Entertain the Possibilities

Sweet Bites: Rum Raisin Blondies

4/28/2017

Rum Raisin Blondies

The Occasion: The next meeting of your book club or community volunteers group. The flavors in these sweet bites are decidedly adult-oriented (although you can make a rum-free version if desired).

Why? These treats are portable and potable (meaning fit to drink). Frequent readers of this blog know that we like to cook with booze, so here’s another round.

Serve With: I enjoy this moist, rich dessert with a cup of strong coffee. Or pair a bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a twist on the old favorite, rum raisin ice cream.

The Verdict: Even though the alcohol is ‘burned off’ through cooking (not the scientific term, I know) a strong rum flavor remains. If you like this – and I do – you’ll be a fan of this delectable dessert. Your book group will love it too – my bet is on 30 minutes or less to devour the whole pan.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Rum Raisin Blondies
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Rum-Raisin Blondies
Recipe source: Fine Cooking

INGREDIENTS:

9 ounces raisins (2 cups)
1/2 cup dark rum, such as Myers’s
6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more, softened, for the pan
11-1/4 ounces (2-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

In a 1-quart saucepan, bring the raisins and rum to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Let the raisins cool to room temperature in the rum, about 30 minutes. NOTE: Water can be used to soak the raisins instead of rum if preferred.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan, line the bottom with parchment, and then butter the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat; remove from the heat and let cool briefly. Add the brown sugar to the pan and mix with a silicone spatula until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.
Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture, stirring with the spatula until just combined. Gently fold in the raisins and any rum from the pan.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter once or twice to break any air bubbles. Bake until the top is golden-brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the blondies, invert onto a cutting board, remove the pan and parchment, and flip right side up. Cut into 16 pieces and serve.

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Drinkies: Northside Rye

4/27/2017

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Take a load off and relax with a Northside Rye cocktail

The Occasion: Rough day at work. Most days work brings a few challenges, but we all know that some days grab the brass ring of suckiness. This cocktail is for those times – maybe a Thursday night? – when you know a limit of one is in order, so make it a good one.

Why This? Although it’s a strong drink, with brown liquor no less, it’s got nice warm citrus elements to it making this a bit more complex and interesting (to me) than two fingers of scotch in a glass.

What Goes With It? Heavy sighs and a glassy-eyed stare into space will do for starters. As the drink starts to take effect, relaxing your mind and muscles, you might enjoy some seasoned nuts as a go-with. I wouldn’t do much more than that.

The Verdict: Sucky days will happen from time to time, and for sure, solving problems with alcohol is no kind of long term fix. But for me at least, it helps to visualize a lovely glass of Northside Rye in my future as I work to keep a smile on my face and can-do on my lips until the work day ends. This is a really good cocktail. Tomorrow will be better. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Northside Rye
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Northside Rye
Recipe developed by Ilise Goldberg
Makes one cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces Rye
1 ounce B&B (Benedictine & Brandy) Liqueur
½ ounce Grand Marnier
Slice of orange and a cherry for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Pour all liquid ingredients into a shaker and shake to mix.
Pour the cocktail into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
Garnish with a wedge of orange and a cherry.

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What’s for Dinner? Chicken Cacciatore

4/25/2017

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The Occasion: Sunday dinner with leftovers for a few meals during the week.

I debated whether to share this recipe now that it’s Springtime. The other name for Chicken Cacciatore is Hunter’s Stew and stew, to me, seems like a fall/winter dish. But then I came to my senses and remembered that chicken is a year-round dinner reality for many of us, while stew usually gives us enough food for now AND later.

Why This Works: I’ve mentioned before that I’m originally from New Jersey, home to a large Italian-American population. This Jersey Girl has tasted a lot of finger-kiss worthy red sauce classics -- it’s totally my comfort food. While not all Italian food is created equal, this recipe from Food52 comes through big time. Mwah (finger kiss and a wink)!

Serve With: Pasta and green salad are the go-withs I served alongside the chicken cacciatore. Mmmm! You need something to soak up the yummy red sauce – could be polenta instead, or couscous, or roasted potatoes. The tossed salad provides freshness and crunch, a nice contrast to the tender meat in the stew. You could swap out lightly steamed broccoli or asparagus or other green vegetable, if desired.

Chicken Cacciatore, Spaghetti, and Parmesan Cheese

The Verdict: Sometimes as adults we discover that the food we loved so well in childhood is not as great as we remember. It’s familiar, and often that’s good enough. However in this case, we can have it all. Comforting classics from childhood delivered in a satisfying, foodie-approved stew. Yes please, and thank you!

The only change I’ll make next time is to use skinless chicken parts. The skin adds a little fat and flavor to the stew, but the downside is fishing out the skin when it’s time to serve. No biggie, that’s an easy fix.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Chicken Cacciatore
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Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe source: inpatskitchen via Food 52

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet with a lid
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, cored, and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 ounces white or brown button mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
One 14- to 15-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
8 ounces chicken broth
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves
¼ cup torn fresh oregano leaves
Grated parmesan for serving
Cooked pasta or soft polenta for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Coat the skillet with olive oil, up the sides of the pan about 1/4 inch, and heat.
Dredge the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour and brown each side until golden. Remove the thighs and set aside.
Drain the oil from the skillet and add the chopped bacon. Cook until almost crisp and then add the 2 peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes.
Stir in the dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel, red pepper flakes, and salt. Continue to sauté until you can smell the garlic, another few minutes.
Crush the plum tomatoes with your clean hands to break them up and add to the skillet along with the juices from the can. Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth.
Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up, and bathe the sauce over the pieces. Bring everything up to a simmer and continue to simmer, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.
After the 30 to 40 minute simmer, stir in the fresh basil and oregano. Serve a chicken thigh and some of the sauce with peppers over spaghetti or some soft polenta. Shower a little Parmesan over the top and enjoy!

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What’s for Dinner? Juicy Oven-Roasted Pork Chops

4/21/2017

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The Juiciest Oven-Roasted Pork Chops Ev-ar!

The Occasion: These tasty pork chops are perfect for several different dinnertime occasions, from weeknight supper with the family to dinner parties on the weekend. (The kitchen might get a little smoky for a few minutes, so bear that in mind.)

Why This Works: I suspect that many of us have been disappointed by painfully dry, flavorless pork chops at some point in our lives. It’s okay to shed a tear, you’ve been hurt. I know, me too. The pain is real. We want so badly to find a tender, succulent pork chop to love, but we are so often denied.

Well sing hallelujah, your dream is about to come true.

The excellent website Kitchn did an article with video clip on juicy roast pork chops which combines three magical elements: 1) Brine the chops; 2) Sear them; 3) Oven roast to finish.

The Verdict: Wowie wow wow. So tender, so juicy, savory, and porkalicious! The recipe mentions making a pan sauce, which I did not do – and honest to goodness you don’t need it. This is everything a pork chop dreams of being. Savor each bite of the chop to make it last. This is about the technique more than the ingredients – although of course you should use high quality pork. Give it a try!

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Juicy Oven Roasted Pork Chops
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Juicy Oven-Roasted Pork Chops
Recipe source: Emma Christensen for The Kitchn

INGREDIENTS:

For the brine (optional but highly recommended):

3 cups cold water, divided
3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 2 1/2 tablespoons table salt)
Optional flavorings (highly recommended): 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf

For the pork chops:

2 to 4 pork chops — center cut, bone-on, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick (about 1 pound each)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Brine the pork chops: If you have time, brining the pork for even a brief period adds flavor and ensures juiciness in the finished chop. Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil, add the salt and optional flavorings, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 2 more cups of cold water to bring the temperature of the brine down to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour the brine over top. The brine should cover the chops — if not, add additional water and salt (1 cup water to 1 tablespoon salt) until the chops are submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Note: I brined 2 chops for 4 hours and the meat was just a touch too salty. Recommend brining for no more than 3 hours, and then go very easy on the salt when you season the chops with S+P before searing.

Heat the oven and skillet: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Place the skillet in the oven to preheat as well.

Season the pork chops: While the oven heats, prepare the pork chops. Remove the chops from the brine; if you didn't brine, remove the chops from their packaging. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt (only a little) and pepper (as much as you like). Set the chops aside to warm while the oven finishes heating.

Remove the skillet from the oven: Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and set it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Turn on a vent fan or open a window.

Sear the pork chops: Lay the pork chops in the hot skillet. You should hear them immediately begin to sizzle. Sear until the undersides of the chops are seared golden, 3 minutes. The chops may start to smoke a little — that's okay. Turn down the heat if it becomes excessive.

Flip the chops and transfer to the oven: Use tongs to flip the pork chops to the other side. Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven using oven mitts.

Roast the chops until cooked through: Roast until the pork chops are cooked through and register 140°F to 145°F in the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. Cooking time will be 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops, how cool they were at the start of cooking, and whether they were brined. Start checking the chops at 6 minutes and continue checking every minute or two until the chops are cooked through.

Rest the chops: Transfer the cooked pork chops to a plate and pour any pan juices over the top (or reserve for making a pan sauce or gravy). Tent loosely with foil and let the chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Art Appreciation, Foodie Style – Part 3

4/19/2017

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The Constructivist main course looks delicious! Arctic char burger, tomato aspic, arancini, and asparagus spears

The Foodies (formerly known as the Supper Club) are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together at themed dinner parties. Our friends and family say they like to live vicariously through our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures, and recipes here on the blog from time to time. Click here for previous Supper Club posts, and here for the group’s origin story.

Are you ready for some more modern art? Well, good, we’ve got another heaping helping for you today. In previous posts we shared our Cubist cocktails, ate parmesan mousse with cheesecloth on our heads, and answered our lobster-phones. (Confused about these references? Please read Part 1 and Part 2 – all will be revealed.)

In this post we’ll chow down on the Main Course and Dessert. Who’s hungry? Hungry for knowledge, that is. Here’s the overall menu for our Foodie Group dinner party with the theme of Modern Art Movements.

Drinks – Dan and Greg – Cubism: Cubist Cocktail featuring jelly shots in a variety of colors and flavors, cut into fancy shapes; Wines included Bordeaux, Medoc, and Roussillon (more on that later)
Appetizers – Ann and Ilise – Surrealism: Roasted Vegetable Salad with Parmesan Mousse; Baked Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter
Main Course - Karen and Kathleen – Constructivism: Smoked Arctic Char Burger; Tomato Aspic; Steamed Asparagus; and Arancini Pyramids with Herb Lemon-Butter Sauce
Dessert: Ellyn – Post-Impressionism: A Multi-Media Musing on the Iconic NYC Black and White Cookie

Before we proceed, let’s give your ears a tasty treat.

As a host of the artistic evening, Kathleen prepared a marvelous playlist for our listening pleasure. I’ve attempted to recreate it as closely as possible.

Please enjoy the beautiful music as you read on.

As the hosts and theme-selectors, we knew that Karen and Kathleen must have something interesting up their sleeves for the Main Course for which they chose the Constructivism art movement. Here is their commentary:

Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge By El Lissitzky

Constructivism, a Russian movement that was active in the early 20th century, spoke to the new feeling of creating a functioning, useful art in the newly tsar-free society. Modern materials, such as steel and plastic, were preferred as were abstract geometric forms. Colors used were often red white and black as seen in the graphic designs of El Lissitzky.

We used red, black, and white construction paper placemats and white plates, presenting our own design on a sheet metal centerpiece and allowing each diner to design her or his own plate. Elements of the construction included a smoked arctic char burger (round), tomato aspic wedge (triangle). steamed thin asparagus (line), and arancini pyramids (3D square). An herb lemon-butter sauce was presented in a squeeze bottle to make accent marks available.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

More notes from Kathleen and Karen:

The burger recipe is attached (we used char instead of salmon). The tomato aspic (for those who are dying to know) can be found here. We would note that the tomato juice is critical for the right color and flavor. We attempted to make our own juice using Mighty Vine tomatoes, but it looked pallid when blended and gelled--like some sort of human organ--and lacked the flavor punch we wanted; we ended up using Campbell's Tomato Juice.

For the "arancini" we made arborio rice and let it cool. With the aid of a pyramid mold, we created a shrimp and green and red pepper filled risotto surprise. Before putting the pyramids in the oven, we coated them with flour, egg, and browned panko.

On behalf of the dinner guests, may I say “Wow!” Not only did everything taste delicious but it was also loads of fun to create our own art on the plate, arranging the shapes, colors, and textures to design our own masterpieces of Constructivism. Good job, Karen and Kathleen!

Printable Recipe- Fresh Herb and Garlic Smoked Salmon Sausage
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Then after a break for breathing and digestion we were ready for Ellyn’s dessert course. She selected Post-Impressionism as her modern art genre and was particularly inspired by the work of Georges Seurat. Let’s absorb a little learning, shall we?

Post-Impressionism encompasses a wide range of distinct artistic styles that all share the common motivation of responding to the opticality of the Impressionist movement.

The stylistic variations assembled under the general banner of Post-Impressionism range from the scientifically oriented Neo-Impressionism of Georges Seurat to the lush Symbolism of Paul Gauguin, but all concentrated on the subjective vision of the artist.

The Post-Impressionism movement ushered in an era during which painting transcended its traditional role as a window onto the world and instead became a window into the artist's mind and soul.

Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is perhaps the most famous example of the painting technique known as Pointillism. Although the picture contains the impressionistic elements of light and shadow and depicts the leisure activities of the Parisian bourgeoisie, it is an early example of the artistic reaction to the Impressionist movement. Seurat composed the entire scene from a series of small, precise dots of color. If viewed closely, the painting becomes nothing more than a quasi-abstract array of colors, similar to a needlepoint. When viewed at an appropriate distance, however, Sunday Afternoon comes into focus. Seurat carefully placed each dot in relation to the ones around it in order to create the desired optical effect. He did so in order to bring structure and rationality to what he perceived were the triviality and disorganization rampant in Impressionism.

Source: The Art Story

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - Georges Seurat (Channeling Cameron Frye) Photo by Arnold Gatilao

Ellyn started with the idea of Pointillism – all those dots! – and then embraced the Post-Impressionistic ethos of the artist’s inner views brought to life through the work.

In this instance, Ellyn had a lot to say about New York City’s famous black and white cookies – hey, the heart wants what the heart wants. Taste buds too! She used the dining room table as her canvas and employed Seurat’s love of dots to create her own artwork depicting the cookies and the joy they bring. Cupcakes, nonpareils, M&Ms, and jujubes provided the medium for her delicious vision.

Take a look - and don't forget to click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

I’m not sure which artistic movement gave rise to the deconstruction that took place as we devoured Ellyn’s artwork. Tasty, tasty art.

The cupcakes were moist, tender, and flavorful. The recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes comes from Amy Sedaris’s cookbook titled I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. NYTimes Cooking is the recipe source for the Chocolate Cupcakes. Get to baking, and then get artsy!

Before we leave the dots behind – and this series of Foodie Group dinner posts – I’ll offer two relevant quotes from famous artists:

Everything starts from a dot. – Wassily Kandinsky
A line is a dot that went for a walk. – Paul Klee

And there you have it – Modern Art Movements as interpreted by a bunch of home cooks in the medium of dinner. We learned a lot and dined extremely well. Great job, everyone!

We’ll be back with more themed dinner updates after the next Foodie dinner in a few months. Can’t wait that long? You may read about our past culinary adventures here.

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Sweet Bites: Zucchini Bread with Golden Raisins

4/17/2017

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Zucchini Bread with Golden Raisins - the best thing since sliced bread and a good book!

The Occasion: A little quiet Me Time. Curled up in a comfy chair, reading another chapter or two with a sweet bite and cup of tea alongside.

The zucchini bread is also good for potlucks, office treats, and bake sales thanks to its ease of transport and ability to be made ahead.

Why It Works: This is an old-fashioned cake that has stood the test of time. Sometimes you don’t want layers and fillings and frostings, sometimes a good old slice of Zucchini Bread (or carrot cake, or date loaf, etc.) is exactly what you crave. Toasted with a pat of butter, if you really want to know.

The Playlist: Zucchini Beach by Armenian-American acoustic musician Michael Gulezian. Click here to visit his website and learn more.

The Verdict: Crispy on top, dense and moist inside, and flavorful all over. As a devoted raisin fan, I was delighted to encounter frequent pops of golden sweetness within the cake. Yes, I said it. This is a special treat, not a loaf of bread. Just because it’s not flashy with frosting makes it no less a cake. A tea cake, if you please!

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Zucchini Bread with Golden Raisins
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Zucchini Bread with Golden Raisins
Recipe source: The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

INGREDIENTS:

2 small zucchini (1 pound), ends trimmed

NOTE: Small zucchini are best for baking due to smaller, drier seeds

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces) sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole or low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Optional: ½ cup (2 ounces) pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped
Optional: ¾ cup golden raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pan. Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini between several layers of paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together until smooth. Gently fold the shredded zucchini and yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not over-mix). Gently fold in the pecans and raisins.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Click the photo for a closer look at the vintage snack set - 4 plates and cups for tea parties with your pals

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Drinkies: Rye Not

4/14/2017

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Have a cocktail? Rye not!

For everyone who’s planning a busy weekend – whether it’s hosting and cooking for Easter, or visiting for Easter, or nothing at all Easter related – this adult beverage is for you. If you can steal away a little time for yourself (and a loved one?) before the madness truly begins, I recommend you indulge in this zesty cocktail.

As the name says – Rye Not?

House Bar Chef Ilise created this cocktail using freshly squeezed juice from blood oranges but you can use regular oranges if necessary.

Using regular oranges increases this drink's similarity to a Ward Eight cocktail, another classic tipple.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Rye Not
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Rye Not
Recipe by Ilise Goldberg

Makes one cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces Rye (such as Templeton)
¾ ounce freshly squeezed blood orange juice (regular oranges will do in a pinch)
¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ ounce Grand Marnier
¼ ounce simple syrup
Slice of blood orange for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Fill a shaker with ice and add all liquid ingredients.
Shake, then pour strained liquid into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a wedge of blood orange.

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Super Sides: Grilled Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers and Radishes

4/13/2017

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Grilled Green Beans with Red Peppers and Radishes

The Occasion: Great as a side dish, or how about a light meatless lunch? Add a hard-boiled egg, or a nice soft cheese spread onto a thick slice of rustic bread. Maybe even a crisp glass of white wine if you can get away with it. (naughty!)

Why This Works: The recipe comes from Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats (a great resource for recipes and local dining) who specifies that this is more of a blueprint than a recipe, meaning that this process adapts well to many different ingredients.

The formula: vinaigrette with raw veggies marinating; mix in grilled veggies before serving; top with a flavorful garnish (or cheese!)

The Playlist: This is a tasty little jazz/funk number called Green Beans by Nils Landgren Funk Unit and Joe Sample. Hope you like it.

The Verdict: Excellent, and holds up well for leftovers. The combination of raw veggies with grilled offers a delicious study in contrasts. The warm veggies soak up the vinaigrette. All of which equals YUM!

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Grilled Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers and Radishes
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Grilled Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers and Radishes
Recipe source: J. Kenji López-Alt for Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 4 ounces)
6 to 8 small radishes, thinly sliced (about 3 ounces)
1 pound trimmed green beans
Small handful minced fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard. Slowly drizzle in three tablespoons olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Add scallions, bell peppers, and radishes, and set aside.
In a separate bowl, toss the green beans with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the grill, either charcoal or gas. You want a two-zone fire: half of the grill is set to high heat, the other has no coals below or burners turned off for indirect grilling.
Add the green beans to the grill directly over the coals, placing them perpendicular to the grill grates or use a thin-grated vegetable basket if you have one to prevent them from falling into the grates. Cook, turning occasionally, until blistered, charred, and tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

To Cook Indoors Instead of on the Grill: Adjust rack to as close as possible to broiler and preheat broiler to high. Arrange beans in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil until beans are blistered and very lightly charred, 2 to 5 minutes depending on strength of broiler.

Transfer beans to the bowl with the dressing/scallion/radish/pepper mixture. Add parsley and toss to combine. Season the salad with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately or at room temperature.

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Art Appreciation, Foodie Style – Part 2

4/11/2017

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Baked Lobster Tails - read on to see how we made them Surrealistic

The Foodies (formerly known as the Supper Club) are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together at themed dinner parties. Our friends and family say they like to live vicariously through our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures, and recipes here on the blog from time to time. Click here for previous Supper Club posts, and here for the group’s origin story.

Friends, please hold on to your bowler hats, we’re about to get surreal for real, far out, outa sight, dyn-o-mite, dreamy, steamy, and WHOOOOOA! It’s time for a little Surrealism with your appetizers.

Before we dig in, let’s have a quick recap. (Or if you’ve got a minute, go back and read Part 1. It’s all about the Cubist cocktails – totally worth a read!)

The theme is Modernist Art Movements. We each chose one style to interpret for our course. The menu and art movements are listed below.

Drinks – Dan and Greg – Cubism: Cubist Cocktail featuring jelly shots in a variety of colors and flavors, cut into fancy shapes; Wines included Bordeaux, Medoc, and Roussillon (more on that later)
Appetizers – Ann and Ilise – Surrealism: Roasted Vegetable Salad with Parmesan Mousse; Baked Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter
Main Course - Karen and Kathleen – Constructivism: Smoked Arctic Char Burger; Tomato Aspic; Steamed Asparagus; and Arancini Pyramids with Herb Lemon-Butter Sauce
Dessert: Ellyn – Post-Impressionism: A Multi-Media Musing on the Iconic NYC Black and White Cookie

In this post we’ll focus exclusively on the Surrealism/Appetizers course. We went a little overboard with apps and activities so there’s a lot to report on.

A Part 3 post (coming soon) will delve into the main course and dessert.

But first, let’s summon the creative spirit, create a little ambiance, and turn up the tunes to enjoy a pop/rock/folk playlist with an artistic theme. Please enjoy.

Ilise and I oversaw the appetizers and selected Surrealism as our art genre. Given how nutty life seems to be these days it seemed like a good fit. Here are a few things we learned about Surrealism that helped us decide how to approach our dishes.

Surrealism began in the early 1920s with roots in Dadaism, the avant-garde art movement intent on upending society’s norms. Best known for visual artworks and writings although the performing arts were represented too, Surrealism gained popularity in the 1930s and 40s.

Among the best-known Surrealist artists are Salvador Dalí and René Magritte.

Surrealist artists sought to channel the unconscious to unlock the power of the imagination and explore the space between dream and reality. Sigmund Freud was profoundly influential for Surrealists, particularly his book, The Interpretation of Dreams (1899).

Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions, and non-sequitur.

Surrealism was meant to be, above all, a revolutionary movement.

Sources: The Art Story; The Met; MoMA; Wikipedia

Here are a few Surrealist works we especially like, including three that directly inspired our dishes:

One can see from the pictures and the "Cliff Notes" that Surrealism is all about the unexpected, shaking things up, and delving into the subconscious. We tried to go there with our appetizers and the group activities we forced upon our friends. Surrealism is about revolution after all, one cannot be a passive bystander!

The first app we served was a salad of roasted beets and rainbow carrots topped with dollops of parmesan mousse. It was quite tasty, but that’s not the interesting part. That distinction belongs to the delivery system for each person’s first bite of the mousse. We riffed off Magritte’s painting titled Les Amants (The Lovers) and then this happened … (Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.)

Yes. We asked our friends to don cheesecloth headgear and then eat a spoonful of parmesan mousse through the fabric. After that they were free to remove the material and eat their salads normally. Dan, however, loved his cheesecloth veil so much that he wore it for most of the evening. Always a fashion icon, that one!

All agreed that the mousse was a creamy, flavorful, decadent delight – the perfect accompaniment for baked potatoes, roasted veggies, salads, even grilled steak. We liked it just fine with nothing more than a breadstick for dipping. Yum!

The mousse recipe may be downloaded here. Please note: this is another case where using high quality ingredients really makes a difference, so get the best quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that you can. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Parmesan Mousse
File Size:	572 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Post-mousse we shooed the group out of the kitchen to experience another activity while Ilise prepared the next appetizer. One aspect of Surrealism involves automatic writing, or tapping into the subconscious to create stream-of-consciousness prose. We set a timer and asked each diner to write without thinking for one minute. Random ideas welcome, punctuation not required.

I have taken their notes, mashed them up, and now present to you The Foodies Co-Created, Infiltrated, Exclamated, Surrealistic Essay While We Waited. There are two versions – one in which I pulled a clause or sentence from each writer and edited them together; and another more randomized offering (which is probably truer to what the Surrealists intended back in the day).

Version #1 (edited):

Smart asses unite to intimidate. Doodles doodles Howdy Doody doodles. I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy. Dan wearing cheesecloth on his head! Bridal veil. Did anyone notice the cats, the absence of dog? Yes. We did. Introspective pondering on why we are here on this planet. Is this the best way to convey ideas?

Version #2 (random words):

Had orange to evil the wonderful. Gelatin wearing bridal this head. Time mother sister how put what. It and wait for isn’t did. One clocks like piano I’m dandy. Everything way pack good places asses.

I think that’s not too bad for a roomful of hungry, slightly intoxicated Foodies!

Our final appetizer was inspired by two Surrealist works: Magritte’s The Treachery of Images (This is not a pipe) and Dali’s Lobster Telephone. Take a look. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

And here’s how we made the lobsters and clarified butter. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Baked Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter
Recipe sources: Lobstergram and Serious Eats

If your lobster tails are frozen, start by thawing them in cool water for 30-60 minutes, depending on size of the lobster tails. Once the tails have thawed, you should:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Blanch the lobster tails in boiling water for 90 seconds, then plunge them into an ice bath. This step will make it easier to do the remaining lobster prep, manipulating the meat from the shell.
Cut the top of the shell lengthwise, starting from the base and going toward the end of the tail.
Crack the bottom of the shell using your hands, but be sure that you don’t smash the shell.
Reach inside the newly opened shell and gently remove the meat from the shell, but don’t detach the meat from the base of the tail. After pulling the meat out, lay it on top of the shell.
Remove the darkly colored vein from the meat and throw it away.
Place the tails on a baking pan with enough water to shallowly fill the bottom of the pan. The water helps to steam the tails.
Baste the tail with clarified butter and top it with seasoning of your choice – paprika is a good choice for great flavor and color.
Bake your tails for exactly 1 to 1 ½ minutes per ounce. You’ll know that your baked lobster tails are done when the meat is white and firm with no gray coloring or translucency. NOTE: Our tails took more like 2 minutes per ounce to cook. Use the coloring and translucency tips as your ultimate guide to doneness.

Clarified Butter

1 pound unsalted butter, cut into cubes
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Continue to cook over medium-high heat; an even layer of white milk proteins will float to the surface.
Bring to a boil; the milk proteins will become foamy.
Lower heat to medium and continue to gently boil; the milk proteins will break apart.
As the butter gently boils, the milk proteins will eventually sink to the bottom of the pot, and the boiling will begin to calm and then cease.
Once boiling has stopped, pour butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or through a coffee filter into a heatproof container to remove browned milk solids. Let cool, then transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use. Clarified butter should keep for at least 6 months in the refrigerator.

Printable Recipe- Baked Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter
File Size:	521 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

That’s enough Surrealism for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed this venture into the subconscious, blurring the lines between dream and reality. We’ll be back with Part 3 of our Modern Art dinner in a few days at which time we’ll serve up a big helping of the Main Course and Dessert. See you then! If you'd like to read past Foodie Dinner posts you may find them here.

With this theme we pay tribute to the American artist James Kuiper, whose work often takes a semi-abstract form and reflects on humanity’s relationship with the environment. This mask is one of his works. RIP James Kuiper.

Mask by James Kuiper

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Art Appreciation, Foodie Style - Part 1

4/7/2017

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Cubist Cocktails with Liqueur Jelly Shots

The Foodies (formerly known as the Supper Club) are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together at themed dinner parties. Our friends and family say they like to live vicariously through our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures, and recipes here on the blog from time to time. Click here for previous Supper Club posts, and here for the group’s origin story.

Our Foodies dinner group has always enjoyed the life of the mind, reaching to literature, history, music, and the arts to inspire our culinary creations. We like to learn and share our knowledge – but as you know, eating and drinking well is Job #1 for our little group. Clever is as witty does, but if it’s not delicious it won’t make the cut. Never was this more apparent than at the recent dinner hosted by Kathleen and Karen.

The Ks treated us to an awesome theme, the kind of challenge that really gets my blood pumping. We were invited to choose from a short list of Modernist Art Movements including Dada; Futurism; Constructivism; Surrealism; De Stijl; Post-Impressionism; and Cubism. No limits and no rules other than taking inspiration from the art for our courses. We were free to color outside the lines.

Mask by James Kuiper

In part, the modern art theme was offered in tribute to the fine American artist, James Kuiper, Kathleen’s brother, who passed away in February of this year.

His work often takes a semi-abstract form and reflects on humanity’s relationship with the environment. The mask shown at right is one of his works.

Click on the photo to visit the artist's website for more information about his life and work.

RIP James Kuiper.

Here’s a breakdown of the courses for our dinner party, the genres, and the culinary artistes who created the masterpieces.

Drinks – Dan and Greg – Cubism: Cubist Cocktail featuring jelly shots in a variety of colors and flavors, cut into fancy shapes; Wines included Bordeaux, Medoc, and Roussillon (more on that later)
Appetizers – Ann and Ilise – Surrealism: Roasted Vegetable Salad with Parmesan Mousse; Baked Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter
Main Course: Karen and Kathleen – Constructivism: Smoked Arctic Char Burger; Tomato Aspic; Steamed Asparagus; and Arancini Pyramids with Herb Lemon-Butter Sauce
Dessert: Ellyn – Post-Impressionism: A Multi-Media Musing on the Iconic NYC Black and White Cookie

In this post we will drink deeply from the Cubist cup with an in-depth exploration of the beverages provided by bar chefs Greg and Dan. Future posts will cover the Appetizers, Main Course, and Dessert.

But first, let’s set the scene with some music. Kathleen prepared a wonderful playlist for the actual dinner party, which will be included within the Main Course post (coming soon). A quick Google search informs me that some art and music scholars believe that Igor Stravinsky’s music reflects Cubist motifs and patterns, particularly today’s featured piece. Let’s have a listen, shall we? Learn more about music and Cubism here.

As Dan began to prep the cocktails, Greg gave us an informative presentation on Cubist art with images of the most famous pieces from that period. Here are a few factoids (courtesy of the Tate) and pictures to bring you up to speed.

Cubism was a radical and influential art movement that began in the early 20th century. Paintings done in this style reduce everything – people, objects, landscapes – to geometric shapes.

Characteristics of Cubism include multiple views of objects within the same painting, which often appear fragmented and abstracted.

Pablo Picasso and George Braque are the best known artists of this movement. Juan Gris is another.

There were two phases of Cubism – Analytical (1908-1912, more austere, muted tones) and Synthetic (1912-1914, brighter colors, sometimes included real objects through collage).

Source: Tate

Process Note: As always, the pictures I post with these stories are selected from those approved for sharing by the copyright holder, or with a Creative Commons license, or residing in the public domain. This means I can’t always post the exact images I’d like, but in this case I think you can get the feel for the Cubist movement from the available images.

Fun Fact: The wines that Dan and Greg served with dinner were featured in cubist paintings by Juan Gris, Pablo Picasso, and George Braque. By peering closely at the shapes, lines, and cubes they were able to detect bottles or labels for Bordeaux, Medoc, and Roussillon. I was unable to show those specific paintings in the gallery above but again, I think you get the gist.

If you’ve read any of our past Foodie Group stories you know that these guys always aim high and exceed expectations with their culinary contributions. Not only are their dishes mouthwatering they're also beautifully presented, which made this evening’s foray into the visual arts so perfect for Greg and Dan.

If I had the assignment of cocktails with a Cubist theme, I might be tempted to point to ice cubes in a glass and call it a day. Not Dan and Greg! They made 7 different flavors of liqueur jelly shots, cut them into festive shapes, then floated them in a sparkling wine cocktail. Amazing – and I mean that visually, conceptually, and as a craft cocktail aficionado – this drink packs a flavorful and heady punch. Much like Cubist art itself. Let’s hear from Greg and Dan about their creative cocktail:

Cubist Cocktail with Liqueur Jelly Shots

Greg and Dan's Cubist Cocktail

For the various 'jelly shot' flavors, we used either 2 or 4 ounces of liqueur or vodka to make 7 different flavors/colors/shapes.

Cubist Cocktail Color Shapes (jelly shots)
For a batch of multiple different flavors:
1 750ml bottle white wine (fruity, acidic, light body wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gavi, Albariño Rias Baixas or Vinho Verde)
5 packets Knox unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup vodka (lemon-flavored is good)
2 tablespoons sugar or simple syrup
Liqueurs or flavored vodka (Cointreau, Chambord, Limoncello, Montenegro amaro, Opal Nera anisette, St. Germain, Canton ginger, Pear liqueur or vodka)
Liquid food coloring

Pour wine into a medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the wine and let soak about 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Heat over low, stirring occasionally, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in vodka and sugar/syrup.

Mix two parts wine/gelatin mixture to one part liqueur; if using a flavored vodka, add a bit of simple syrup to sweeten to taste. Conversely, syrupy liqueurs such as limoncello may need additional citrus vodka to dilute the mixture. Tint with liquid food coloring.

Spray small loaf pans with vegetable spray. Pour in gelatin/liqueur mixture and chill for two hours. Dip pan in warm water for 10 seconds to loosen; invert onto a cutting board and blot with paper towel. Cut out desired shapes using knife or small cookie cutters.

Cubist Cocktail
4 oz Sparkling white wine (blanc de blancs or cava)
1 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz. Nocino walnut liqueur
1/2 oz. Hendricks Gin
few dashes Fee Brothers black walnut bitters
few drops 1821 Bitters Barrel Aged Havana & Hide bitters (sold at Rogers Park Provisions)
few dashes Jack Rudy small batch tonic syrup (Binny's, Amazon or Sur La Table)
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Jelly shots in a variety of colors and flavors cut into small cubes or other fancy shapes

Stir together liqueurs, gin, bitters and tonic in a champagne glass or pilsner. Add in various colored liqueur gelatin shots. Pour sparkling wine over all and stir gently. The bubbles from the sparkling wine will lift and toss the gelatin shot cubes.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Let's leave our art appreciation class here for the time being to be continued very soon. Future posts will share the details about our Surrealist appetizers, the Constructivist main course, and the Post-Impressionistic dessert.

In the meantime, I will leave you to chew on this lovely quote from Father Thomas Merton -- "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” So true.
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Want to read about past Foodie Group dinners? You may find them here.

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What’s for Dinner? Grilled Bourbon Chicken Drumsticks

4/4/2017

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Grilled Bourbon-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Have you noticed that we like to cook with booze? It shows up pretty regularly as an ingredient. Time for an intervention? Nah. Spirits are good for imparting flavor and the alcohol burns off during cooking, so there’s no chance of catching a buzz from your meal – unless it’s the intoxicating effects of mouthwatering morsels you’re after.

The Occasion: Time to get your grill on! Perfect for a warm weekend dinner with the family, or even a quick weeknight meal if you remember to marinate the chicken in advance.

Why This Works: Super easy, subtle flavors, juicy chicken. What more do you need? Also – and I think this goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway – the recipe works well with all chicken parts, not just the drummies.

The Verdict: This is not the sweet, sticky Bourbon Chicken that you will sometimes find at fast food Chinese restaurants. I like that stuff too, but this recipe is cleaner, simpler, and probably a little healthier. It adds a little pizazz to plain old chicken dinner. The bourbon flavor is subtle – to my taste it could be a bit stronger, so maybe the chix needs more time in the marinade? More bourbon in the marinade? I’m confident we’ll work it out next time.

Also – use a meat thermometer to determine the proper cooking time. You want it to reach 165 degrees. I always forget that drumsticks take way longer than almost any other part of the bird. Took ‘em off the grill and put ‘em back twice before they were really and truly done. Despite these minor points, this is a successful recipe which will be repeated time and again at our house. Give it a try!

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Printable Recipe- Grilled Bourbon Chicken Drumsticks
File Size:	716 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Grilled Bourbon Chicken Drumsticks
Recipe by Ann Johnson

INGREDIENTS:

8 chicken drumsticks (or other chicken parts)
¾ cup bourbon
¾ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all the ingredients except chicken. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Put the chicken into a gallon sized plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag.
Place the bag into a shallow pan so that the chicken is covered with the marinade. Place the pan into the fridge for 4-8 hours. Turn the bag and massage the chicken from time to time, so that the marinade will reach all sides of the chicken.
When it’s time to cook, prepare your grill with two zones: direct heat and indirect heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry.
Place the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, which will thicken the sauce and kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. Set it aside until the chicken is nearly done.
Place the chicken on the portion of the grill with direct heat to brown and sear all sides. Turn the drumsticks every 2-3 minutes until they’re brown all over, about 10 minutes all told.
Then move the drumsticks to the indirect side of the grill until the meat is fully cooked, approximately another 15-20 minutes. Turn the pieces periodically.
At about 5 minutes before the chicken should be done, baste the cooked marinade onto the chicken drumsticks.
It is recommended to use a meat thermometer to tell when the chicken is done. Drumsticks should reach an internal temperature of 165˚.

Have you started grilling yet this year? Maybe you never stopped ...!

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Sweet Bites: Rum Raisin Blondies

Drinkies: Northside Rye

What’s for Dinner? Chicken Cacciatore

What’s for Dinner? Juicy Oven-Roasted Pork Chops

Art Appreciation, Foodie Style – Part 3

Sweet Bites: Zucchini Bread with Golden Raisins

Drinkies: Rye Not

Super Sides: Grilled Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers and Radishes

Art Appreciation, Foodie Style – Part 2

Art Appreciation, Foodie Style - Part 1

What’s for Dinner? Grilled Bourbon Chicken Drumsticks

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