From Joy of Cooking to Modernist Cuisine

[prasantrin]

Thanks! I always find blueberry muffins to be a bit too cakey, but those ones look nice and muffiny.

The Andouille Puffs look pretty awesome, too. If not for the Biggest Loser challenge at work, I'd be making (and eating) all of them! They're like souped up (in the car sense) sausage rolls!

[Kerry Beal]

We picked up a nice chunk of pork belly, brined overnight, cooked sous vide for 12 hours at 82º C. Tried to brown in cast iron - all the good bits are still in the bottom of the pan!

Did you go straight from the water bath to the skillet? I've always heard the recommendation that pork belly be chilled/pressed after heating and before browning. When I did pork belly sous vide, that's the approach I took, and it worked well.

Of course, I also browned in a Teflon pan, and that might've helped too.

Nope - chilled overnight, but not compressed. In retrospect I think leaving the skin on would have been wise (and the teflon pan!)

[Kerry Beal]

We headed off again this am to Sudbury to see what we could do about rounding out our cocktail equipment. So there were three of us - Anna, myself and my friend since high school - Cindy.

Cindy was like a kid in a candy store in the thrift shops - she and her husband ranch in the wilds of British Columbia and good thrift store shopping is unheard of. She picked up a whole bunch of stuff for the kitchen of her cottage which is on an island in Georgian Bay.

Lunch was again at our favourite Thai restaurant in Sudbury - we introduced Cindy to the joys of the ginger tea in the elephant pot.

Pumpkin soup for Cindy - we tasted it too - wonderful!

Crab Rangoon - didn't let Anna have any as we didn't want to have to resuscitate her (deathly allergic).

Shrimp rolls

Sticky rice with peanut sauce.

Beef Salad

Calamari of course

We spent a busy afternoon in various stores including our favourite restaurant supply store and by supper time decided we'd better eat again before we headed our separate ways.

We went to the Fishbowl for dinner.

Anna started with a Caesar - the garnishes for which were a little unusual.

I opted for a seafood plate.

Anna a steak (which apparently is there on the plate though you wouldn't know it from my photo)

And Cindy the pickeral

We brought back a fair number of items for cocktail production - one casualty - a jigger that doesn't bounce

And a few other goodies we found

[Pierogi]

OK, I know its OT, but you have *GOT* to explain the Phantom of the Opera mask....

[Genkinaonna]

I'm guessing the mask is going to be a chocolate mold? And if I'm right can I come hang out and cook with you two for a month as a prize?

[Kerry Beal]

OK, I know its OT, but you have *GOT* to explain the Phantom of the Opera mask....

Ah, but it's not off topic at all...

I'm guessing the mask is going to be a chocolate mold? And if I'm right can I come hang out and cook with you two for a month as a prize?

ding, ding, ding - got it in one - what time do you arrive?

[rotuts]

you folks end up eating at the most fantastic places.

[Anna N]

I am always a little late on getting photos posted! Here is our appetizer from Friday night:

spanakopita triangles.

And today I turned my hand to something I kept meaning to try:

Scallion pancakes.

The best laid plans..........

Kerry had our pre-dinner cocktail planned and was going to cook a spatch-cocked chicken on the Egg but duty called and instead of enjoying a relaxing drink she is speeding toward Sudbury accompanying a patient in the back of an ambulance. She will not be back for some time so if I want a cocktail and dinner I am on my own. But she did warn me that I had better take photos!

[Anna N]

So I made my first cocktail.

But before I got too seriously into it I spatchcocked the chicken making use of some of our Sudbury finds from yesterday.

Love these cutting mats which stay put as they have a silicon backing. The down side though is that they have to be hand-washed! The poultry shears did a great job of helping me remove the backbone, wing tips and knuckles. The chicken is now on the outdoor grill and I will show you the finished product later - likely tomorrow. I also have some corn on the cob soaking in its husks prior to a trip to the grill.

The bits from the chicken would normally make it into the stock pot but since we are trying to clear out all perishables before we head home I am afraid they ended up in the garbage.

[Anna N]

So dinner turned out rather well. Here's the chicken just off the grill:

and the corn ready to come off the grill

and finally, the plated dinner:

Kerry made it back from Sudbury in time to enjoy still warm chicken and corn.

[Kerry Beal]

Busy day yesterday - this is the first chance I've had to post - and will be the last thing before I collapse into bed.

A batch of full size blueberry oatmeal muffins for work yesterday - it was a crazy day yesterday on call as Anna mentioned - lights and sirens to Sudbury (an hour and a half trip) with a good outcome which is always nice! I guess I'd better go see where the bowl I took the muffins to work in disappeared to.

Today I took some cheese biscuits for rounds this morning - I asked one of the docs last night what he would like me to bring for rounds - too polite to ask outright he said "well I notice the cheese biscuits haven't made the rotation yet this trip".

Last evening I had the chance to make the lemon curd recipe from MC again - did two variations - one without lemon juice and the other with - discovered we like the one without best!!!! Surprised the crap out of me I'll tell you. I did have one slight complication - left Anna with some yolks in the sous vide bath earlier in the day - apparently I hadn't set the temperature right and I'd cooked them at 90C - could have used them as flip flops! Second batch were much more suitable.

Had Beth Wilson and her man over for dinner tonight - Anna made Nigella's Sausage and Chicken bake - one of the dishes that made Recipes that Rock last year's edition.

Drinks this evening Jasmine. Anna loved - me not so much. Needed a bit more sweet to balance for my taste.

A little grilled asparagus to go with the bake -

I took some of our fresh wild blueberries that we'd been keeping in mason jars in the fridge (which amazingly were still perfect after over a week in there) and made a blueberry galette. Quick and simple - just a bit of sugar, some tapioca, lemon juice and lemon oil.

Whipped cream and lemon curd completed it.

[Kerry Beal]

Brownies for the nursing home this am.

Our drink tonight - a negroni - Anna wants to be sure to pick up the ingredients for this one on the way home!

A tiny one for me as I am heading out.

Made some mushroom turnovers for lunches for the rug rat.

[Kerry Beal]

Tourteau De Chèvre for the clinic this am. Took along one of the lemon curds to accompany it.

[ruthcooks]

How do you make lemon curd without lemon, pray tell?

[Kerry Beal]

As the bible says (ie Modernist Cuisine) - you sous vide the egg yolks, make a syrup of water, sugar and citric acid. Mix cooled egg yolks with syrup, beat in room temperature unsalted butter and a few drops of lemon oil.

[Kerry Beal]

The serval returned to work today for a visit (at my insistence). Only 8 1/2 weeks old now - he's gotten huge, with really nice claws. I'm covered in scratches from my attempts to help clip those claws. I didn't get to watch him eat, but apparently he's on a raw diet and gulps down his meat, growling the whole time. When he's happy - he burbles - the neatest noise.

A rare moment of relaxation.

Tonight's drink - an Old Pal.

Steak and grilled romaine.

Picked up my garlic from the grower yesterday - not fully cured yet so we are keeping it outside in the breeze but out of the sun. Fifteen pounds - car was suitable for vampire prevention by the time I got home. Should last until next year!

[Kerry Beal]

Today I had a 'paperwork' day - a chance to catch up on all the things I've neglected to sign, referrals that needed making etc - so Anna and I had the opportunity to go out to lunch. Probably should have stayed home!

Believe it or not - this was being sold as a patty melt. The description read rye bread, burger patty, grilled onions and cheese. Now both Anna and I pictured open faced. At first I decided they screwed up and the bread wasn't rye (because of the shape) - but it was - rye flavoured at least but certainly not rye texture.

Anna had the toasted western - both meals suffered from having been microwaved instead of cooked fresh.

Tonight's drink - Strawberry Sorbet, ice, topped up with Lillet Blanc - looks better than it tasted sadly.

Dinner was excellent however - that last of the sous vide baby backs, finished on the BGE some with MC Kentucky BBQ sauce and others with Rufus Teague. Corn soaked in the husk then on the grill for 15 minutes or so.

[judiu]

Sorry about your lunch, but dinner looks yummy!

[Anna N]

Not a lot of cooking happening right now as we wind down preparatory to our journey home on Sunday. We will be taking the "Big Canoe" (MS Chi-Cheemaun) from Baymouth to Tobermory and then driving the rest of the way. Tonight's dinner was a sous-vided sirloin steak with grilled asparagus and portobellos topped with Kerry's home-smoked cheddar cheese. For tonight's drink see here.

[Kerry Beal]

In an attempt to use up some of the stuff we have in the fridge and freezer I decided to make a big batch of red current and strawberry pates de fruit. I measured out everything then discovered I was a bit short on apple pectin. I made up the difference with some Pectin X58 which is better suited to nappage on pastry. The PDFs were a bit soft and a bit weepy - but I went around from department to department and dropped some off in each location - no one complained.

It is officially Haw Eater weekend here on Manitoulin Island. This is in reference to the hawthorn that grows on the island and anyone born on the island is called a Haw Eater. On Haw Eater weekend, all Haw Eaters are expected to return to the land of their birth and visit with family. There are a ton of activities going on (and a fair bit of drinking). I'm glad I'm on call today rather than tomorrow - tonight is the teen dance, but tomorrow is when more of the injuries will likely happen. I worked the Saturday last year as I recall and spent a fair bit of time sewing!

Looks peaceful doesn't it - but there are motorcycles and cars barrelling along the road and music coming from the nearby park. Tomorrow night will be even noisier I suspect.

[Kerry Beal]

Up early this am - so got to enjoy the sunrise over the marina while I sipped my tea.

Drink this afternoon - a reward for spending the day packing and getting organized - Manhattans.

Dinner tonight - you'd think we never ate anything but steak would you? I headed out this am with every intention of finding a nice pork tenderloin - but what can I say - the butcher loves me and I saw that strip loins were on for a good price and he was willing to cut a couple 1 1/2 inches thick! Could I say no?

Tomorrow up at 6 or so - head down the island to catch the ferry and hope to arrive home before dinner. I suspect dinner for me will be a nice cup of tea.

[gfweb]

Will you continue this blog when you're home? I've really enjoyed it!

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[Kerry Beal]

Will you continue this blog when you're home? I've really enjoyed it!

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

Likely not - life gets in the way too much at home! If we find anything interesting to eat enroute we'll be sure to post that.

[demiglace]

I loved following along with you ladies. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

[rotuts]

Ive been trying to find the Nigella's Chicken and sausage bake recipe. Ive found this:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/one-pan-sage-and-onion-chicken-and-sausage-recipe/index.html

but it does not seem to have the potatoes. did you just add them in?

many thanks for a fine sumer blogg!