fifi

OK . . . I have gotta play in this one. First, I found this great site that gets into the history of the dish. That should give us some things to er . . . discuss. That being said, my dad cooked the chili in the family. Once he came across the Pedernales River Chili that was the one he pretty much stuck with. He was a bit suspicious of the tomato and sometimes left that out and upped the amount of ancho powder (he toasted and ground the anchos himself) saying that is was more of a "purist" approach to the sacred stew. Then, a few years ago, I saw this recipe in Southern Living for something called "Bodacious Chili." It was so far off the wall that I had to try it. Touregsand's picture with the chickpeas reminded me of this. Over the years I have adjusted the seasonings and some of the ingredients quite a bit. The kids demand it every year. And it really is pretty. I will probably be sent to the seventh ring of hell for this heresy (I am a Texan, after all.) but here goes: Whacked-Out Chili 2 lbs chuck in ½” cubes 2 large onions chopped 3 stalks celery cut in 1” pieces 1 large red bell pepper chopped 6 jalapenos, seeded and diced 2 cups sliced mushrooms (Portobellos are really good) 8 cloves garlic minced 3 T olive oil Start meat in oil and when beginning to brown add other ingredients. Continue to cook on medium high until vegetables begin to cook. Stir in: 3 T cocoa 4 T ancho chili powder 1 t cayenne or arbol (optional) 1 T cumin seeds 1 T dried Mexican oregano 1 T paprika 1 t ground tumeric ½ t salt or more to taste 1 t ground cardamom 1 t ground pepper 1 T molasses 1 cup red wine 2 cans chopped tomatoes 1 can drained kidney beans 1 can drained garbanzos Simmer covered for 1 ½ hours. Serve with cornbread (I do the andiesenji type) and toppings of your choice. We particularly like sour cream. That being said, another of my very favorite chili recipes is the one from Huevos del Toro, Work in Progress Chili. This recipe is where I learned the trick of putting in whole cumin seeds. They cook up nice and tender and you get a pleasant cumin burst in your mouth. Now that we have gotten our first "cold front" (high tomorrow low 70s) I am going to have to cook up a batch of chili for the freezer that I emptied prior to the Rita Bug-Out. But I have to decide which one!

We did this confit in olive oil some time ago and I tried this recipe and pronounced it great. I have made it a couple more times now. I reserve the oil for sauteing veggies and making salad dressing. It is delicious.

Sorry to be late weighing in . . . the rule is cool stock into hot roux or vice versa. From a practical standpoint, I am usually doing this in one pot, my big heavy gumbo pot. In that pot, I make the roux, quench it with the trinity to get that special flavor, then start adding the stock. That means that my stock needs to be room temp or so. The stock is usually coming from a container from the fridge or freezer where it has been waiting to be a part of the gumbo. To make roux in a separate pan and add it to a pot seems like a lot of extra messing about and more dishes to wash. Plus . . . in that separate pan for the roux, would you have room to sear the trinity in the hot roux? That makes a real difference. I just don't see the practicality, or flavor development, of adding cool roux to bubbling stock. I mean . . . what's the point? Anyone that writes a recipe and says to do that just doesn't get it. Or, maybe they are using roux from a jar. (Actually, roux in a jar isn't bad at all. You still have to heat it to sear the trinity, though.)

Here is the science behind all of this . . . As discussed in many of the smoking meat threads, there is a conversion of collagen to gelatin and melting of fat that takes place at about 170 degrees F (about 75 C). In the smoker, you will see a temperature "stall" at about this point as the conversion requires energy (heat). It is a thermodynamics thing. The same thing happens with stews and braises. If you are not starting with a cut of meat that has connective tissue and fat, you are doomed to dry meat. My preferred cut for stew is a well marbled chuck. I put most braises in the oven at 250F or 225 if I am going shopping. I don't want it bubbling away. In a crockpot, the low setting is the best.

Well, there's the rub. I don't have any bakers in striking distance that can provide me with good bread. Yes, I have looked. I have two options . . . Go with what I can get at the local grocery (La Brea would be a possible improvement) or make it myself (not likely).

Thank you for that tip on Kroger's. I have ranted enough about the lack of a good bakery in my part of town. (My part of town means that I don't have to travel 30 miles to get stuff.) I don't eat much bread so that means that what I do eat needs to be good. I will be checking out my local Kroger and nag the managers so that we get more variety. If jackal10 says it is pretty good, that is enough endorsement for me.

As you might guess, there aren't a lot of vegetarian restaurants where I live. I am told by friends that there are some based on traditional cuisines (such as Indian) but I have never been. The ones that I have been to (not often) here have too much of the hippie/political slant to the whole issue such that I didn't go back and they didn't survive very long anyway. Now, a good vegetarian dish can have a lot of appeal to me. I have been known to dine meatless in some of my favorite Indian restaurants and have been well pleased. There is an old favorite "hippie dippie" place, not really vegetarian but with veggie options, here called The Hobbit that was the first such place in Houston about 25 years ago. I still go there for the Gandalf sandwich, avocado and provolone cheese mostly, that is a delicious invention. We make various versions of it at home all of the time. I particularly like to add my own home grown lentil sprouts. (But I have been known to add bacon.) Anyway, there are a lot of vegetarian dishes that are positively delicious. When they are served up without a lot of proselytizing baggage, they can be very enjoyable. I have even been known to cook meatless a couple of days a week just because I enjoy the dish. However, I would have a hard time doing without the dairy component. Some of the Indian dishes that I enjoy include the use of ghee. I really don't understand the above mentioned bean prejudice. I guess I have never run into it. Beans are a wonderful food and are a part of our regional cuisine. Bean salsas are a terrific, and healthy, snack food. When invited to gatherings of friends, one requirement is that I bring one of my bean salsas. After all of that blathering about my experience with vegetarian cuisine, and to answer the question posed at the beginning . . . The biggest turn-off in most of the vegetarian restaurants I have been to is the moral/political aspects of the place and lousy food.

Ah . . . The old smoked-brisket-in-pasta-sauce trick. I recall doing that one time a few years ago when the weather was too hot for BBQ posole and we had this leftover brisket. As I recall, I did something very similar to what you did, Susan. (But, of course, I would never have gone so far as making my own pasta. ) I had forgotten how good it was. Thanks for reminding me.

Oh dear . . . After seeing kiliki's pictures and mikec's post, I tried to reply and the computer ate it. Anyway . . . To possibly repeat, my research did turn up different soapstones with differing hardness. I do know that the stuff we had in the lab that was put in in the 30s did not scratch easily. Metal flask stands got dragged across it with great regularity and other insults did not result in any noticeable damage. It was also more uniformly black without any obvious veining or other pattern. It was just . . . black. Also, in the 5 years that I was there, we only tried to oil it once and it idin't seem to make any difference. I suspect that after all these years it was pretty well "cured" and further oiling didn't have an effect. LindaK . . . I am a well known fan of laminate. With a couple of exceptions, that is all I have ever had in my kitchens and I have never been unhappy with it. The price is certainly right. I did see a Formica® brand pattern that looks like soapstone at a fancy Home Depot type place a few months ago but I can't find it on the Formica® website.

Sheesh . . . You ladies are amazing! I have to be away for a couple of days and look what happens!!! Susan . . . I must have missed it way up-thread but I am so honored that you tried the green beans and liked them. I saw some nice ones in the store yesterday and guess what I am going to cook. Also, did you finally decide that what you bought was tumeric? I bought some for the Beef REndang recipe in the Braising with Molly thread and I still have a yellow stain on my cutting board. Kristin . . . I can tell by your pictures that you have really taken in the Japanese esthetic. Your pictures and compositions are beautiful. This has been delightful. And you have given me some useful information that will result in positive action. Well . . . Actually negative. I will probably never attempt to make pasta from scratch.

I have to agree. My first choice is Hong Kong Market, second is a big newish Fiesta Mart like at Bellaire and Hwy 6. I only go to Central Market when I want something really exotic. Note . . . All of these markets are about a 40 mile trek for me so I get really particular. The butcher shop at the big HK market on Bellaire surpasses the CM shop in my opinion. And, the prices are a lot better. Their pork is amazing.

Ummm . . . To me, great brisket needs no sauce. I was disappointed last time I went to City Market in Luling. (That was in July or so.) The brisket wasn't as tender, juicy or smokey as I have had there and I had to add salt. Anyway . . . The last word in brisket that I have wrapped my chops around was . . . hold onto your blue jeans . . . At a little place in Pahoa, Hawaii (Big Island outside of Hilo) called Big Jake's. What I had was slices from a little brisket flat with a "red ring" almost all the way through and the juice was running as he sliced it for my sandwich. Sauce would have been criminal. My own brisket is better than just about anybody's that I buy out. But I have never been able to duplicate Big Jake's. I think I may need to make a trip in the name of research.

I am just catching up after a Roadrunner outage and I am really intrigued with this blog. You guys are doing a great job of going back and forth with your home happenings and the food looks so realistic and interestng. Susan, I am particularly intrigued with your using the ss mushroom to smash fresh ginger. I never thought of that. I often get really fresh ginger at my local Hong Kong Market. It does seem to lend itself to smashing. I would just slice it thinly across the fiber and after smashing, it should be good to go. Yes, you can plant the fresh (and not so fresh) ginger root and get it going. If you have been able to keep a Kaffir lime tree, you should be able to do it with ginger. I am going to try galangal when I get in the house.

Oh my . . . The ceviche of my dreams was made on a sport fishing boat out of Cozumel, off the coast of Yucatan near Tulum. We had just landed some huge Dorado. We had luckily gone to the market before and gotten a big bag of the little limes, some onion, garlic and chiles. One of the deck hands had started filleting one of the big ones and I was headed to the galley when he headed me off. With my rudimentary Spanish, I learned that he was the "Ceviche King" and I should not intrude on his territory. About an hour later, we had the most divine ceviche on saltine crackers that I have ever had. The fish was cubed into precise 1/4 inch cubes and perfectly "cooked" by the lime juice. The balance of heat and tart was perfect. That experience will always define ceviche in my mind.

I used the flanken style in one of my trials. (I don't remember which.) They worked great. I had only started to consider them for an actual dish. I found them at my local HEB and had only used them for fill in for beef stock before I got into this book. I did rinse them well since they seemed to have a lot of "bandsaw gunk" left on them from the cross cutting of the bones.

Good point . . . DUH!

Oh my . . . This is going to be fun. Susan . . . you are tweaking my farmer's market envy. I would roast the brocolli. That is a lot of flavor for little work. I am always up for "little work." Kristin . . . That "roux in a chunk" is really interesting. From time to time, I get ambitious and make up little marble sized balls of flour and butter and put them in the freezer to use for last minute thickening of sauces. I do buy the roux in a jar to keep on hand. I had no idea that the concept of roux existed in Japanese cooking.

The Hong Kong Markets on Bellaire and Scarsdale (the ones I go to) have excellent pork and they will cut it to order. Their chicken is terrific. I buy the "parts" for stock and there is someting different here. The fat doesn't congeal in the fridge. Polyunsturated chickens? I am on the hunt for a source for good pork fat to make lard. The stuff in the packages at Fiesta Mart has too much meat and other gunk. (I have been known to use it for carnitas.) Any info on butcher shops in the Bay Area or Texas City would be appreciated.

That turkey is a piker. The Grand Champion turkey at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo last year went for $125,000. I have been known to wonder about an appropriate roasting pan for such a bird.

I do the zipper bag routine for soup a lot. If I have reduced stock that might live in the freezer for a long time, I use small wide mouth canning jars so that the stock doesn't pick up flavors. But the ultimate for storing soups and stews is the Reynolds brand deli containers that I get at the restaurant supply store. They cost about 10 cents apiece, the lids seal very well and you can reuse them. Back in the soup thread, Rachel pictured them here. My restaurant supply sells them in sleeves of 50. But, if I had to buy a case like Rachel, I would. You can get 8, 16, and 32 ounce sizes and all of the lids are the same. Brilliant.

I fell into love with the kale stamppot at the company cafeteria in The Hague. They really did a good job of food in general and stamppot in particular. I have to say that the kale is my favorite and I am going to try to duplicate it. Kale is a winter crop here so I may have to wait a while.

This Chicken Sitter from Goode & Company here locally is what we use on the smoker. It is a lot more stable than a beer can and it is a lot cheaper than the one linked to in the first post. Yes, I do think that vertical roasting has its charms. I only do it in the smoker though where I can set it up and leave it alone. I had too many messy "dumping overs" in the oven.

How long does it take to preheat for baking a pie? I strikes me that in this time of a potential doubling (or more) of nat'l gas prices, this oven might pay for itself for those of us living alone who make small amounts often. I find my GE Profile takes at least 30 minutes, per the oven thermometer, to come to temp even though it beeps ready at about 20. . . . . . ← Uh . . . I might be doing something wrong but I don't preheat the DeLonghi at all. I put the stuff in and turn it on. Even doing that with "raw" pies doesn't seem to affect the result. You make a good point. For some stupid reason, I have never thought of preheating the DeLonghi as I would the range oven. I don't have a rational explanation but it seems to work. Of course, the DeLonghi doesn't have the mass to be heated up. I think that the working end is the blown hot air as in convection so heating up the walls is immaterial. This would help with energy consumption.

When my daughter was about 3, we were at the in-laws' house for Sunday dinner. My MIL used the "traditional" rant to get her to eat more of her dinner . . . "Think of the starving children in [insert underpriveleged nation here]." My daughter's reply . . . "Oh yeah? Name one." (She was verbally precocious. Still is. ) One day at the country place in Texas, my mother and I left my son, then about 2, in the care of his grandfather while we went to the next town for some shopping. We came back to this little chubby cherub with the blonde curls, sitting in his high chair, completely covered with peanut butter. Dad had given him a particularly fat peanut butter sandwich to "play with." I mean, the kid had it smushed into his hair, nose, ears and every place else he could find to stuff it. When we walked in and gazed in horror, he said with trilling giggles . . . "It's YUUUUUUK! It's NAAAAASTY!" giggle giggle. To this day, he is now 33, we use that phrase to refer to any number of things. Dad never owned up to teaching him the phrase.

Here ya go. I actually have the older model with the knobs. My nephew has this one and we used it at the country place during the storm. I like mine better. But, looking at the dimensions versus my cheap but serviceable GE microwave, it isn't any bigger. I haven't been tempted to get the bigger one with the rotisserie since I am very unlikely to rotis anything myself.