January 2012 Archives - Rhubarb and Honey

Charred Salsa Verde

January 30, 2012 by Kimberly

Every Tuesday, my immediate family gets together for “family dinner,” taking turns between my parent’s house, my brother and sister-in-law’s house, and our house.

Since The Chef and I were attending the 2012 Riverfront Times Web Awards* last Tuesday, family dinner had to be rescheduled … but we more than made up for it with a fabulous Mexican feast at our house last night:

Charred Salsa Verde
Cochinita Pibil Tacos with Pickled Onions
Mexican Street Corn
Black Beans
Mock Margaritas

I’ll be posting the recipes for these dishes throughout the week, but up first? Our recipe for charred salsa verde. The Chef and I love salsa … especially fresh, homemade salsa … and this is one of our all-time favorites. Not too spicy, this smooth green salsa is zesty, tangy, and has just the right amount of heat. The vibrant color translates to the taste as well … fresh and clean, it’s all I can do to keep from grabbing a spoon and just digging in.

We served this salsa with our cochinita pibil tacos, and it would work with almost any Mexican dish as well. It would also be fabulous with grilled chicken or pork or even grilled fish … or just a giant spoon to gobble it all up!

Charred Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

2 large poblano peppers

2 medium jalapeno peppers

12 small to medium tomatillos, peeled

12 garlic cloves, peeled

1 small onion, chopped

1 large handful cilantro

Juice from two small limes

1 tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Place poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers, tomatillos, and garlic in a parchment paper lined baking dish; roast for approximately 45 minutes or until softened and charred. Let cool.

3. Once cool, remove stems and seeds from peppers.

4. Place peppers, tomatillos, and garlic in blender. Add chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, and blend until smooth, stirring occasionally to ensure everything is blended well.

5. Serve!

*Oh, those web awards I mentioned? I was nominated for Best Food Blog, and even though I didn’t win, it really is true … it was an honor just to be nominated!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Mexican cuisine, Recipes, Salsa

Pining for Pinterest

January 27, 2012 by Kimberly

I have a confession to make.

I am completely, totally, utterly addicted to Pinterest.

What’s that? You haven’t heard of Pinterest? Oh, you poor thing … I’m so sorry.

According to their site, Pinterest is “a virtual pinboard that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”

According to me, Pinterest is simply the bomb dot com.

Imagine a nifty website where you can create “pinboards” and then “pin” things to it. Still not sure? Think of it as a virtual scrapbook where you can compile all of your favorite recipes, craft projects, design inspiration, words of wisdom—heck, anything your heart desires—all in one place … and best of all, you can share it with your friends and view their “scrapbooks” as well.

My Pinterest Pinboards

I currently have 16 “pinboards” covering everything from food I fancy and drinks I fancy to decorating ideas I fancy and things that are just plain fancy.

I also have pinboards to keep track of things for my husband, who I fancy, and for my nephews, who I fancy very much as well. Umm … have you spotted my Pinterest “theme” yet?

I can spend hours “pinning” ideas to Pinterest … and I know if you join the site, you will too. So, like any addict, I think you should join me in my obsession.

In order to check out Pinterest, you have to request an invitation through their site or be invited to join by another Pinterest user. Want me to send you an invite? Just leave a comment on this post with your email address, and I’ll be happy to oblige.

Once you’re “in,” I found it quite easy to get the hang of “pinning” … though I’ve heard from others that it takes a bit of time to get used to the interface. Hang in there though … it will be worth it. I also recommend installing the Pinterest “Pin It” button into your browser for easy pinning.

So, if you are in need of inspiration for an upcoming party, a new craft project, or even just something to make for dinner tonight, check out Pinterest … but don’t blame me when you become addicted as well.

Happy Pinning!

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Smoky Posole Rojo

January 23, 2012 by Kimberly

Although winter officialy began on December 22nd, it’s finally in full force here in St. Louis … which means soups and stews are going to make their fair share of appearances on our dinner table each night. (Little known fact about The Chef and I … we love soup, stew, and chili any time of the year.)

One of our favorite stews is posole, a think, hearty Mexican dish traditionally made with hominy, meat (usually pork, though chicken, beef, or seafood posole may be found), chile peppers, Mexican oregano, and various garnishes. In Mexico (where it is spelled pozole), posole is one of the dishes typically served for New Year’s and other winter holidays.

A search of the Internet reveals a multitude of posole recipes, and it seems none of them are exactly the same. Both red posole (ie, posole rojo, made from dried red chiles) and green posole (ie, posole verde, made from fresh green chiles) are very popular; in addition, white posole (ie, posole blanco, made with no chile at all) can also be found. According to Whats4Eats, these variations stem from specific regions of Mexico; red posole is popular in the Michoacan and Jalisco states of Mexico, green posole is popular in Guerrero State, and white pozole is popular in Guadalajara.

Another varying aspect of posole is the garnish, which also differs based on the region of Mexico the posole is from. The Chef and I typically garnish our posole with fresh jalapeno, diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squirt of fresh lime. Other popular posole garnishes include finely shredded cabbage, dried Mexican oregano, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, and one of my favorite things, chicharrones (fried pork rinds).

Though many different versions of posole exist, one common thread is the use of dried hominy, which must be soaked overnight and then cooked until the kernels have “bloomed” (ie, become puffy and soft). While canned hominy can be used (and does save on time), dried hominy provides a better flavor and texture to your finished posole.

Since the hominy needs to be soaked overnight, this is another Rhubarb and Honey recipe that will take some planning to make … and in addition to the time required to soak the hominy, our posole recipe calls for a “Mexican-infused” stock so you’ll need to make sure to leave a few hours to make that as well … but trust me, the end result is a fabulous, stick-to-your-ribs stew that’s sure to warm up even the coldest winter night.

Smoky Posole Rojo

12 ounce dried white hominy

10 cups “Mexican-infused” stock (recipe below)

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon chipotle sauce, such as San Marcos

1 large white onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds pork butt, deboned with bone reserved

Garnish: Sliced fresh jalapeno, diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges

Directions:

1. Place dried hominy in a large Dutch oven; cover with water by approximately 4 inches; cover pan and let stand overnight.

2. Drain hominy and return to Dutch oven. Cover with water then bring to a boil; let boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain hominy again, return to Dutch oven, cover with fresh water and cook over medium heat for 1 hour.

3. Drain hominy and return to Dutch oven; add stock, oregano, coriander, chipotle sauce, and onion to hominy mixture; stir to combine.

4. Cut pork butt into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add cubed pork to pan; saute cubes, turning to brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.

5. Add browned pork cubes to hominy mixture; cook over low heat for several hours until hominy blooms.

5. Garnish with desired toppings.

NOTES: When purchasing the pork used in this posole recipe, ask your butcher to remove the bone for you and place it with the pork; this bone will be used to make the stock … and most good butchers will be happy to do this for you.

Mexican-Infused Stock

8 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

1 large onion, diced

1 pork shoulder bone

2 ounces Los Chileros posole spice blend

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and cook over medium-low heat for 3 hours.

2. Strain stock and reserve for use.

NOTES: Los Chileros spice blends can be found at Whole Foods; they are a delicious combination of all-natural spices that make a delicious bowl of posole. If you cannot source this particular spice blend, simply substitute 6 to 8 dried red New Mexican chile pods (stems removed), 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Oh, one more note … The Chef and I also love green posole, and our recipes above can be easily adapted for this. Instead of using the Los Chileros posole spice blend in the stock, substitute Los Chileros’ green chile rub; in addition, leave out the chipotle from the posole rojo recipe or substitute 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa.

¡Buen provecho!

[This post is linked to 33 Shades of Green's Tasty Tuesdays and Jane Deere's Fusion Fridays.]

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Mexican cuisine, Posole, Pozole, Recipes, Stews

Truffled French Fries

January 17, 2012 by Kimberly

Yes, my friends, you read that right … truffled french fries!

I have a penchant for really good french fries … hand-cut, made-with-love, ain’t-nothing-soggy-about-them french fries. Said fries are often hard to come by, and when they’re good, they’re really good. But when they’re bad … oh, let’s not even go there.

Most agree that the keys to perfect french fries, ie, “potato chip crispy” on the outside and “mashed potato creamy” in the center, include 1) soaking the cut potatoes before frying, 2) proper potato selection, and 3) choosing the right oil to fry in. Serious Eats sums it up when they say:

“Russets or baking potatoes are the best, whereas waxy potatoes (such as Red Bliss or new potatoes) simply won’t do. Soaking is key—this removes the starch, keeps the potatoes from sticking together, and eliminates the sugars that prevent the potatoes from achieving maximum crispness. As far as oils go, peanut oil is the best for deep frying.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself (hence the quote from Serious Eats).

Now, The Chef and I rarely fry things at home, but when we do, the result is always delicious (did you see the shrimp and vegetable tempura we made?) … and these fries were no exception. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, perfectly salty, with a subtle hint of truffle, I will happily spend the time it takes to make these perfect french fries again.

As I said, it does takes time to make these so plan ahead as you’ll need to prep the fries one day before (trust me, it’s worth it). Oh, you’ll also need a deep-fry (or candy) thermometer, which is a great kitchen tool to have anyway so invest in a good one; you’ll use it more than you think you might.

Here’s to the perfect french fry! [Full recipe after photos.]

Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with cold running water until water becomes clear

Drain the potatoes and let dry thoroughly on paper towels

Working in small batches, fry potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes at 250°F

Drain potatoes on a paper towel-line baking sheet

Fry potatoes a second time until golden and crispy

Fry potatoes a second time at 325°F until golden and crispy

Salt fries and serve immediately

Regular kosher salt can be substituted for truffle salt

Truffled French Fries

Ingredients:

4 large russet or baking potatoes

Oil for deep frying, preferably peanut oil

Truffle salt to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and peel the potatoes; cut into 1/2 x 1/2 inch strips.

2. Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with cold running water until water becomes clear; cover with water by 1-inch and let sit for 15 minutes.

3. Drain the water from potatoes (it will look cloudy and “starchy”); recover potatoes with water by 1-inch and let sit for another 15 minutes.

4. Drain the potatoes once again, recover with water by 1-inch for a third time, and refridgerate overnight.

5. When ready to make your french fries, drain the potatoes and let dry thoroughly on paper towels.

6. Fill a large, deep-sided, heavy-bottomed pot with at least 4 inches of oil.

7. Using a deep fry thermometer to monitor temperature, heat oil to 250°F.

8. Working in small batches, making sure not to crowd the pan, fry potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes, remove with a wire skimmer, and let drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Note: the fries will be soft, but cooked through at this point.

9. Increase the heat of the oil to 325°F.

10. Working in small batches again, fry the potatoes for a second time, approximately 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

11. Remove potaotes with a wire skimmer and place in a newspaper-lined basket or dish. Sprinkle with truffle salt to taste.

12. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

P.S. I am very, very pleased to announce that Rhubarb and Honey was just nominated for a Best Food Blog award in the RiverFront Times 2012 Web Awards. Huge thanks to everyone who nominated me, and congrats to my fellow Best Food Blog award nominees as well!

[This post is linked to Jane Deere's Fusion Fridays and Permanent Posies' Tuesday Tasty Tidbits.]

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Fried Foods, Potatoes, Recipes, Side Dishes

Cooking Up Some New Year’s Resolutions

January 6, 2012 by Kimberly

With the New Year comes the making of New Year’s resolutions … pesky, usually-broken-within-a-week, lucky-if-you-keep-them-a-full-month resolutions.

My history with making New Year’s resolutions is hit or miss; some years I make them, some years I don’t. As I think back to the years I actually did make New Year’s resolutions, I’m don’t ever recall keeping them for very long. I guess I’m just not the New Year’s resolution type … but perhaps Rhubarb and Honey will fare better.

I recently stumbled across an article on one of my favorite foodie sites, The Kitchn, that included a great list of five cooking skills to master in the new year … so great in fact that I decide to make them my 2012 resolutions for Rhubarb and Honey.

The Kitchn’s list, which includes tutorials and recipes to get you started on mastering the projects, includes learning to can, improving your knife skills, bread baking from scratch, whipping up homemade condiments, and playing around with fermentation.

I’ve done a bit of canning and have made some breads from scratch, though I’ve far from mastered these techniques and would like to pursue them further. Also, it’s safe to say my knife skills could use some sharpening up (pun intended). And since I’ve never made my own condiments or yogurt, kimchi, or beer, which all require fermentation, I think I’ve got a lot of kitchen projects to keep me busy in 2012.

In hopes of setting myself up for success, I’ve done a bit of research so I’ll have a jumping off point when I start diving into these kitchen projects … and I’m sharing said research with you in case you too decide to master these five cooking skills this year.

Canning

Canning food has been done for years to preserve the bounty of the season; it’s a fabulous way to turn your excess farmers’ market haul into goods that can be enjoyed year round. It’s also a fun and enjoyable way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

I think a big reason many people don’t attempt to can food is safety; a nice case of botulism is sure to ruin anyone’s day. To make sure you don’t “put up” potentially lethal food, read up before starting the canning process and follow the directions of your chosen recipe carefully. Here are the resources I’ll be checking out before I start my next canning project: Ball Canning and Preserving, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, Canning Across America, and one of my favorite food blogs, Food in Jars.

(Not sure you’re ready to can? Try your hand at preserving food through other ways, such as freezing or dehydrating. Check out my earlier post, Can It, Man!, for a look at one of my favorite food preserving books, Put ‘em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook, from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling by Sherri Brooks Vinton.)

Knife Skills

A Google search for “knife skills” offers up a multitude of You Tube videos and articles on the subject, but for me, a hands-on class is the best way to learn better knife technique. It just so happens that one of my favorite local kitchen supply stores, Kitchen Conservatory, offers knife skill classes year round so I’m signing myself up for one of them.

Oh, I do have to share the knife skills article I saw over at The Art of Manliness, which includes tutorials on how to dice an onion, how to mince garlic, and how to chop fine herbs. It’s a darn fine website … and hey, maybe we could all stand to be a bit more manly.

Bread Baking

Again, a simple Google search for “bread baking” is going to net you multiple articles. A good start would be the “Bread Basics” article over at Epicurious. Got the basics down and want more of a challenge? Look to Peter Reinhart for exactly that.

Reinhart is a baking instructor at Johnson & Wales University and the author of five books on bread baking, including the modern classic, The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread, a cookbook The Chef will tell you everyone needs in their kitchen. Oh, and while you’re at it, check out Reinhart’s book, American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza … you’ll thank me later.

Homemade Condiments

I’m fairly surprised I’ve never made my own condiments. One of my favorite things ever is mustard. Yellow mustard, spicy mustard, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey mustard, beer mustard … I think you get the picture. Well, this year that’s about to change. I’ve got a number of mustard recipes bookmarked to try, including Alton Brown’s Best Mustard Ever recipe (we’ll see about that) and a recipe for Guiness mustard.

Other condiments I plan to whip up? I’m thinking homemade ketchup (Epicurious), homemade aioli (Epicurious), some Scotch bonnet hot sauce (Epicurious), Carolina mustard sauce (Epicurious), homemade Sriracha (America’s Test Kitchen), and some Thai sweet chili dipping sauce (She Simmers).

Yep, I think that will be a good start.

Fermentation

Oh, fermentation. Where would we be without you? I’m guessing it would be a dark, dank, joyless world because the pleasures of beer and wine just wouldn’t exist … the horror! Thankfully, we don’t have to live in such a world. Fermentation is alive (another pun intended) and well, and thus we can enjoy the fruits of fermentation’s labor.

I scoped out a homemade yogurt recipe over at 101 Cookbooks that I’d like to try, and I found a spicy kimchi recipe from David Lebovitz that looks pretty good too. But, the piece de resistance? Home brew.

I’ve always thought about making my own beer and even took a great class taught by STL Hops founder Mike Sweeney, but I’ve just never gotten off my duff and made a batch. Since home brewing requires a bit of precision, I’m turning to the books for research on this one.

I recently put out a call on Twitter for recommendations for great home brewing books, and here’s what the Twitterverse said: Beer Craft by William Bostwick and Jessi Rymill, How to Brew by John Palmer, The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian, and The Brewmaster’s Bible: The Gold Standard for Home Brewers by Stephen Snyder.

I guess I’ve got some reading to do.

(Huge thanks to @MoEats, @Ericstl6, @swmrnbk, @pmcgrew, @Strykzone, and @Cory_King_ for the recommendations!)

(Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net: digitalart (tomato), Grant Cochrane (cutting board), zole4 (bread basket), Grant Cochrane (dog), and luigi diamanti (beer).)