Blackened Brussel Sprouts

Have you ever seen a brussel sprout tree? I call it a tree because it really looks like a tree. It's got a long, lean green stalk speckled by gorgeous little brussel buds all the way up the shaft and rounded off at the top by what essentially looks to be a massive brussel sprout that's been chopped in half... Don't believe me? Look:

Photo procured from ModernWench.

The first time I saw these ghastly beasts was when John and I first started buying local, organic, happy produce from Madrona Farm. For some reason, I pictured brussel sprouts growing...well, actually... I hadn't thought much about it at all, to tell you the truth. That's why our little weekly jaunts to Madrona every Saturday morning were so useful: They made me think about who and where my food was coming from. That, and it was so stimulating to actually meet the farmers, the land, and the plants that were producing my food. More than anything, it was satisfyingly enlightening to learn things about food that otherwise just came to me by way of the bin in the supermarket. 

So there you have it. Brussel sprouts. And in memoriam of the first time I met a brussel sprout "tree" (in vision, as well as taste - my GOD they taste so much better than those mediocre, semi bland, fairly fibrous facsimiles you get in the grocery store), I bring you a simple, yet gloriously fabulous recipe for:

Blackened Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 Lbs Brussel Sprouts, roughly the same size.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

While the oven heats, clean your sprouts. Fill the sink (or a bowl) with some cold water and dump the little guys in there. This will ensure there are no bugs in them and get all the excess dirt off that may be left from the field. Now, one at a time, chop the butt of the sprout off and peel back the first layer or so of the sprout. The point is that you want to get rid of the tough/damaged outer layer and get to the slightly bitter yet delicious core. Some will need more peeling than others.

Once peeled, dry them thoroughly or your olive oil will not adhere to the sprouts.

Throw em in a baking pan and give em a good drizzle of olive oil and a good pinch or two of salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands, ensuring an even coating of the seasoning and oil over all the sprouts. Also make sure that they are all touching the bottom of the pan (only one layer), or they won't color properly.

Toss em in the oven and cook for about 30 - 40 minutes, shaking the pan every so often to ensure even coloring. They're done when they have a nice dark color all the way around and the insides are tender, while the outsides are crisp (use a fork to test).

Eat.

Blue Cheese BBQ Bison Burgers

Okay, so these past 3 weeks of school have been ridiculous. I've had hundreds of pages of reading to read, reflection essays to write, meetings to attend, group projects to present, and to top it all off - I've managed to get repeatedly sick in as many weeks. My new school year resolution: Stop touching anything on campus. It's all infested with various harmful germs, grossness, and bacteria. While I may not be much of a germaphobe, I'm certainly learning the basics to becoming one. Ick.

More happily, however, in the last couple weeks I discovered two things. First, this:

I was walking to Island Meat & Seafood the other day and spotted these little white petaled dangling gems clustered at the base of a tree down a secluded street... Little flowers? Not so interesting. What IS interesting though is that these little beauties mean Spring is coming. I realise it's only the end of January and we've had some fairly mild weather and THUS, they may have sprung a little early...... But they give me hope that the dismal, wet, dark, and relatively depressing season we're currently in is almost over. Don't get me wrong, I love winter. It's cozy. We get to pile on hoodies and jogging pants and rain boots and seek refuge under blankets and get all cuddly with each other.... But frankly, I'm kind of over it. Bring on the SUN!

Now, while I love my first discovery, the other thing I came upon this past week or so was much more scrumptious. In an effort to use up the excess cheese laying about the fridge, I made:

Blue Cheese, BBQ Bison Burgers



I know, I know - blue cheese may scare some people. I mean, it's mold. In cheese. Ew. But not because it's delicious. It's also beautiful with the bison; the potent blue mellows out in the meat, while the sweetness of the bison really shines. Don't be scared, we'll get through it together. And absolutely relish in the end result. If blue cheese doesn't work for you though, you can find my original, basic bison burger recipe here.

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Ground Bison.

3 Garlic Cloves, minced.

1/2 Medium Sized Onion, finely diced.

2 Heaping Tsp Fresh Thyme.

A Few Dashes of Worcestershire Sauce.

1/3 C Fine Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs.

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

1/2 C Blue Cheese, crumbled.

1 Free Range, Organic Egg.

1/4 C of Your Favorite BBQ Sauce.

Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Whole Wheat Buns.

Assorted Toppings & Condiments to your liking.

What to Do:

Preheat your gas BBQ 10 - 15 minutes on medium heat or your broiler to high. 

In a large mixing bowl combine all your ingredients, save for the buns and condiments (obviously), and the BBQ sauce. Mix well with your hands, squeezing and kneading the mixture until it is well-combined and sticky. Don't over work the meat though or you'll end up with tough, dry burgers.

Portion out 4 burgers. Shape gently into patties. Lightly coat with olive oil.

When BBQ/broiler is heated, (gently) toss the burgers on the grill/in the middle of the oven under element. Close and grill about 4 minutes, flip, and then another 3 to 4. This should leave your burgers medium to medium-well done (recommended for yummy factor). If you want no pink, let them cook for an extra minute or two (but no more because they cook very quickly) after the flip. Slather with BBQ sauce after the flip and then close the lid or too much heat will escape.

Remove and let sit while you grill your buns. Gently place buns on either the higher rack of your BBQ or away from the central heat on the main level/face up under the broiler. This only takes a couple minutes so watch them carefully or they will burn.

 Remove and garnish with the your favorite burger toppings such as heirloom tomatoes, caramelized onions, crisp garden lettuce or Arugula, MMM pickles!, etc.... Eat.

Little Quackers!

Look who's coming for dinner on Sunday........

Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto

Truffle is my kryptonite. I love truffle. I mean, I LOVE truffle. The scent, the flavor, the way it curls up the entire back of your throat, just barely tickling your sinuses... It makes me weak in the knees and awakens areas of my body that probably shouldn't be quite so affected by any particular food-stuff. I love truffle. 

I've never actually had a truffle mushroom , but I've had the oil. Lots of it. And I've had truffle salt and truffle seasoning. They aren't cheap, let me tell you! But it's used so sparingly that I feel justified in having a little in the cupboard. I'm learning to distinguish between white and black truffle oils and their related uses and I can't get enough. It becomes a craving... A yearning, if you will. Truffle. Truffle. Truffle. Truffle. Truffle. I love truffle. Truffle. I've typed it so many times it looks funny. Mmmm, truffle. 

Fact: truffle oil (along with other truffle scented products) often don't ever come into contact with actual truffles. See

Sidenote: I had to ask John how to spell "kryptonite" - being the giant comic fan that he is [read: dork], he asked if I wanted to specify between red and/or green kryptonite. Cute. Or something...

What's the point of all this rambling about truffles? The other night when we had the Vegetable Wellington, we also had Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto. Usually, wellington is served with potatoes of some sort, but I had some arborio rice on hand, so I threw together a fantastic risotto (the recipe for which was lovingly adapted from my wonderful friend Shelby). Of course, you can leave out the truffle oil if you don't like it or you simply don't want to spend the money on it. But I think it makes the risotto much better. It makes everything better.

It was creamy and perfectly cooked - and I wallowed in the truffle essence. It was pure-heaven. And now I'm going to share it with you... The recipe, not the actual risotto. That would prove fairly difficult given our web-based interactive relationship. Plus it's gone, I ate it all. As I'm sure you will too...

Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

12 Shiitake Mushrooms, stems removed & chopped.
12 Large Oyster mushrooms, stems removed & chopped.
2 Bunches Fresh Asaparagus, ends snapped.
2 Shallots, thinly sliced.
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
A Couple Sprigs Fresh Rosemary.
1.5 Cups Arborio Rice.
3/4 Cup Dry White Wine.
5-6 Cups Chicken or Veggie Stock, heated.
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
~1 Cup Asiago Cheese, grated
White Truffle Oil, for drizzling.

What to Do:

On a low heat, melt butter in large pan and add shallots and garlic, covering with lid. Allow 5-10 mins to become translucent.

 Then stir in mushrooms and Rosemary. Allow to cook at low temp for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until mushroom/shallot mixture has caramelized and shrunk to about 1/3 the initial size. Remove Rosemary sprigs and increase heat to medium.

Add rice, stirring until grains become slightly clear and golden on the outside, approximately 2 mins.

Add wine, allowing for absorption by the rice and evaporation of the alcohol.

Next ladle in enough stock to just cover the rice mixture and allow for a low simmer, stirring fairly regularly to avoid burning. Continue adding further ladles of broth as it gets absorbed, again only as much as is needed to cover the rice.

This will continue for roughly 30mins, or until rice mixture is creamy and has reached the desired texture. You want it to be soft but still hold it's texture and not be mushy.

As the rice reaches the desired consistency, fill a frying pan or pot with some salted water, bring to a boil and toss in the asparagus. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until just fork tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Take half the asparagus and chop diagonally into 1/2" pieces. Toss into the risotto and allow to warm through.

At this point, remove from heat and grate cheese over top, folding into the finished dish. Drizzle lightly (and lovingly) with a little truffle oil if using. If you want, you can sprinkle some fresh flat leaf parsley over the top or even garnish with a lemon wedge. Top with the remaining asparagus and a little more cheese.

Eat.

This post is linked up with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Cenutry Housewife, and This Chick Cooks.

Vegetable Wellington

Holy Crap! This past week has been insane with school, work, and social activities - I just haven't had time to post! So I must ask, how are you doing? I miss you! I managed to do so much blogging during the break I feel as though we haven't engaged with each other in ages. I think I'm suffering the inevitable school-work-induced blogger withdrawals that come with posting only once a week... I don't know if that's terribly sad or simply reflective of my love of yapping about food. Either way, it's nice to see you.

Dreary days like today make me long for
elongated, sunny, summer sunsets...
Wait a minute, I've forgotten, what's the sun?

Because of my lack of time this week, I'm really just going to get right into it:

Last week I craved a classic gourmet meal, but wasn't sure where my taste-buds were leading me. Eventually, I decided on beef-wellington. However, I wanted to make it a little more Earth and body friendly. So, instead of using the beef I collected some wondrous winter veg. And in place of the traditional foie gras, I made a beautiful mushroom and olive tapenade pate.

It was mighty tasty! And I got to create something beautiful out of local, seasonal, winter vegetables. So, here it is - my Vegetable Wellington.

Vegetable Wellington

Ingredients:

1 Package Puff Pastry, thawed.

450g Brown Cap Mushrooms, finely chopped.

1/2 Large Spanish Onion, diced.

4-5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves plucked from the stalks.

1 Tbsp. Good Quality Olive Tapenade.

2-3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter + 1/4 C Unsalted Butter, melted.

1 Head Broccoli, broken into florets.

1 Head Cauliflower, broken into florets.

1/2 Butternut or Banana Nut Squash, peeled, seeded & chopped.

1 Medium Parsnip, peeled and chopped.

6 Cloves Garlic, peeled.

1/4 C Sundried Tomatoes, finely diced.

Handful of Raisins.
Handful Walnuts, toasted.

3/4 C Asiago Cheese, finely grated.

1 Lemon, for juice and zest.

Some Flour.

2 Eggs, lightly beaten.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

The first thing to do is roast your veg for the inside of your wellington. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a baking pan, throw in the broccoli, cauliflower, squash, parsnip, and garlic with a healthy drizzling of olive oil and season with S&P. Roast in the oven uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until cooked, a little blackened (you'll have to flip the veggies a couple times to ensure even cooking), but still holding their own. 

Throw the asiago, lemon zest, raisins, walnuts, and sundried tomatoes in with the veggies. Stir well. Allow to cool and turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, make the mushroom tapenade pate that will line your wellington.

In a medium to large size frying pan, melt 2-3Tbsp butter over low-medium heat. Toss in the mushrooms, onion, and thyme. Stir well to coat and cook for about half an hour or until the mushrooms and onions have begun to caramelize fairly decently. In the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking, add lemon juice. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Once cooled, toss the mixture into a food processor with a generous helping of pepper and the tapanade and puree until well blended and very finely chopped - probably about 45 seconds or so. Set aside.

Now, take the flour and lightly dust your counter. Lay the pastry out on the floured surface and roll out to about 1/4" - try to keep it oblong shaped while you roll. You may need to add more flour if the rolling pin or surface is too sticky.

Once rolled, spread the mushroom pate out to cover the pastry generously.

Top with a generous heaping of the roasted veg mixture on the edge closest to you and get ready to roll!

Keeping the pastry tight, roll one side over the vegetable mixture and continue rolling until you hit the opposite edge. Tuck the ends in or pinch them shut. Egg wash the edges to seal and then slap the melted butter on that baby to ensure a beautiful browning pastry crust. Poke a few holes in the top of the pastry with a knife or fork to allow the heat to escape and to ensure the edges don't burst during the baking process.

Handle the pastry carefully and lift onto a greased baking sheet (you may need 2 pairs of hands to do this). Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crispy! Remove from heat, slice carefully and serve!

 Eat.

Papardelle with Curry Chorizo Ragout

I came up with this recipe after being inspired by my visit to Ottavio's last week. There were so many beautiful ingredients, it was like I died and went to ingredient-heaven! Gorgeous olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, truffle butters, beautiful cheeses and cured meats, olives, tomato pastes, seasonings, and so much more. It was like Culinary Christmas! Plus the aroma of fresh baked goodies and illy coffee sent my appetite soaring. I love that store. 

The thing that really snared me though, was the curry chorizo sausage, crafted by the Galloping Goose Sausage Co. - "a tasty mix of curried pork and beef. This sausage has a slightly sweet flavour. Spicy but not too hot" (description courtesy of the Sausage Company's own website). I grabbed 4 links, a little prosciutto, and a box of pappardelle pasta and made a run for it (well, after I paid for it, of course)...

 

Inspired by the simple ingredients I found at the shop and the need to use up some of the veggies in the fridge I came up with the following. It's easy, delicious and superbly beautiful. Pair with a nice medium bodied red wine. I actually tried it with two - one the first night, and one the second with leftovers. The Da Luca 2007 Primitivo Merlot ($11) was nice. Not too complex, but for a value wine it was certainly decent. The second night I had Howling Bluff's 2008 Pinot Noir ($35). Holy Crap! It was good. Dry, big bold cherries and raspberries, and perfect long lasting tannins. You may be hard pressed to find this wine - there were only 215 cases produced (and they may be sold out)... So I guess this is a rather unfair review. In any case, their 2008 Sin Cera is also delicious.

Papardelle with Curry Chorizo Ragu

Ingredients:

250 g Pappardelle Pasta (or similar flat based noodle).

4 Links Curried Chorizo Sausage (Basic Chorizo will substitute fine, or add some curry powder to your sauce to taste).

50 g Prosciutto, roughly chopped.

600 ml Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes.

2-3 Tbsp Tomato Paste.

1 Spanish Onion, diced.

3-4 Large Cloves Garlic, finely chopped.

2 Medium Size Carrots, sliced.

2 Small Celery Stalks, sliced.

1 Large Handful Fresh Green Beans.

3/4 C Dry White Wine.

1 Tbsp Fennel Seeds.

1 Tbsp Dried Chilies (optional).

Fresh Herbs such as Thyme, Oregano, Sage, & Parsley, chopped.

1 Dried Bay Leaf.

1/2 C Grated Asiago or Parmesan Cheese to Finish.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (in case).

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

First, deal with the sausage. Heat a large size skillet over medium heat. While that heats, cut a line down the middle of each link and squeeze the meat out of the casing into a bowl. Dump the meat into the skillet along with the prosciutto, stirring often to ensure even cooking/browning. Once cooked, empty the meat in a bowl and set aside.

Leave about 2 to 3 tbsp of fat in the skillet and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the other veggies have begun to soften. Depending on how much grease you had left over in the skillet, you may need to add a bit of olive oil. Don't worry about the brown bits in the pan or havin the veggies stick a little. We'll take care of that. 

Dump in the wine to deglaze the pan and stir well, getting all those little bits off the bottom. Allow this to reduce a few minutes and then return the meat to the skillet. Let warm/cook for about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the fennel seeds, dried chilies, and a little salt in a mortar and pestle. Bash well. 

Now, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh herbs (except the parsley), dried (including fennel), some salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low to simmer for anywhere between an hour to an hour and a half. The mixture should reduce to a thick sauce.

When you have about 20 minutes left for the sauce to reduce, bring a large pot of water to a boil (make sure you salt the water! ALWAYS salt your water!), and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions.

In a smaller pot, bring some salted water to a boil and toss in the green beans. Blanch for about 2 minutes, remove, run cold water over the little guys to stop the cooking process and dry well. Toss into your sauce mixture in the last 5 minutes of cooking along with the parsley.

 Once your pasta is drained, and your sauce is cooked, remove the bay leaf and toss it all in a bowl and top with the cheese.

Eat. Yum.

NYE 2010/11: What She Ate - Patatas Bravas & Braves

Okay - this is the last segment of New Years Eve 2010/11: What She Ate. And thank goodness for that! Not that I'm not enjoying doing the entries - it's like I'm re-living Barcelona all over again! It's great! But I want to move on. This meal is so last year. Yet not, because it was fabulous and I can't wait to make it again. But I'm ready for new entries. New experiences. A new year. So, let's get this over with, shall we?

I decided we ought to have both Patatas Bravas (potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) as well as Patates Braves (Potatoes with a Garlic Aioli Sauce). The reasoning for this was simple:

A. Before we went to Spain, I pictures Patatas Bravas as the epitome of Spanish Tapas.

B. As I discovered once we got to Barcelona (and thus, Catalunya), the potato dish I was so stoked for was not covered in a spicy tomato sauce, but rather a strange white substance that actually kind of freaked me out. Until I tried it. And then I fell in love.

So, to preconceived notions and the glorious enlightenment that (hopefully) follows them, and as a final installation from The Food of Spain: A Journey for Food Lovers, I bring you Patatas Bravas! And as a final NYE 2010/11 entry, from me, Patates Braves.

Happy 2011 Everybody. Truly.

Patatas Bravas 
(Potatoes in a Spicy Tomato Sauce)

(printable recipe)

via vegan project

Ingredients:

2 lbs. All Purpose Potatoes (i.e. Russets), peeled and chopped into 2/3 inch cubes.

2 Tbsp Olive Oil.

1/4 Red Onion, finely chopped.

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed.

3 Tsp Sweet Paprika (Pimenton).

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.

1 lb Ripe Roma Tomatoes.

1 Bay Leaf.

1 Tsp White Sugar.

Canola or Veggie Oil for Deep Frying.

What to Do:

First, you need to peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. This is much easier than it sounds. To start, set a pot of water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, cut out the stem area from the top of the tomato, careful not to cut away the flesh. Then, make a small criss-cross incision over the bum of the tomato. Not too deep, just enough to go through the skin. 





Once the water is boiling, toss in the tomatoes. Boil for 10 seconds. Then, drain and plunge them into a bowl of cold water  to stop the cooking process.

The skins should be starting to pull away from the tomatoes. Now you can just simply pull them from the flesh and set aside.

Now, begin the potatoes. Rinse them well and dry thoroughly. 

Fill a wok or heavy based saucepan one third full of oil and heat until a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 15 seconds. Fry the potatoes in batches for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove and drain on paper towel. Reserve the oil.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion for about 5 minutes or until softened.

Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar, and 1/3 C water, and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes , or until the mixture becomes thick and pulpy.

Remove from the heat, cool slightly, remove the bay leaf, and pulverize in a food processor until smooth. Serve hot. 

Before serving, reheat the deep fry oil the same as before, and cook the potatoes a second time in batches for about 2 minutes each, or until very crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel. This second frying makes the potato extra crispy and helps keep the sauce from soaking in the potatoes immediately.

Place potatoes on a platter, cover with sauce and serve.

Eat.

NYE 2010/11: What She Ate - Habas Con Jamon (Broad Beans with Jamon)

There was a beautiful little restaurant in Spain. It was quaint and unique and out of the way... Or so it seemed. Once inside, the parlor style room expanded for what looked like miles, glass walls showcased the dozens of tapas style foods you could order, wine lined the shelves, and Las Ramblas (Barcelona's major shopping/tourist street) was only a few feet away. It was loud. Hot. Sweaty. And it smelled delicious.

While we were in Barcelona we tried to avoid the tourist district as much as we could. Finding most of the food in the area over priced and mediocre in flavor and style we stuck mainly to the neighborhood of Gracia, where we were staying. There were so many quaint little restaurants and shops, plazas, cafes and bars, parks, and long, narrow, cobblestone streets. It was exactly how I pictured Barcelona to be. Perfect.

However, the first time I had Habas Con Jamon (broad beans with jamon) we were not in Gracia. We were in the opposite of Gracia. We were on Las Ramblas. Starving, tired, and dying of heat exhaustion (don't go to Barcelona in August unless you want to lose your entire body weight in perspiration each day), we stumbled into a cafe for our first "daily special" meal.

They're everywhere. Three courses for 10 Euros (often including a glass of wine)!! And most places are air conditioned - thank GOD! The one we chose wasn't. But there was a breeze and cold beer and wine. That was enough for me!

As my appetizer was brought out, a plate filled with brilliant greens and specks of golden brown filled my every sense. It was beautiful if not a supreme work of art, and it's aroma was intoxicating. I hadn't had fava beans before and didn't really know what to expect. But they were wonderful. Flavorful, light (surprising given how much protein was on the plate), rich, fresh, and sensational. Even in the heart of tourist Barcelona, we found the right restaurant.

For New Years I tried to recreate that experience. Oh did I ever. This is one protein, meaty, flavor packed dish - and it sings of Barcelona. Again, as with the Croquettes recipe, this comes from The Food of Spain: A Journey for Food Lovers.

* You will need many more beans than you think. Once the casings are gone, there is significantly less volume than when you bought them. I recommend 1 and a half to 2 Lb per person with casings on. 

** Jamon is a very special cured meat from Spain made from Iberian pigs which is carefully produced with very stringent guidelines. If you can't find it you could substitute prosciutto but as I've discovered, it won't have the same flavor as the good stuff. Try your local artisan meat shop or Italian deli. You can get it in Victoria at Ottavio's Italian Bakery and Delicatessen.

Habas Con Jamon (Broad Beans with Jamon)

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter.

1 Brown Onion, diced.

175 g Jamon or Prosciutto, roughly chopped.

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed.

4 Lb. Fresh Broad (Fava) Beans.

2/3 C Dry White Wine.

3/4 C Chicken Stock.

What to Do:

First, prepare the fava beans. This does take a bit of time but it's very easy. Snap off the top end of the bean and gently peel off the seam (like peas). Then gently wiggle your fingers inside to open the pod. Pop out the beans and discard the shells to the compost.

Now here's the time consuming part: the beans are tricky and have a second shell. You'll need to bring a large pot of water to a boil, dump the beans in, boil for about 30 seconds to loosen the second casing and then immediately drain and run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process and maintain the brilliant green color. Now you can carefully made a tear in the outer coating near the "bum" of the bean (when you see them you'll know what I mean) and just gently pinch the bean out of it's casing. Tada! Bright green broad beans! Again, discard the shell.

Once shelled you can begin the cooking process (much faster than shelling):

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, Jamon and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion softens.

Add the broad beans and wine and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the stock, reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 10, or until the beans are tender, and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, season well with black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over high heat. Add a touch of olive oil once hot, place very cold, sushi-grade, line caught, ahi yellow fin tuna into the pan. Sear for about 20 seconds on both sides. Remove from the pan. Slice into 1/4" slices. And sprinkle lightly with salt.

Serve beans hot, top with the tuna and saddle up with some crusty bread.

Eat.

What's your fondest (or least fondest) food memory?

NYE 2010/11: What She Ate - Jamon Croquettes

Balls come in all shapes and sizes! Round balls, mis-shapen balls, white balls, chocolate balls, peanut buttery balls, sticky balls, tangy balls, juicy balls, creamy balls, little balls, big balls, nutty balls, sweet balls, crunchy balls, savory balls...You name it - we've got balls for Christmas thanks to the Domestic Witch.

My balls are not only savory but also mis-shapen... Infact, they're oblong shaped. That being said, these are by far, the most impressive thing I've ever made. Unfortunately, I can't claim the recipe as my own. I got it out of the cookbook called The Food of Spain: A Journey for Food Lovers, recipes by Vicky Harris. I do plan, however, on adapting the recipe to fit various flavor niches in the future now that I know how to make them. These little snacks were something we chowed down on in Spain and they were both my favorite there, and now here as well. They're crispy and golden on the outside and warm, gooey, and rich with flavor on the inside. They are the perfect deep fried food. Yeah, they're deep fried - super unhealthy but so so so worth the fat. I could eat an entire platter full of em! Every day. Yum.

via Cynthia Grow

I want to say more but they were truly beyond words (to toot my own horn, just a little).... So, without further ado, here are......

Oh wait - I should mention what jamon is, shouldn't I? I used Jamon Serrano (mountain ham) which is dry-cured ham made from white pigs in Spain. Iberian Pigs are by far the most prized and priced for jamon, however it can be quite costly and difficult to find. I tried. The variety of Jamon I used accounts for about 90% of the Spanish ham that is made, and is rigorously monitored, then certified with the seal of 'Consorcio de Jamon Serrano", guaranteeing that the curing process lasted at least 9 months. While it wasn't the cheapest of meats, it was worth the extra pennies to experience true Spain flavors - it took me back. Salty. Velvety. Fatty. Beautiful. 

Note: Sorry the photos suck so much below. I made this recipe before I figured out that you should stand still when taking pictures. Weird. Anyhow, I'll update once I make them again this New Years. Mamma what! 

Okay, now, without further ado, here are.....

Jamon Croquettes

(printable recipe)

via Cuisine Explorers... stay tuned for updated photo from moi.

Ingredients:

90 g Butter

1 Small Brown Onion, finely chopped.

115 g Open Cap Mushrooms, finely chopped (portobellas or shiitakes are good).

125 g/1 C Plain All-Purpose Flour + 1/2 C Plain All-Purpose Flour.

1 C Homogenized Milk.

3/4 C Chicken Stock + extra if needed.

115 g Jamon (sub prosciutto), finely chopped.

2 Eggs, lightly beaten.

1/2 C Dry Breadcrumbs.

Canola or Vegetable Oil, for deep frying.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes or until translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 

Add the flour, and stir over low-medium heat for about a minute, or until the mixture is dry and crumbly and begins to slightly change color.

Remove from the heat and add the milk slowly, stirring until smooth.

Stir in the chicken stock, and return to the heat. If needed, you might want to add a tablespoon more stock or so to make the mixture smooth. Stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Stir in jamon, and some fresh cracked black pepper, and then transfer to a mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, put the extra flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Roll heaped Tbsps of the dough mixture into croquette shapes approx 2.5 inches long. Toss the croquettes in the flour, then the egg, and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Take heed not to misshape them.

Put on a baking tray and refrigerate anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes.

Again once they are chilled, fill a deep heavy based saucepan (or a wok) 1/3 full of oil and heat over medium-high heat until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 20 seconds. Add the croquettes in batches and deep fry for about 3 minutes, turning, until brown.

Drain well on paper towel.

Sprinkle lightly with salt while hot and serve.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Domestic Witch & her annual Christmas Balls Party.