Home and Away

[Peter the eater]

What a fun topic, thank-you ladies.

We used to have a Hungarian restaurant here in Halifax. I loved that goulash with fatty chicken chunks and potatoes and that samoooohkey paprika. I can remember thinking how many peppers there are out there, and how different they can be in a powdery form.

Edited October 13, 2011 by Peter the eater (log)

[Kerry Beal]

A friend and former chocolate student from Owen Sound took the ferry over today to visit so we could play with spray guns. She brought her Badger, I have my Fuji with a new 3 ounce gravity cup to play with and one of the little stainless steel atomizers that we played with at the chocolate conference this year.

We started with a rum swizzle - Havana Club Anejo Reserva, orange juice, pineapple juice, lime, a bit of grenadine and angostura bitters.

Pizza sans cheese for Theo who is lactose intolerant.

Avec cheese for me.

[MelissaH]

Continuing my prep for the upcoming Mommy and Me class at Fortino's - I've been experimenting with "Dirt". I do have a mold at home that makes little skulls - I think one or two scattered on the dirt would be a nice touch. Or a little candy pumpkin or two. I'll have to see what they have available in the bulk section.

For the dirt that goes on/in a Dirt Cake, we've had pretty good luck with oreos that have been buzzed in a food processor. But your dirt looks pretty good, too.

MelissaH

[Kerry Beal]

Continuing my prep for the upcoming Mommy and Me class at Fortino's - I've been experimenting with "Dirt". I do have a mold at home that makes little skulls - I think one or two scattered on the dirt would be a nice touch. Or a little candy pumpkin or two. I'll have to see what they have available in the bulk section.

For the dirt that goes on/in a Dirt Cake, we've had pretty good luck with oreos that have been buzzed in a food processor. But your dirt looks pretty good, too.

MelissaH

I'm lazy - just bought the already crushed oreo crumbs.

[Kerry Beal]

Made a batch of Smitten Kitten fruit bars to take to work today - raspberries and blueberries that I'd left in the freezer here when I left.

Tonight's libation - "The Last Word" - not sure how I feel about it. A bit funky.

Made a batch of Tom Kha for dinner - nothing exciting around to decorate the top with - but it was very satisfactory - and lots left for lunch tomorrow.

Remember this little girl from the summer - she was just a very small kitten at that time - now a fully grown Serval. Still very affectionate - but I'd say about 40 lbs now. Drags her toys up on the chair and chews on them. Loves her squeaky toys best.

[Tri2Cook]

I like the Last Word. I find most drinks with a fairly high ratio of maraschino a bit funky but it's a tasty drink. A bowl of that soup would be good too... been a bit chilly and raining all day. Oh, and nice kitty!

[Toliver]

I'm lazy - just bought the already crushed oreo crumbs.

"Lazy" sounds so negative and makes little sense considering your volume of output.

Spin it positively and just say you're "efficient".

Kerry and Anna,

Thanks for doing this dual blog.

My question is, when you find you just don't have a required ingredient, whether for baking, cooking (eg, dinner) or cocktails, do you abandon the recipe and make something else or sub in another ingredient and just make do? And which of the three do you think is less forgiving of a substitution?

[Anna N]

Kerry and Anna,

Thanks for doing this dual blog.

My question is, when you find you just don't have a required ingredient, whether for baking, cooking (eg, dinner) or cocktails, do you abandon the recipe and make something else or sub in another ingredient and just make do? And which of the three do you think is less forgiving of a substitution?

I think Kerry is much more willing to substitute than am I. For baking or cocktails I will almost never substitute as I don't have a clue what I am doing! For savoury cooking it will depend. If I think the ingredient is crucial then I will abandon the recipe and try something different. If I think it won't make a whole lot of difference to the finished dish then I am much more inclined to think about it and see if I can come up with a suitable substitute.

Edited to add a missing letter.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

Finally made it to the grocery store yesterday so I have a few more ingredients to work with.

Most Thursday nights my Number 2 son comes over after work to see if I need help with anything and to have dinner with me. Of my three kids he is the most unadventurous as far as food goes. He doesn’t eat fish or fresh tomatoes or anything remotely exotic so I always aim for comfort for him. Last night it was cottage pie (from an Anthony Sedlack recipe). Only managed one photo – ready to go into the oven:

Today I probably bit off a bit more than I can comfortably chew. My daughter and her family are coming for dinner so the menu is prime rib roast (done the high heat, no heat method), a cauliflower casserole from Canadian Living magazine, corn on the cob (especially for my granddaughter!), and roasted potatoes. I made two loaves of white bread this morning which will help round things out. I will also make the adults a cocktail and am leaning towards Introduction to Aperol.

Here’s the roast ready for the oven:

While prepping for tonight’s dinner I also finished most of the steps of Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon:

The meat browning:

I have never bought stewing beef before. I buy a piece of chuck and cut it up myself but this beef was from Costco and looked almost like Waygu. It is so incredibly tender and tasty that I would definitely go this route again.

The stew finished and ready to be degreased.

It is in the fridge now and tomorrow I will do the garnishes – pearl onions and tiny button mushrooms.

As if that wasn’t enough I also made this Vietnamese Claypot Chicken though I couldn’t do it in my claypot which is too small for the amounts called for. I did it in a LeCreuset Dutch oven. It made a tasty lunch with loads and loads of leftovers to share.

[rotuts]

may i ask what Bourguignon you used?

a very long time ago I used to do JC's BB exactly as the book says. i used a cote du Rhone (guigal)

America's test kitchen, not that they know everything, has said in the past that this is one dish that one can taste a really good Bourguignon. the real thing. back then the bottle was about $50.

the Guigal was 3.99 by the case.

i never did that, but its worth noting that CK is very cheap (frugal?) so maybe this matters. heaven only knows that the $50 bottle costs now.

Edited October 14, 2011 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

may i ask what Bourguignon you used?

I am guessing you are asking about the wine? I used a pleasant Canadian Merlot. Julia suggests a Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Bordeaux-St. Emilion or a Burgundy. I doubt I could tell the difference between a $50 bottle of wine and the one I used, especially in a stew.

[Kerry Beal]

It appears I've left my camera at work, so excuse the cell phone quality photo.

Tonight - Chicken Tikka Masala - a labour of love since it takes a bit of planning ahead with the hanging of the yogurt and the marinating and such. But well worth it!

No drink as I'm on call today (with the exception of the ubiquitous pots of tea consumed throughout the day).

[ElsieD]

Anna, what cut of beef did you use? You said you got it at Costco?

Elsie

[Anna N]

Anna, what cut of beef did you use? You said you got it at Costco?

Elsie

It was simply labelled "Stewing Beef". As I said I have never bought it before preferring to cut my own from a hunk of chuck but this was amazing.

[Kerry Beal]

Of course they'll never have any stew beef as good as that again!

How did the prime rib turn out?

[Anna N]

Of course they'll never have any stew beef as good as that again!

How did the prime rib turn out?

Managed to overcook the roast by a lot! Should have paid more attention in math class - 5 minutes per pound for a 6lb roast does not translate into 60 minutes! Can't believe I did that. Nonetheless everyone went back for seconds and I have few leftovers to deal with - just enough beef for a couple of lunches.

[Kerry Beal]

If you'd sous vided it first - wouldn't matter how long you overcooked - it would still be moist!

[Anna N]

If you'd sous vided it first - wouldn't matter how long you overcooked - it would still be moist!

Not sure the Demi would handle a solid 6lb+ roast and still have some circulation going on.

[Kerry Beal]

If you'd sous vided it first - wouldn't matter how long you overcooked - it would still be moist!

Not sure the Demi would handle a solid 6lb+ roast and still have some circulation going on.

Ah - so you DO need a SVM!

[Kerry Beal]

Yesterday's work offering - brownies.

I headed off to Sudbury today for a bit of retail therapy - had a late lunch at La Casa Mexicana. Went for the chimichanga - very satisfactory!

The retail therapy was perhaps not as therapeutic initially as I would have liked - but eventually I found a few excellent items.

I found these two highball glasses at Value Village - they reminded me of the highball glasses found on just about every boat that I spent my teen years on! I scored a couple of cocktail books at the used bookstore. I'm particularly pleased with the Gary Regan Bartender's Bible.

It was in a barn like building several miles out of town that now houses "TNT Auctions" - a business selling vintage and antique stuff that used to be in the basement of the restaurant supply store that I frequent in Sudbury - that I finally found something I really like. Check out this vintage cocktail set - 6 highballs, 4 old fashioned's and a little pitcher. "Don't forget you have to wash them by hand" he said to me on my way out the door!

And of course I had to hit the LCBO to see what items I could find there that I haven't seen at home. Decided it was time to compare a few gins with my standard Beefeaters. I would welcome some suggestions for drinks that showcase the Brokers over the Beefeater.

[Kerry Beal]

Little Italy - Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club - rye, sweet vermouth, cynar, a bit of the syrup from the marischino cherry (of course her's is the Luxardo) and flaming orange zest.

[barolo]

Nice glasses

[ElsieD]

Well, Anna, I was at Costco today and had a look at their stewing beef. I had never noticed it before because all I ever buy as far as beef goes is the strip loin so I never look at anything else. But I wonder if you got lucky and scored stewing beef cut from prime? They have prime from time to time and I noticed they had some there today in the form of strip loin steaks. What I saw today was triple A stewing beef but I don't think it was cut from prime. I'll say this though -I'll be checking this out in the future as they must be doing something with the prime trimmings.

edited for a spelling error

Edited October 16, 2011 by ElsieD (log)

[Anna N]

If you'd sous vided it first - wouldn't matter how long you overcooked - it would still be moist!

Not sure the Demi would handle a solid 6lb+ roast and still have some circulation going on.

Ah - so you DO need a SVM!

Perhaps!

[Anna N]

My Number 2 son showed early up yesterday morning to finish fixing the wiper mechanism on my car. He was a little the worse for wear having been to a party the night before so I sent him home with a couple of sandwiches made from the leftover roast beef and home made bread.

One of the things I wanted from Longo’s was duck legs and I can usually count on them to have lots and at a very reasonable price. On Thursday, however, they had none. What they did have were fresh ducks on special. The sale sticker came off this duck but it was just over $12.00. I did a quick calculation and figured it was worth the effort of breaking it down.

Two legs, two breasts and a carcass.

I froze the legs and breasts (I expect them to show up later in the week) and roasted the carcass. Got 1 ½ cups of liquid gold. I then threw the roasted bones into the pressure cooker with some water and cooked it for 30 minutes to produce a lovely gelatinous stock. I used no seasonings or aromatics as I want to be able to take it in any direction later. It is in the fridge now. I will take off the fat and reduce it later.

After making Julia’s Boeuf Bourguignon I still had almost 1 lb of stewing beef left. Here it is:

Look at that marbling. Elsie!

I decided that rather than freezing such a small amount I would attempt a beef stew in my “new” pressure cooker click. Everyone seems to be against these smaller pressure cookers – this is 4.5 litres – but I find it perfect for a one-person household to pull together a quick meal. I don’t cook pulses so high capacity is simply not an issue with me.

I browned the beef in the fat from yesterday’s roasted prime rib and used the juices from that roast as part of the liquid. A couple of carrots, an onion and a few sprigs of thyme and parsley completed the mise. While I love Julia’s fancy French dish it can’t hold a candle to my memory of the beefy goodness of my Grandma’s simple stew. We would eat it out of pudding bowls in front of the coal fire with a doorstop hunk of bread to soak up the gravy. No pudding bowl but otherwise very close:

I had trouble with the cooker not coming up to pressure until I discovered that I had not seated the gasket properly. Once I corrected that it worked perfectly. It is almost silent and the quick release is a joy to use.

Today I need to peel and glaze the pearl onions and sauté the mushrooms to complete the Boeuf Bourguignon then I will keep one serving for me and ship the remainder off to my daughter’s house. She is hoping the Kerry will remain in Manitoulin for at least 6 months so that this bounty continues.