eG Foodblog: Chris Amirault (2010) - Holidays in Rhode Island

[Marlene]

Am I mistaken, or are those cinnamon rolls resting on a sheet of dough? If so, what's that about?

The PC is putting in a few hours at work, so I'll have to get back to you on that. Perhaps someone else around here knows....

Looks to me like the glaze, as in for sticky buns almost.

(sorry, didn't see Andrea's reply before posting this)

Edited December 24, 2010 by Marlene (log)

[Chris Amirault]

That's a nice touch on the cinnamon rolls. There must be other applications for that trick too. Also means you don't have to grease the pan or use parchment. Do you happen to have a photo of the finished product?

I will tomorrow morning, when they're baked.

Those flour dispensers are so amazing, they could be the basis for a whole religion or something. I have to look into whether there's a comparable device that can be acquired today.

Do let me know. It's one flour and one sugar, btw; one just scoops the sugar out from the right bin. They are one of those things that blow people away about the kitchen, it's true, but they're also a bit of a pain: the cap for the flour chute gets stuck and, when you dislodge it, you dust the Sylvia.

Morning prep pix coming.

[andiesenji]

[

Do let me know. It's one flour and one sugar, btw; one just scoops the sugar out from the right bin. They are one of those things that blow people away about the kitchen, it's true, but they're also a bit of a pain: the cap for the flour chute gets stuck and, when you dislodge it, you dust the Sylvia.

Morning prep pix coming.

I've mentioned my friends who have a very similar kitchen, including the built-in hoppers and also had the problem with the sticking cap.

He attached a metal bar-type drawer pull by drilling two holes into the cap (and using the shorter screws made for metal cabinets) and it is much easier to grasp and turn than the cap itself. As I recall, he epoxied a flat metal plate on the inside of the cap to assure greater stability.

[Chris Amirault]

I've had the benefit of two kitchen helpers today. Here they are cutting circles out of bread for the onion soup croutons:

We also pulled enough breadcrumbs for the week's recipes and dried them slightly in the oven:

While they were separating the daube marinade components into three portions --

-- I was slicing the duck ham, which turned out very well. The PX sherry worked great:

Then we washed every leaf in the house (pardon the lousy photo):

Bebe asked me to make black beans with dinner tonight, so I got out this great hock stock I've been hoarding:

The beans are Rancho Gordo midnight black beans. Used the hock fat to sauté the vegetables for the beans:

Lots of dishes to do, of course, and I thought I'd show this simple set-up to extend the drying rack, using a shallow Vollrath hotel pan and some cheap (and bleached) bar rail draining mats:

[andiesenji]

Lovely photos Chris.

In case you don't get a Thermapen from Santa, I can recommend Thermoworks' more affordable probe thermometer, the new waterproof and dishwasher proof RT600C.

$24.00.

I've had one for a while and have put it through the dishwasher (I just have to know it works as advertised) and it has been dropped (flung across the kitchen when I grabbed a towel on which it was resting) and it is certainly as accurate as my Thermapen and has as rapid a response.

The very tip is sensitive so you can check the temp of thin slices of whatever and it makes a smaller hole in baked goods.

The cover has a pocket clip.

It is second from the left in this photo. Note that it also has a handy loop at the top which allows it to be hung on a string from a cabinet knob (my cabinets don't have handles so it is hung from a thumbtack on the inside) to make it easier to test several things that are cooling on the counter. I've also hung it from a hook over my stovetop when repeatedly testing something on a burner.

[Merridith]

Dude, I follow your and Russ's advice religiously. I have it written on a laminated card. But I don't get consistently good artichokes by following it -- and based on Dave's comment, I'm not alone.

Yes, I would agree - I lived in California for 25 years and got spoiled BIG TIME. Artichokes were never bad there. Now, in Missouri, I have to be very picky and accept that they have a short, short season during which time they are good.

[Merridith]

Just pulled out and then pulled the pork butt for tonight's dinner. Behold:

What temp and for how long did you cook that amazing pulled pork? Are you making fresh tortillas for that?

[Chris Amirault]

A couple of days at 62C. And, yep, fresh tortillas. Because I don't have enough going on right now.

[ScottyBoy]

Whoop! Late to the game, great to see a week in the life!

Meatballs in red sauce top 10 comfort foods for me. When I do spaetzle I love to grind some very crispy cooled down bacon and some very fine cut herbs, and the browning in butter is key! Oh and I missed if the technique was discussed but I was always taught to really beat up the dough mix, really snap it around after adding the cream!

Edited December 24, 2010 by ScottyBoy (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Can one of you fly out here and make those spaetzle for me?

[Chris Amirault]

The masa with this newer corn is grinding at a much faster rate. I hope that means for some remarkable tortillas.... Finding out soon.

Meanwhile, I'm getting the Sous Vide Supreme set up to do an ice cream base. Anyone have experience with that? Cough Merridith cough.

[Merridith]

:blink: Well I am embarassed to say that I have NOT done an ice cream base. The closest I have come is French style custardy eggs and let me tell you the crowd went absolutely wild. The back story on the ice cream: we don't eat the stuff (gasp). My husband has a lactose intolerance and I have a big fat person inside of me constantly trying to get out!

[Chris Amirault]

I bought these for bartending, but on days like today they are godsends:

They're Keen PTC slip-ons for men. I've spilled all sorts of things on them, dropped broken glass, you name it. Comfortable, dry, and they're wide enough for my simian feet.

Which, for a few minutes, I am putting up to rest. Daube's in the oven, pineapple syrup's strained, prunes are chopped, masa is made. Photos coming up soon.

[Chris Amirault]

:blink: Well I am embarassed to say that I have NOT done an ice cream base. The closest I have come is French style custardy eggs and let me tell you the crowd went absolutely wild. The back story on the ice cream: we don't eat the stuff (gasp). My husband has a lactose intolerance and I have a big fat person inside of me constantly trying to get out!

I will give it a go and report back. If worse comes to worse, everyone can have prune/armagnac egg nogg, right?

[Merridith]

I'm thinking cardamom flavored bread pudding for those prunes...

[judiu]

Dinner is served. One special treat: because the daube requires some marrow, I bought enough for Bebe, who fiends for the stuff. (Nick Lowe once said that he was pretty suspicious of parents who talked about their preschoolers listening to nothing but the Clash's London Calling; I realize that roasted marrow is the food enthusiast equivalent of that boast, though, I swear, I speak the truth.)

At the table, the shrimp, bread, broccoli, artichokes, and marrow:

Two observations on a nice, easy dinner.

1. I have no idea whether I'm buying killer or crappy artichokes. These were killer: meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. But my selection process was the same as it has been for slim, bland, lousy ones. Thoughts?

2. Shrimp + beef bone marrow = some crazy good food. Not that I stole bone marrow of a child's plate to slather it all over my shrimp.

I'll take the above with a grain of (sea) salt...

Lucky, LUCKY Bebe! I don't remember when I discovered bone marrow, but I DO remember trying to get the marrow out of a pork chop, and being very annoyed at the 'bone crumbs' left by the butchers' saw! My idea of heaven, and the friend who made the osso bucco for dinner one night thought I was nuts for spreading 'that nasty, fatty stuff' on a bit of toast...

[Chris Amirault]

First foodblog snafu: lost a few pictures of the daube and masa prep. I'll make up for it later tonight, I promise.

[mkayahara]

Hey, I've done ice cream base sous vide before, which means I can help! Just blitz everything together, and seal it all in a bag (including any aromatics you may want to strain out later), making sure the bag has some support as you pour the liquid in. Cook it at 82C for about an hour, then strain and cool.

[Chris Amirault]

Great! Thanks Matt. One question: Wolfert says to bring it to 165F/74C on the stovetop. Any thoughts about why the temperature difference?

[Chris Hennes]

165°F for a custard ice cream base? That seems low, I typically go to 180°F.

[mkayahara]

I wondered about the high temperature when I was first given these directions, too. I can't account for the difference, but I can say that it works: the results have no "eggy" flavour, and no curdled bits of protein. I can think of several possible reasons why, but I wouldn't really want to speculate out loud.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks. Got my eggs all ribbony, and milk is scalded. I don't want to curdle the eggs. Should I bring the milk down to room temp before mixing and bagging?

[Chris Hennes]

I'd just temper the eggs by adding 1/4 or so of the hot cream mixture to them to combine. Then you should be safe to combine the rest (I literally just finished making a creme anglaise, that's how I did it).

[Merridith]

I am about to SV my first lobster tail. Any thoughts, hints, etc.? I am planning on 60C for 1 hour (my tail is out of the shell - 1 pound). I put a stick of butter in there.

[Chris Amirault]

I'd just temper the eggs by adding 1/4 or so of the hot cream mixture to them to combine. Then you should be safe to combine the rest (I literally just finished making a creme anglaise, that's how I did it).

All right, I'm taking the plunge.

ETA: Who says eG Foodblogs aren't full of drama??

Edited December 24, 2010 by Chris Amirault (log)