 tblspoon. With 2 cups kosher salt, that brine was mighty salty. The cut was maybe two inch thick. It was pink all the way through, and damned tasty. We are on our third day and hate to see it go!

Wow, that's pink! Served with cabbage heart, rutabaga, carrot and balsamic red onion pickle. CB soaked for a 1/2hr in water and rinsed, then simmered in DL Geary's Wee Heavy and Eli's ginger beer for 4hrs. Horseradish sauce and mustards. Wicked, wicked good!

It doesn't hold up as traditional types do, but it doesn't fall apart. We did that one year and loved it so much we did it 4yrs in a row. Lovely flavor. Don't worry about the time - do it as you would normally

Absolutely stunning shots - I really have to have some sushi today....

Found Ruhlman recipe in 3/8 NYT so here's my first ever CB brine w/allspice, mustard seed, coriander, bay, cinnamon, clove, peppercorns. Found a butcher who measured out exactly the amount of pink salt needed for this 4.5lb point. After reading this thread I guess I should cut the butcher string and unroll the sucker, no?

Depends on what you're after. I find the later you delay deploying salt, the more the beans remain front and center. I make feijoada every six or so weeks which get a couple smoked ham hocks for three hours, so I'll get this nice emulsion. Salt isn't necessary but the beans rule the dish. Feijoada also calls for salted beef - when I've used it, the beans brake down too much, but in Brazil, that's the traditional way to serve it. Toasted cassava is served as a side to mix with your black bean 'sauce' to bring back body. So in this way, black beans are used more as a medium instead of a star player. I'd rather there were beans on the plate after a three, four hour simmer, so no more salted beef, the hocks seem to do what I want instead.

Who doesn't love it when your passion is recognized by the Old Grey Lady? https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/28/dining/black-bean-soup-recipe-video.html?ref=dining “I believe you have to show the beans who’s boss,” he said. “Then they will obey you, and your recipe.” - Steve Sando

...which make a nice Shrimp Poke. Maine Shrimp Poke: pickled daikon and carrot, scallion, cilantro stem, hijiki, nori furikake, Togarashi, in house-made ponzu and sesame oil.

More Maine Shrimp has arrived from vessels approved to harvest biomass samples.

Last boat out of the biomass sample period yielded these beauties... Next sample period is early March - two weeks only

Northern Atlantic shrimp harvests averaged 13 million lbs - Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine - in 2011 and 2012. This year, much like last year, a 117,000 lb research sample has been granted to a few boats berthed on the Maine Coast. After measurements and weights recorded, the boats can sell the shrimp retail and wholesale. My guys on Portland's waterfront tell me a sample catch came in Monday at $9.99/pound. It sold out by closing time.

Hey thanks - you've inspired me. One reason I joined was to shout from the rooftops about the potential of Portland Maine for restaurant development - top quality resources and heavy seasonal traffic. The town has since exploded so fast it would take days to catch up. The place is on fire. Funny though - with all the interesting experiments and cuisine varieties being seriously considered here, my wife, who works downtown, can't get a decent sandwich during her 1/2hr lunch. Anyway, I found this old clipping from the local paper dated 9-7-1997 of me on my floating oyster bar. Boy, was THAT ahead of it's time...

March 2004 here. Didn't see daylight for weeks. Way too much fun reading Bourdain and Bittman (maybe), drinking their way through Cincinnati; Tommy's larb, laab thread... back when it was a wild frontier hive mind. My cooking matured that year and continues to evolve.

Did anyone else get Dali's Les Diners de Gala for Christmas? I hope so!

Spectacular shots. Thanks for posting - now I'm starving! Winslow's and Mac's gave me some ideas on presentation, but the kicker for me was smoked mussels on a pizza, whoa! I see corn kernals, basil maybe and some sort of crema/mozza? This needs an experiment... Thanks again - looking forward to August report

Absolutely spectacular. Thank you chefmd and congratulations on your and your family's good fortune. I, as well, am unlikely to visit Yakeshi, so this was an epic half hour reading of your travels, and your portraits of dishes were first-rate. Your In-Laws may enjoy a tour of: - New England seafood - North Carolina BBQ (and Kansas, Texas etc) - South Western Mexicali? Too spicey?

Beautiful blog, PC! When I was a child in Brazil, we'd drive from Sao Paulo to the coast for the day. Along the way, children were selling tiny unripe green bananas from a big stalk on their shoulder. When we drove home at the end of the day, any they had left were ripened to a spotted deep yellow. Another treat in Brazil were avocado creams. Much like the Florida variety, you'd mix one avocado with a 1/3 cup lime juice and equal part sugar and blend. Served often for dessert but makes delicious ice cream too.

Depending on the potato, you generally shouldn't need flour to thicken. I've been heating heavy cream to just a simmer around the edge, then add a heaping spoonful of creme fraiche (high butter content) - stir to combine and return to simmer, then add to chowder base. Silky goodness....

Half of the shrimp lot at Portland Fish Auction was purchased by one buyer who plans to sell to Boston and NYC sushi bars. Those in those cities who plan on going for sushi, look for AMAEBI

You outdid yourself. Now I have to make squid look like beets....

Shrimpers trawled for biomass sample this weekend - after weighing and measured, offered for sale to the public this morning for $8.99/lb.

My friend, Don Lindgren, and his wife Samantha, opened Rabelais Books a few years ago - dealers in rare cookbooks. You should give him a shout. I think Sam is known here as pastryelf but I don't think they've been around lately. http://www.rabelaisbooks.com/

dcarch - those beets look like those horrible creatures from the "Matrix" movie - outstanding!

On occasion, I went diving for scallops here in Maine, and the rule was to shuck each scallop so that the boat ties up with only the mussel meat on board. Apparently, the corral is way more perishable than the meat, so it affects shelf life as a whole going to the consumer. The American taste for them never developed as it did in Europe, so there was no call to change things. Being close to area chefs, we secreted a few whole shellfish unshucked for those who asked. There is an outfit somewhere in Mass.that ships them whole, so I guess the law is different there: http://www.farm-2-market.com/fish-seafood/scallops/fresh-sea-scallops-with-roe/

Extra large day boat scallops (about ten to the lb) were going for $23.95/lb here in Portland Maine waterfront. Smaller ones, about 20/lb went for $18.95/lb. Scallop corrals are not legally sold in the USA We fry the bacon to where we can easily wrap a scallop without it breaking, then under a broiler for 5min per side on metal skewers. I also have an on-going experimental basting regimen - last weekend was a maple syrup and whole-grain mustard sauce that gets nice and sticky under the broiler. Lovely...