eG Foodblog: Pierogi (2011) - Rollin' the bon temps on the Left Co

[Jon Savage]

Thanks so very much Roberta it has been fun!

Great blog! I've enjoyed reading it and would have even if I were not also living in Long Beach.

Edited March 12, 2011 by 6ppc (log)

[IowaDee]

I have enjoyed reading your blog so much. Like others here, I am inspired to give pierogis a try soon. Now if I

could just claim to live in the Long Beach of Iowa! Nope, not a palm tree in sight. And even squinting won't

turn snow into sand.

[weinoo]

A couple of thoughts:

Great blog this week.

The CSA looks amazing. Artichokes and avocados in a CSA - now that's special and 2 things I'll never see here. And it's nice to see our recovery act funds going to something as important as feeding a community. Can you tell us what the different CSA shares cost?

Another thing you might want to do for the meatballs is to fry up a small one and taste it before making the whole batch. That way you can adjust the seasonings; usually a couple of hits of salt and pepper will help with the blandness factor. As to the dryness factor, gotta use fattier pork!

[kayb]

Way cool on the pierogis! I'm gonna have to try that .... but not this weekend, which is bread and short ribs!

[PopsicleToze]

You definitely deserve a good night's sleep. Thank you for an outstanding blog!

Rhonda

[Pierogi]

Good morning and happy Saturday, all !

I am feeling *much* more articulate today, so let's see where we went for dinner last night.

These were the inspirations:

Yep. Oh, Darienne....we're goin' to Mexico !

Let's start out with a staple. No, not an adult beverage, that'll come in a bit.

We need these:

And these:

'Cause you gotta have good, fresh corn tortillas with your Mexican food !

Put the masa harina and some salt in a large bowl:

Add enough REALLY hot tap water get everything nice and moist. You'll need to start out stirring it with a spoon, but will quickly have to use your hands to incorporate the water. For 1C of the Maseca, the package says to use about 2/3C hot water, but check your masa harina for specifics. Knead the dough together with your hands until you get stuff about the consistency of Play-dough. You may need to add drizzles ("drizzles"...highly specific, technical measurement there...) more hot water, so have some standing by. Goopy hands prevented picture taking until it was together and rolled into a rough log.

Cut the log into equal pieces. The 1C masa:2/3C water ratio of Maseca makes 8 tortillas, so for me it was 8 equal pieces. Roll those into balls. You want to end up with about golf-ball sized pieces.

Let the dough balls rest under a towel for 15 minutes (HA HA food, *I* get to rest TODAY!)

While the dough is resting, heat a cast-iron skillet (or a comal if you have one) over medium heat.

Yes, that's a handle protector over the handle of my cast-iron skillet. Yes, I've grabbed the hot handle. More than once. Now I just use a handle cozy. Saves on burn ointment.

Have a place to land the tortillas when they're baked. I have an auto-ignition stove, so I can just use an adjacent burner. If I ever go back to a cook top with pilot lights on the top, I will be dangerous. I'm so used to plopping things down on cold burners...

And set up your tortilla assembly line:

Line the tortilla press with a plastic bag that you've cut the zippy top from, and slit along the sides. Leave it attached at the bottom (or slit the bottom and leave it attached at one of the sides if you're contrary ! ). Sometimes I need a spatula to do the first flip, sometimes I can do it with tongs, so I keep both close. A nice, thin fish spatula works best for me.

Take one of the dough balls and sorta squish a bit flatter in your hands...

...and put it on the bottom of the press. I usually start with the "hinge" on the bag on the left, by the hinge on the press.

Flip the top of the plastic over the dough:

And put the top of the press down:

Fold over the handle and lay some muscle on that bad boy. But we're not trying to get the dough to the final thinness in one press. Open the press, and rotate the dough, still in the baggie, one-quarter turn. Close, and repress. Open, rotate, close, press, until you've done one complete rotation.

At that point, it should look something like this.

Still in the plastic, lightly feel around the edges to make sure the thickness is the same. If you find a thick spot, put it back in the press on the same side as the handle is. That's the spot that gives you the most pressure.

Gently peel the top plastic back, then flip it over onto your hand, and peel off the bottom (now top) plastic.

You'll come up with something like this:

Flip that over onto the hot skillet. I find just quickly turning my hand palm down and letting the dough fall works best for me. Some people let the dough hang more off their fingers, let one edge catch the pan, and then quickly pull their hand away, but that's FAR more coordination than I have.

Let that go on the first side for a while. Some techniques say 30 seconds, some say 10, some say until it's set. I find that works best for me. When you can get the tortilla up from the pan, turn it then. I get better results with shorter cooking times per side, but more turns. But you'll need to find your own groove on this one.

When the first side is set, flip it over. You should see some brown spots...

...but not this many brown spots.

I usually have at least one sacrificial tortilla per batch.

If you've got good tortilla mojo going, (and I think if the Tortilla Gods are happy with the above sacrifice), you get the much sought-after "tortilla pooof":

Kinda hard to see in that shot, but the two "layers" of the masa will separate due to steam, and the tortilla will puff up like a balloon. It may only do it in spots, or the whole tortilla may puff. Either way, it's a good thing, it means the interior of the tortilla is cooking through properly. Tortilla poooof may not always happen. Don't stress about it. The color is just as important. If it doesn't poof, but it looks good and browned, take it out of the skillet. Leaving it for the poof will dry it out (don't ask how I know.....).

Pile the cooked tortillas in a clean towel, folding the towel over them in between additions:

And save your nice, full little bundle for dinner !

You made corn tortillas.

Edited March 12, 2011 by Pierogi (log)

[Pierogi]

We need something besides corn tortillas, though, good as they are.

So, let's gather up these, and make us some frijoles:

Cut the jalapeno and onion into large-ish chunks (another highly technical term, that, "large-ish"):

Sort and rinse the beans, and toss them in a pot:

These were cranberry beans, pretty, aren't they? Pintos would obviously work as well (and be more authentic), as would black beans. But the cranberries were open, so they got the call.

Toss in a sprig of epazote if you have it, which, thanks to The Growing Experience, I do. And thanks to the advice of eG-er's I have it in my freezer !

And some beige gold, baby. Bacon fat:

Cover that with water, and bring to a boil. Let it just barely simmer for an hour and a half or so, and check the beans for tenderness.

While they're simmering, it's a good time for an adult beverage break:

An Aviation tonight. Hit the spot.

My beans took about 2 hours to cook. About 15 or 20 minutes before they were totally done, I added some salt.

But, we're not done with the frijoles quite yet. We're going the next step, and making frijoles refritos. But these ain't your canned refrieds, baby.

Pull the beans out of the cooking liquid, and set aside.

Save the cooking liquid, too:

That's one spent sprig of ezpazote. It's given it's all:

Melt some more lovely bacon fat in a pan:

And toss in a couple of minced cloves of garlic:

I said yesterday that nothing smells better than cilanto and lemongrass together. I dunno. Garlic sauteeing in bacon fat may just top that one. In fact, I'm pretty darn sure it does.

Don't let the garlic brown, just smell heavenly.

Add in the beans...

...and just cover them with some of the cooking liquid.

Don't worry about taking out the onion and jalapeno, they've cooked so long they're soft enough for the next step.

Which is to take Granny's potato masher and start smooshing the heck out of the beans (note the additional, highly technical term, smooshing):

Don't mash them up too much, leave a good deal of them whole:

Cook down for a bit, until they're nice and thick and creamy:

Now *THOSE* are refrieds !

[judiu]

Pierogi, do you have any master sauce hanging around? I'd simmer the leftover meatballs in that, and make a bastardized meatball sub, or maybe you would call it a meatball bahn mi? Also, when I was cooking regularly, I found that a small can of waterchestnuts, rinsed and chopped fine in the food processor, and mixed with the meat mixture, added lightness and moisture. Don't ask me why I know this...

[Pierogi]

Three stages to our entree tonight. We'll need these:

For our chipotle tartar sauce.

These:

For our cilantro slaw.

And these:

For our fish tacos !

First up, the tartar sauce.

Put some mayo, chopped onion and drained pickle relish in a jar/cup.

Add in some chipotles. The recipe says to rinse and seed the chipotle, to which I say WIMP !

Note that the La Costena chipotles in the class photo was a stunt double. THESE..

...are the chipotles from my fridge that I used. But I figured no one would know what the heck they were !

Blitz up that mix with an immersion blender.

You could also use a regular blender, but, since I was again scaling down the recipe, I figured the boat motor would work better.

You end up with this:

That you serve like that:

Chipotle tarter sauce is done.

[Jon Savage]

That looks great; I just happen to have some Maseca and the exact same tortilla press on hand; Steak tacos for dinner tonight I think. I will have to procure some peppers first. You know it is funny- I prefer the taste & texture of tortillas made using maseca over the fresh stuff (purchased not from scratch).

I also meant to mention that the Top Valu market at 10th X Cherry also has a real live old school butcher department (that may or may not be more convenient for you than 99 Ranch depending on where in LB you live).

I love that market their produce selection is also outstanding and *very* fairly priced.

--edit fish tacos mmmmmmmm... I may have to grab some @ Holé Molé when I go out to buy peppers.

Edited March 12, 2011 by 6ppc (log)

[Pierogi]

On to the cilantro slaw !

Hey Heidi ! Check out the (out of focus) shot of this bowl. It's an entirely different pottery maker than the set of the chalky blue ones, but the blue matches exactly.

Anyways, into the bottom of whatever pretty bowl you use, put some crushed red pepper flakes:

Add in some olive oil and lime juice and salt:

And whisk that around:

Shred up some cabbage, and add it to the bowl:

HELLLLL-OOOOOO nice lady.....we heard cabbage being chopped. Got any for us, especially since we were *everso* good at the groomer today?

You guys are incorrigible !

Chop up some cilantro, and dump it in the bowl with the cabbage.

Mercifully the vulture dogs don't like cilantro....

Toss well, add some pepper ifn's you want, and you've got cilantro slaw.

Onto the fish for the fish tacos !

[Jon Savage]

I'm really enjoying the step by step cooking photographs with instructions. You have a real talent for that.

[Pierogi]

Can't very well have fish tacos without some feeeesh now can we?

Measure out equal amounts of flour and cornstarch:

Add in some salt and pepper, and whisk together:

Whisk in enough dark beer to make a fairly thick batter:

It will thicken as it sits, so this is about the consistency you want:

Let the batter stand for at least 20 minutes.

Hmmmmmmm. That's enough time for another of these:

Pat a piece of fish (I used cod) dry, and cut into fairly thick fingers:

Dip in the batter:

And plop (ewwwwww, I'm all FULL of technical terms today....yeah, I'm full...of somthin'! ) into hot oil:

Pan fry them on both sides until you acheive the venerated "golden brown and delicious":

Drain on paper towels...

...and for the ultimate in smart-@ssed irony, serve on a fish plate:

To assemble the fish taco, put two of your fresh tortillas on your plate:

Top with some cilantro slaw:

A piece or two of fish:

And top with your chipotle tartar sauce.

Money shot:

And that was Friday dinner, and pretty much the week. I'm going to take a short break, and then come back and wrap up !

[Pierogi]

Your blog has been fantastic! you really make stuff I'd love to eat.

Regarding the meatball dryness, how about adding some half cooked, finely diced bacon?? it's pork, right?

And, I LOVE the picture of that rooster, he's totally thinking, oh yeah, I'm the man, that's right, I'm the poo-dee do!

Bacon fixes anything, doesn't it??

The rooster is not only literally "cock of the walk" but Jimmy was telling me he's a brave sucker too. The coop with the chickens and Mr. Thang is pretty large, I'm lousy at guesstimating measurements, but I'd say it was at least 20x30 feet. At least. And with really high, fenced walls, probably about 10 feet at least. They obviously have it pretty secure to keep predators out. But they only have netting over the top of it, and one day a hawk landed on the netting, and his weight dropped him down into the pen, where it couldn't get back out. Jimmy said Mr. Rooster was on the hawk an in instant, defending his ladies.

[Pierogi]

Sounds like you had a most excellent shopping and cooking adventure Roberta.

I like the concept of the CSA you are using.

I'm bushed, the Tsunami alert woke me at midnight last night and the dogs conspired to not allow me to get back to sleep. I qave up at 0500 and went into work.

The Tsunami was fortunately a non event here in Long Beach.

It has been a fun week for sure.

That was really what sold me on The Growing Experience. They're pretty convenient to my area, since I'm over in the northeast corner of the city, so that was a factor as well. But, as much as I loved the idea that the food was truly local, I loved the fact they were giving back to a fairly disadvantaged area of the city. It just seemed like such a positive thing, and so simple yet profound. I wanted to be a part of it.

That I get good, stunningly fresh produce out of the deal is a nice perq.

[Pierogi]

Hey just wanted to say the food and sunshine have been a boost to my week...

and THIS is Yasgurs Farm LOL

Thanks rooftop100 ! Glad to have "warmed" you up, even vicariously.

COOL !

[Pierogi]

A couple of thoughts:

Great blog this week.

The CSA looks amazing. Artichokes and avocados in a CSA - now that's special and 2 things I'll never see here. And it's nice to see our recovery act funds going to something as important as feeding a community. Can you tell us what the different CSA shares cost?

Another thing you might want to do for the meatballs is to fry up a small one and taste it before making the whole batch. That way you can adjust the seasonings; usually a couple of hits of salt and pepper will help with the blandness factor. As to the dryness factor, gotta use fattier pork!

Thanks Mitch ! Your's was pretty damn good as well, so that means a lot.

The CSA *is* amazing. As I said to 6ppc, above, the concept is so simple, and yet so profound. I'm still amazed that Jimmy got the County to sign off on it ! It doesn't really sound like something the bureaucrat suits would get behind too readily. And I still just get blown away by eating food that was literally grown less than 10 miles from my kitchen. I joined in September, so I've really not seen what they can do for spring and summer yet, and I'm excited. Jimmy told me to expect tons of figs (NEVER a bad thing) and peaches and nectarines !

The large shares are $24.00 per pick-up and the small are $12.00. The large shares get more of everything that's in the small ones, plus two or three additional items. This week the large shares got artichokes, collards and lemons that the small ones didn't. You can pick up once a month, every other week or weekly. The eggs are an add-on at $2.00 per half dozen, and the honey is an add-on at $6.00 for 12 ounces.

I know, I know, I know....fat equals flavor, fat equals flavor. One of these years, I'll get it !

[andiesenji]

I have so enjoyed your recipes and photos. I wish we had CSAs in my area but sadly there are none, although I get a weekly bulletin from Local Harvest, there has been no new listings in my area so I have to depend on a small produce market and the Vallarta Supermarkets.

Incidentally, a new Vallarta will soon be opening in Anaheim (2360 W. Lincoln Avenue) not too far from your area. I am very partial to their meat section as the butchers are always willing to cut whatever you want.

Of course, the prepared food part is also a big attraction.

I like your tortilla routine, it is very similar to mine, although I long ago learned to pre-shape them between my palms so I do that prior to putting them in the press.

The fish looked lovely - I wish I could eat ocean fish, the texture is so much better for this type of food than fresh water fish.

Congratulations on a terrific Foodblog.

[Pierogi]

I have so enjoyed your recipes and photos. I wish we had CSAs in my area but sadly there are none, although I get a weekly bulletin from Local Harvest, there has been no new listings in my area so I have to depend on a small produce market and the Vallarta Supermarkets.

Incidentally, a new Vallarta will soon be opening in Anaheim (2360 W. Lincoln Avenue) not too far from your area. I am very partial to their meat section as the butchers are always willing to cut whatever you want.

Of course, the prepared food part is also a big attraction.

I like your tortilla routine, it is very similar to mine, although I long ago learned to pre-shape them between my palms so I do that prior to putting them in the press.

The fish looked lovely - I wish I could eat ocean fish, the texture is so much better for this type of food than fresh water fish.

Congratulations on a terrific Foodblog.

Awwwwwww, Andie, your compliments literally mean the world to me ! You're one of my eG heroines

When I was first researching CSAs a couple of years back, I was blown away by how few there were that service Long Beach. At the time I think there was only one, and even that had a pick-up location in Orange County. Now there's a few more, but I'm so delighted with The Growing Experience and its values, I'm not going anywhere. You grow so much of your own produce though, you're YOUR own CSA

The fish was IQF cod from TJ's ! I think they're frozen fish is great. I'll keep my eyes open for the Vallarta. There's a Northgate Supermarket in town that gets pretty good reviews on Yelp (for whatever, *that's* worth....) that I had in my back pocket to scope out this week, but ran out of time and steam. I'll be paying them a visit soon though.

Thanks again for the kind words and your contributions to the blog.

[robirdstx]

Great blog! Thank you for all your hard work, wonderful dialogue and great photos.

[C. sapidus]

Hey, nice fish tacos - I wish I had throught of that. I am mildly jealous of your epazote. No stores around here offer it fresh, and when I grew epazote in the garden one year it produced a horrifying amount of seeds and tried to take over the world.

Wonderful blog, thank you for sharing your humor and your delightful corner of the world. Enjoy your well-earned rest and give the vegetable dogs a scrunch (technical term) behind the ears from all of us.

[Jon Savage]

Great blog! Thank you for all your hard work, wonderful dialogue and great photos.

I could not say it better so I won't!

Great job - enjoy a celebratory cocktail Roberta!

[Darienne]

Bravo Pierogi. Well done.

[nickrey]

Thanks for the blog Roberta. Well done and hope you enjoy a well deserved rest.

[lancastermike]

Outstanding work Roberta. Like everyone else I enjoyed it immensely. I hope you and the two dogs have some rest this week after a great effort of keeping us entertained. Lizzie and Declan our two non-gratuitous friends send their regards as well. Thanks for sharing those dishwasher shots. Reminded me of another long ago blog.