snowangel

Not having to do with cooking yard long beans, but storing them. I bought a big beautiful bunch today, and when I arrived home, message on the phone that plans have changed for tonight and tomorrow night, and I may not get to them until Sunday. I know from experience that yard long beans do not have a long shelf life. Blanch and fridge? What do other folks do?

Have you thought about going to a store like WS, where they have the pans, and giving them a once over, and perhaps a hoist with the wrist to see just what you want? I'm a strong believer in buying cookware/knives after looking, feeling and handling.

Jeff, a reminder to read the carnitas topic, and most specifically, the ultimate crispy carnitas post. I've never forgotten the wise words of just sort of forgetting about them. Hmmm. I'm having a small gathering on Monday to celebrate a birthday. Some realy crispy carnitas, fresh tortillas and a select few toppings just might fit the bill.

Right over in RecipeGullet, we have several rubs, but Klink's Dry Rub (my first intro to sumac) can't be beat. But, if I'm somewhere without access to sumac, or a jar of this rub, S & P are the go-to rub.

This most wonderful recipe is now on Molly's webside -- click!

What beautful moms! I did, however, have the ultimate compliment paid. Peter (son), Paul (hubby) and I were out and about and ran into a friend of Peter's and his dad. Friend of Peter's told his dad "I really like Peter. And his mom cooks all of this strange food. Stuff we've never had at our house." Hats off to the mom's that thought to cook "outside the box." Some years from now, my kids will be doing the same thing, just as my mom taught me (bit lesson: the virtue of Taking a Risk When Entertaining).

We've decided to pull two of the three kids from school on Friday. I'm trying to talk hubby into taking the whole day off so we can get on the road early. But, what will make this "opening weekend" different is that it will just be four of us. The other folks who normally go up are involved in way too many things, and Our Teen (Diana) will be going up north (not far south of us!) for a weekend at camp where she will be a counselor this summer. So, we're going to stop at the meat market in Virginia for brats for one night. Any suggestions for a meal for dinner 2? (Nothing that requires bringing a leftover or trash home need apply). I'm ready. More than ready. The Rubbermaid Action Packers have the clean linens, bathing suits (!!!), and the big jug o water is ready. Add eggs and a few other supplies (I can't find my list anywhere that tells me whether we need TP, or flour anywhere). But, I'm hoping it has been warm enough that as we drive in, and Paul lets me off at the end of the road so I can walk it in, there will be marsh marigolds.

From a freebie magazine at a Twin Cities upscale restaurant a recipe for Spaghetti with Asparagus, Scallions and Bacon that I fixed two weeks ago from Molly Stevens (I do a heads up any time I see a recipe or article by her!). The family requested it last week, and again this week. Plate-licking good. Basically, crisp up some bacon bits with chopped scallions, a bit o white wine, reduced. Blanch some asparagus, ice bath, cook some pasta, and toss it all together with lots of parm and cracked black pepper and a bit of lemon zest; if you have parsley, it's a nice addition. A bottle of wine (there was no whine over this meal) with extra parm on the side.

Bruce, are you using long beans or regular green beans? I find the long beans so much more satisfying, and oh my, do those leftover long beans re-heat so much better. They seem to have more fibre and less sugar? (question mark intentional)

Oh! Oh! Oh! This has been the Winter From Hell, and the Winter That Won't End. But, it appears that ice out (a Northern term) is charging north rapidly, so although we won't make the opener (this coming weekend), it looks like we will open 'da joint the following weekend. Let's just hope there are two pair of waders up there, or I'm going to be mighty goose-pimply. Given how this winter has gone, we were thinking that it would be end of May or early June before we got up, but... Let's just hope the marsh marigolds are up and that we are able to get away early enough to get to the meat market in Virgiinia. Stay tuned. This trip is sorta weather dependent. We'd like to get the dock in (BRRR!), but we'd also like a weekend of doin' nothin' except watching open water. Perhaps a braise? Time to fire up the stove and get the Griswold out of dry-dock.

Then, you could go with fifi's great idea, noted here, using cubes of crispy pork bathed in pork fat. These do make an awesome taco; very different from a pulled pork type o thing, but the Fahning family's favorite. BTW, you can crispy-carnita country ribs. But, I do know that tacos are a go to dinner for our family. You can use almost anything leftover, unless one wants Intentional Tacos, in which case one does more than pull out some leftover smoked meat, leftover steak, leftover roast chicken, forks some other leftover meat into threads into shreads, adds whatever else one has laying around. A taco does not need home-made salsa, nor anything other than good meat, some spice (in my cast, not necessarily the thought of a coupla my kida) and some tortillas -- which can be purchased (and thawed from the freezer ) and some greens. Cheese, IMHO, need not apply. I've even made tacos for the family out of leftover poached salmon. Tacos rival frittata as The Best Use of Leftovers (egg, tuna or potato salad need not apply).

Can you describe the shredder? Last time I made som tam, I used a julienne peeler, and oh my, what a disaster. It produced nice long strands of green papaya, and did a nice job of julienning my wrist and thumb. This peeler is like a weapon of torture!

For those of you who want to make home-made tortillas, but don't want to use up precious space for a true tortilla press, Bruce came up with a good solution -- see it in action here. And, BTW, those bags that cereal come in inside boxes make an excellend sub for plastic wrap!

We hit the road again tomorrow, and you just might need your passport for this one. Hmmm. Guess away!

Oddly enough, one of the most popular sides I ever served with smoked butt (no crack jokes, BTW) was a Thai "salad" of cuke, shallots, birds, vinegar and sugar. The type of salad you normally have with satay. I did go heavy on the shallots, and I just wished I'd made more. It was more popular then slaw.

I think that if you get a quality butt, especially one with that collagen-rich skin on, you don't need to worry about moisture at all. I certainly haven't needed to do so, and I usually just let the thing finish in the Bradley without pucks. No need to transfer it into the oven. ← While I occasionally get myself a really nice butt, most often I smoke regular skin-on, bone-in butts cryovaced from my supermarket, and as long as you get the fattiest and most well-marbled butt they have, no problems. I also see a problem with finishing with a braise -- you'll eleminate that combo of crust/crunch and moist/melting butt.

Kim, let's talk about the "readers" (reading glasses for those of you who are not of a "certain age"). How often do you find yourself searching for a pair when you have one pair propped on top of your head, and another folded and resting on your chest with one of the bows folded over the neck of the t-shirt you are wearing? Oh my, they are essential for cooking, lest one is following a recipe and without readers sees 1 T as 1 t (or the other way around).

I've found the best results, whether I've made the sausages myself or purchased them (all using hog casings) are best off done on the trusty old Weber Kettle. The broiler or a saute pan just don't give the right pop. I think a key is that they shouldn't be overcooked, but over high enough heat that the skins get the crisp that yields to the supreme snap.

At what temp did you smoke your butt? At what temp did it stall (OK, I have a pre-teen son, and they find this talk absolutely beyond hilarious -- my mom's butt is stalled; her butt has a big bone; her butt is really fatty;) What kind of thermometer set-up are you using? I use a regular old fashioned oven thermometer for the grill (trusty Weber Kettle) and a regular old fashioned meat thermometer for my butt (no comment, please!).

Chris, when you have a minute (!), could you please better describe your cold smoker? What's that on top of the hot smoker? What's in the rubbermaid tote? Oh, and just how were those tomatoes on the BLT?

Our next foodblog starts tomorrow, and I don't think we'll be traveling half way around the world. Since the first photo might be revealing as to the location of this blog, start guessing as to the identify!

Hmmm. I'm not sure, but I do know all will be revealed tomorrow. You are all like little kids when the presents first appear under the tree!

Have you done any field trips? Go to a fishmonger for an information and question and answer session? A meat market or charcuterie?

Monday, April 7, we hit the road again, and once again, I fear a case of jet lag. Looks bucolic, doesn't it? And, I think this next photo indicates that we will see a food that is near and dear to many of our hearts: Where are we going? And who will be our guide?

Actually, I was suspect of this, too, but they turned out wonderfully -- sort of like Master Sauce eggs. But, the dish would be wonderful without the eggs, and for that matter, would work well with chicken thighs too.