Cookbook Connection

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Merry Christmas to Us

I'm really excited about two Christmas presents we got this year - new cookbooks! Not that we have any time to cook as I mentioned in my last entry. I got Bill Mario Batali's Molto Italiano. I think many of the recipes are going to be really challenging but we're up for it. They are very authentic and not at all Olive Garden! We definitely need to buy a pasta press and meat grinder but we probably should have those items on hand anyway. The other cookbook we got is a follow up to our favorite cookbook The Wine Lover's Cookbook, which I have mentioned in this blog many times before, The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine. The first book is about pairing a wine with your meal based on the "base" (protein) and "bridge" (spices, cheese, vegetables, etc) ingredients used. The second book is about actually using wine in the preparation of the meal by steaming, braising, making a sauce, simminering or poaching with the wine. All three books are EXTREMELY informative by offering pages of discussion of both the food and wine. The wine books are actually really great learning tools and I still haven't found a chance to sit down and read the new one. I HIGHLY recommend them. Yes, they are a little more advanced and time consuming but totally worth it.

Odds and Ends

I have been MIA lately because, let's be honest, I'm boring. We did eat some really good meals since I've talked to you last. We ate quail for the first time. The recipe actually called for squab but I called around and couldn't find any. A friendly neighborhood butcher recommended quail so we bought some. Those are some tiny little birds. Very tasty though and we were pleasantly surprised. I'll be interested in trying the recipe again with sqaub though. On a good note, while buying the quail, we noticed the store also had super cheap duck legs which of course we bought. We've only ever made duck breast so we're excited. We also noted that they sold whole pheasants and ducks. That may be too much food for just me and B but I can pack it away with the best of 'em.

Our good friends Sara and Matt were over for dinner early last week and we made Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce. It was excellent and I've included the recipe below, courtesy of the Wine Lover's Cookbook by Sid Goldstein. If you're a faithful follower of this blog (HA! Who am I kidding, although if you've stuck with me this long, I'm grateful) you've heard this mentioned a couple of times and know it's on my list of Favorite Food Things. I believe that I have gotten at least 4 people to buy it - a co-worker as recently as this past Friday - and I can't recommend it enough. It's also where the above squab/quail recipe came from, this weekend we're making Grilled Lamb with Rustic Porcini Sauce and next week (I'm cheating on roulette) I've already chosen Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Corn-Pancetta Salsa. Now if I could just find a good supplier for veal we'd be set for another handful of the book's recipes.

Sara and Matt are going to be our 1/4 of a cow buddies. Sara is trying to get us the hook up. I'm also hoping to get a 1/4-1/2 of a pig and 1/2 of a lamb. I think our deep freezer will readily step up to the challenge. Speaking of pig, I can't remember if I mentioned this after B's parent's were here but I had pork belly for the first time when we all went out to dinner. Holy God Almighty YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sent my compliments to the chef because I was loving this stuff. It was served with scallops and maybe some fruity type sauce? Honestly, all I really remember was the fatty bacon-like pork belly and it was all I could do to keep myself from picking the pieces up with my hands and licking my fingers. I think I have a new obsession.

On to the important stuff.....the WLCB (get it, Wine Lover's Cookbook? I love it!) said to serve this with couscous. Not being big couscous fans (B calls it crapcrap) we made a creamy risotto instead and think it was a great match. The only thing missing was a vegetable. Maybe serve with a wedge salad? Chunky blue cheese dressing, diced tomatoes and bacon bits.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce
Recommended wine: Pinot Noir
Marinade:

• 1/3 c red wine
• 3/4 T olive oil
• 1 T crushed star anise pods
• 2 T chopped shallots
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• 1/3 t ground black pepper

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 1/2 lbs)
Sauce:

• 2 T chopped shallots
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 c Pinot Noir
• 1/2 c port
• 2 T raspberry vinegar
• 1/4 t whole mixed peppercorns
• 1/4 c pomegranate concentrate (look in the health food aisle, that's where I found it)
• 1/2 c orange juice
• 1 1/2 c chicken stock
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 1 t honey
• 2 tablespoons room temp butter
• salt and pepper

garnish: mint sprigs

To make marinade, combine all ingredients in a large, sealable plastic bag and mix thoroughly. Add pork. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Remove pork and pat dry. Reserve marinade for basting.

To make sauce, in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat, saute shallots in oil for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown. Add the wine, port, vinegar and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half. Add pomegranate concentrate, orange juice, stock and anise and continue simmering until reduced by half again. Add honey. Remove from heat, remove anise and swirl in butter. Season to taste and keep warm.

Sear pork on hot grill for 3 minutes per side (we did 2 sides, not 4 and closed the lid the whole time) and then place in indirect heat (warming rack if your grill has one, if not, turn off one or two burners and move the meat to that side of the grill) until a thermometer reads 150 degrees, again closing the lid. Baste occasionally. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice.

To serve, plate risotto and place pork slices on top. Top with sauce and garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 4.

Risotto

• 1 1/2 c risotto
• 2 T chopped shallots
• 3/4 c white wine
• 2 T butter
• 5-6 c chicken stock (room temperature or hot)
• 2 handfuls parmeggiano-reggiano

In a large sauce pot over medium to medium high heat, melt butter. Add shallots and saute 3-4 minutes. Don't brown. Add risotto and roast 4 mintues. Add wine (this may steam up) and stir until absorbed. Turn heat up to high to bring to a boil. In 1/2 cup increments, add chicken stock and stir until absorbed. Keep doing so until risotto is creamy and sticky and not crunchy if you try a piece. Once ready, stir in cheese. This process takes about 30 minutes.

Menu Roulette

When it comes to our dinners, B and I are pretty structured. We (mostly me) will sit down on Saturday or Sunday and write out our menu for the week. From this, we create our shopping list. If we didn't do this, we would never have the proper ingredients on hand and the meat wouldn't be thawed* so we'd end up going out to eat and spending a ton of money. This also prevents multiple trips to the grocery store - instead, we just go once. We found that we were choosing the same recipes over and over again and not forcing ourselves to try anything new. Introducing menu roulette. Now, instead of just picking and choosing what we'll have, I take out all of our cookbooks, including a stack of random recipes, and open each one to a page. Whatever I land on or pull out of the stack is a dinner for the week. I won't lie, I've taken a few mulligans but for the most part, it's working very well. If we land on something we've already had, we pick again. My goal is to try every recipe in each of the books. This is also helping us save a ton of money. We only went out for dinner once in the month of January and I anticipate that again for February. As you know, we love us a good dinner out but at $50+ a pop, it ain't worth it. Spice up your routine a little and try menu roulette yourself - a co-worker has and so far she's digging it.

*We buy 99% of our meat in bulk from Sam's Club about 3 times a year. When we get home, we break down the packages into serving sizes, vacuum seal and freeze. We are looking into buying a stand alone freezer to keep in the garage and found one that we like. I could buy more ice cream then too!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is this Saturday and we actually don't celebrate the holiday but we do use it as an excuse to have an awesome dinner. Last year we did the prix fixe dinner at Atlas and it was actually really, really good. We were very pleasantly surprised and agreed to make it a tradition. That was before we knew what the word "budget" meant. Now, while we'd love to spend $150 for deliciousness, we really shouldn't. Instead, I think we're going to go Top Chef. Bill had the idea to write down proteins (lamb, duck, beef, fish, etc.), put them into a hat and we'll each draw one. We will have to make an entree based on our protein and then we'll collaborate on a dessert. A fun, 3-course meal on the cheap. Or at least cheaper than $150.

We did a similar thing with our good friends Matt and Sara for New Year's Eve this year.

Faced with the prospect of spending around $200/couple for a prix fixe dinner, we decided to stay in instead. Each couple took two courses and it was a blast.

Laura & Bill course #1 - Lemon shrimp over roasted garlic and goat cheese risotto with tomatoes. A slightly modified recipe from the Wine Lover's Cookbook.

Laura & Bill course #2 -Broiled lobster tail over a crab cake and bed of spinach with a spicy remoulade sauce.

Sara & Matt course #3 - Fennel crusted pork chop in an apple cider reduction with apple fennel salad and raisin emulsion paired with artichoke risotto. A Top Chef recipe.

This course was my fave and I am not ashamed.

Sara & Matt course #4 - Molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream paired with Little Death by Hot Chocolate with Godiva liquor and homemade chocolate whipped cream.

I'm excited to see what creations Bill and I come up with this weekend!!

My Favorite Food Things (Again)

This post has been around the block a few times but I still love it so I will post it yet again. So, for the third time, here is my post of my favorite food things with a few additions....

If you know me at all, you know I have a slight obsession with all things food. I do, it's true. It's embarrassing actually. I have told co-workers that I think I'm the only one at the gym who runs on the treadmill while watching Food Network. What's worse is that I eat more than most men I know. I've seriously been out to eat with guys who will say "I'll have the lettuce" and I'll, in turn, order one of everything. This really happened a while back but it involved sushi. Ah, sushi. I order 3-4 rolls for myself and that may or may not include the miso soup, salad and complimentary edamame. What you may not know about me is that eating is a hobby. Not some emotional, I eat because I'm not loved, hobby. An actual, I appreciate good food in all its glory, hobby. Now, that's not to say I don't also really appreciate Taco Bell, specifically, the double-decker taco supreme, nachos supreme and bean burritos with no onions. Not only do I appreciate good food, I also really enjoy cooking. There's just something about sipping some amazing red wine, listening to jazz and creating a masterpiece over your gas stove. To say that cooking can be an aphrodisiac is an understatement. Cook me a fabulous dinner and I'm yours. Hell, I'll cook for you, same thing. I decided to write up a list of my favorite food things, not that you care, but I'm using this as a journal of sorts for myself. So here I go in no particular order:

• Ratatouille - the movie not the food, although I have had some killer ratatouille, this is honest to God my favorite movie now. I want Little Chef.
• Wine Lover's Cookbook by Sid Goldstein– aka Bill's best Christmas present to himself. It was for me, of course. Hands down the best cookbook in the world. It revolutionized the way Bill and I eat, cook and drink wine. Fabulous!

• Raw oysters on the half shell with a hint of horseradish in the cocktail sauce
• Hand-packed burgers grilled medium rare. In Iowa City, I recommended Sluggers (RIP Sluggers - victim of Flood 2008). In St. Louis – the best burger I have EVER had is at O'Connell's Pub. Did I mention that it was only $5?
• 8 oz. dry-aged filet mignon cooked medium - always hoping it's slightly medium rare
• Francis Ford Coppola's Sofia Blanc de Blancs – sparkling white wine, slightly sweet, not dry. Can get it in (gasp!) a can for romantic picnics.
• Mashed potatoes - never artificial. Even better if they're made with whole cream and have a touch of garlic.
• Porcini mushrooms
• Portobello mushrooms and their mini-me Crimini mushrooms.
• Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats cookbook and Just in Time cookbook. Honestly, for anyone who wants to break into the cooking thing and have some really excellent meals. I highly recommend these. This is how I got my start.

• My gas stove. I'll never own an electric range again.
• Balsamic vinegar
• Crusty soft bread paired with a personal dipping bowl of extra-virgin olive oil with parmigiano-reggiano cheese and freshly ground pepper. Thanks to my sister-in-law, an almost nightly event in my house.
• Parmigiano-reggiano
• Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County
• Duck breast – I have an amazing recipe from Wine Lover's CB if anyone is interested.
• Lamb chops grilled medium rare – ditto
• Sam's Club because they seem to understand and value my obsession, allowing me to buy all of my favorite foods for a mere fraction of the Hy-Vee price. Not to mention, their wine selection is pretty good.
• Binny's Beverage Depot in my beloved Chicago because they understand my need for quality wine.
• Napa Valley/Sonoma – one of the best vacations ever and I can't wait to go back
• Freshly ground pepper and salt
• Fresh herbs but I love my dried ones just the same
• Shallots – I had no idea what they were until R Ray but I use them all the time now
• Jazz because a meal is never complete without some sweet music
• Bordeaux – a must with a good steak
• Sam Adam's Light
• Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab and no, this is NOT Joe's Crab Shack. That's the one thing I'll get pissy about. I've never been to a restaurant that can do both a great steak AND great seafood but this place has gone above and beyond.
• Stone crab – harvested between October and May of each year, fisherman only take one claw from each crab and throw them back to regenerate. Eaten cold with a yummy mustard sauce. Delish!
• Whole beef tenderloins. We get these from Sam's and carve them ourselves. We usually get 6-7 filets mignons, 1 roast and enough extra meat (called chain meat) to make 2 meals of fajitas or Philly cheesesteaks. Much more economical than buying all of that separately – trust me.
• Toasted walnuts
• Ice cream – best dessert there is. Specifically, pralines and cream. I'll take ice cream over any cake, pie or crème brulee you can throw at me. The best ice cream I've ever had is right here in Iowa City – Heyn's on 1st Ave. If I ever live in a different city, I will pay to have them ship me some in dry ice. I'm not kidding.
• Buttercream icing – the old school kind that is kind of crunchy and is so sweet it makes your teeth hurt. None of this creamy, whipped icing they make today. Blah!
• My cookbook holder. It's my friend.
• Large bamboo cutting boards
• Good knives, especially my Furi Santoku knife
• Iron Chef America and the original
• Good Eats – Alton Brown is goofy but is a genius
• Throwdown with Bobby Flay
• Goat cheese
• Sushi – Oyama is the best in Iowa City followed by Takanami
• Mexican – In Toledo, Ventura's and Magdalena's. For the number of Mexican restaurants in Iowa City, none of them really do it for me.
• Thai food – one of the things I miss most about Chicago, although, Osha in San Francisco is the best ever.
• My mother-in-law's Filipino turon – bananas and cheese wrapped in pastry dough and fried. I think she's appalled at how many I eat when she makes them.
• Cherry cobbler a la mode
• Frushi – fruit sushi at Orange in Chicago
• Peanut sauce
• Mint mojitos – In Iowa City, I recommend Atlas, especially when they use spearmint
• Wendy's fries, and as an honorable mention, Wendy's fries dipped in a Frosty
• General Tso's Chicken - the best is at No. 1 Chinese in Columbus on High St.
• In-N-Out Burger
• Chipotle
• Big breakfasts on the weekend, homemade or at Hamburg Inn in Iowa City
• Seattle’s Best coffeeshops
• Caribou Coffee's specialty drinks – Turtle Tracks and Campfire Mocha are my faves.
• Intelligensia coffee
• Java House in Iowa City - their German Chocolate Mocha latte is like heaven
• Bacon sandwiches – that's it, just bacon on buttered toast.
• Bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwiches from McDonalds or Bruegger's Bagels. Not necessarily because they are high quality, because they're not, but because they fulfill my breakfast comfort food requirement.
• St. Francis vineyard – my favorite stop in wine country
• Water with a cucumber slice – so much more refreshing than lemon water. You have to try it!
• Anything my mom makes
• Italian sausage
• The McDonald's menu song – you know, Big Mac, McDLT, a Quarter Pounder with some cheese…. I'm mostly just impressed that I can still sing the whole thing. Try me.
• The now defunct Café Luciano's in Chicago – best Italian food paired with live jazz and cigar lounge. What more could you ask for? Has anyone been to their location in Evanston?
• Foie gras - best I've had is at Pangea in Toronto
• Coconut shrimp with an orange remoulade
• Red beans and rice at Remoulade's in New Orleans
• Rain in Toronto - this is the restaurant featured on Food Network HD's Made to Order. The most amazing food experience I've ever had. Too ridiculous to even try to explain.
• After an awesome meal, smoking a great cigar on our patio with port or coffee
• Sour cream
• Tabasco's Habenero or mild Jalapeno sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Chocolate truffles - in Iowa City, Motley Cow makes them on site for dessert. They are awesome!
• Marco's Pizza - headquartered in Toledo and a location up in Cedar Rapids!! - you'd think that I would have found better pizza living in Chicago but not being a deep dish fan, that was not the case. Marco's wins hands down every time. I recommend the crust toppers.
• Fat Tire beer
• Ken's Chunky Blue Cheese dressing - a must with hot wings
• Imo's Pizza in St. Louis
• Skyline Chili from Cincinnati
• The Hummus Yummus omelet from The Local Yolk in Manhattan Beach, CA - sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, green onions, spicy hummus and diced tomatoes. Sounds weird but it was SO good.

End of the list for now…. I'll keep adding bullets as I think of them. So do I sound like a food snob? Maybe. Do I care? Not really because I know that it's not that I'm a food snob, because trust me I'll eat anything, it's just that I seek out and appreciate good food. It's all subjective, of course, what I like is totally different than the next guy. I have a food motto, I'll try anything once. It kills me when people won't even try a food because they claim not to like it and yet, shocker, they've never even had it. I'm sorry, but you're missing out. Give it one chance and if you don't like it then fine, gloat because you were right, but you just may discover your next favorite food.