I am continuing tonight with experiments using my new Smoking Gun and it's uses for extravagant flavor profiles. I had a craving for Deviled Eggs and I think they are one of my favorite comfort foods. I am like a kid in a candy store when I think of them. I like to experiment with the ingredients of the Deviled Egg.
I start by cooking 6 eggs in a pot of cold water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and then shut off the heat and cover the pot for 15 minutes. Place the eggs in an ice bath for about 15 more minutes and then peel them. Cut the eggs in half and pop out the yolks into a bowl, placing the white halves on a plate. Break up the yolks with a fork or force them through a fine mesh screen into a bowl. Add a few Tablespoons of real mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of Horseradish, 1/2 teaspoon of Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning, and a 1/2 teaspoon of Penzey's White Onion Powder. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and spoon into the egg white halves.
Fill the bowl of the Smoking Gun with Apple Wood smoking chips and place the deviled eggs onto a sheet of parchment paper in the smoking chamber or a 9x13 glass dish and cover it with plastic wrap, leaving the tube of the Smoking Gun in the dish. Turn on the power of the gun and light the chips with a match or lighter. Let the gun run for about 30 seconds and shut it off, leaving the hose in the pan for about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and sprinkle the eggs with Penzey's Smoked Spanish Paprika and then cover and run another chamber of chips for 30 seconds and leave covered for another 5 minutes. Uncover, serve and be amazed at the incredible, lovely flavor of sweet apple smoke. It is quite unbelievable how good these things taste!
Good cooking and fabulous eating,
Tim
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Smoking Gun
I have just finished experimenting with a new cooking tool that my wife Teresa got me for my birthday. It is a PolyScience Smoking Gun. It is made by the same people that make Immersion Circulators that cook food sous vide or under water in a vacuum bag at constant temperature.
My first experiment was with raw cabbage that I had shredded and placed in a modified 9x13 aluminum baking pan to allow the hose from the Smoking Gun to enter the top of the pan. I lit the Hickory chips in the gun and allowed the smoke to penetrate into the pan for about 5 minutes. I then mixed the cabbage with Marzetti's Original Slaw dressing (very good) and it was truly extraordinary! What amazing flavor those few minutes imposed on the cabbage.
The next experiment was to make a Smoked Bloody Mary. I mixed the drink in the traditional way, using a good mix and a very good Svedka Vodka. I covered the glass with plastic wrap and cut a slit in the plastic for the smoker hose and lit the Smoking Gun for 30 seconds and let the smoke infuse the drink for about 3 minutes. Again, it was extraordinary! What amazing flavor for such a short amount of exposure to the smoke. I am excited to try many more unique taste temptations with this method of cooking.
Good eating,
Tim
My first experiment was with raw cabbage that I had shredded and placed in a modified 9x13 aluminum baking pan to allow the hose from the Smoking Gun to enter the top of the pan. I lit the Hickory chips in the gun and allowed the smoke to penetrate into the pan for about 5 minutes. I then mixed the cabbage with Marzetti's Original Slaw dressing (very good) and it was truly extraordinary! What amazing flavor those few minutes imposed on the cabbage.
The next experiment was to make a Smoked Bloody Mary. I mixed the drink in the traditional way, using a good mix and a very good Svedka Vodka. I covered the glass with plastic wrap and cut a slit in the plastic for the smoker hose and lit the Smoking Gun for 30 seconds and let the smoke infuse the drink for about 3 minutes. Again, it was extraordinary! What amazing flavor for such a short amount of exposure to the smoke. I am excited to try many more unique taste temptations with this method of cooking.
Good eating,
Tim
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Just for the Halibut
It has been a very busy culinary week or two. My friends Bill and Steph called and asked if I would cook some Halibut they had ordered from Alaska. I said most certainly! I think Halibut is probably the tastiest fish on the planet next to fresh Walleye from Minnesota or Canada and I jumped at the chance. It's not every day we get to enjoy Alaskan Halibut.
Bill and Steph had invited four other friends to the party so we came up with a menu for the event; on the list was a Butternut Squash Bisque for the soup course, Popovers, Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Brown Rice Pilaf, Pistachio Crusted Halibut, Roasted Halibut with spices and Chardonnay and a Caramel Apple Pie for dessert. Jack and Patti were in charge of the dessert and wine and brought the pie as well as a very nice Sauvignon Blanc for the wine. Steph made the Popovers and Hollandaise and I cooked the Asparagus and two versions of Halibut. My favorite is the Pistachio Crusted version which is the same recipe I developed for Walleye. It's the same for either fish so here is the recipe:
6 T Unsalted Butter
3 Lbs. Halibut fillets
4 Shallots, minced
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 T Lemon Juice
Kosher salt and fresh ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Cup ground, salted Pistachio nuts (green) pulsed in a food processor to approximately 1/8" pieces.
1 Cup fresh bread crumbs ( English muffin pulsed in a food processor until fairly fine)
2 T unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees.
Mix the ground Pistachios and fresh bread crumbs in a medium bowl along with the 2T melted unsalted butter until well combined. season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Melt the 6 T butter and pour in a 9x13 baking dish. Lay the Halibut fillets in a single layer on top of the butter. Sprinkle the Shallots and Garlic on top of the fillets. Mix the wine and lemon juice together and carefully pour over the fillets, not disturbing the shallots and garlic. Spread the Pistachio mix over the fillets. Bake uncovered for approx. 20 minutes until the fish is opaque and begins to flake when tested with a fork and the Pistachios are golden brown on top.
The Asparagus is very simple; cut off the woody stems and rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper and place in a baking dish. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and serve with Hollandaise drizzled over it.
The Butternut Squash Bisque is a bit more complicated and I'll give you that in another installment.
The other event that took place was a Gourmet Food Club Brunch that was held at my friends Bruce and Lisa's house on Saturday the 22nd. It was a very nice brunch as they always are.
Our menu consisted of 3 types of Ebelskivers; Crab filled with a Roasted Red Pepper Aioli,
Plain with a Sausage Gravy and a version filled with crisp Proscuitto and Fig Jam. My friend Anita made two types of Roasted Breakfast Potatoes. Casey made two types of Egg Bake; one with Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Cayenne, and the other with Artichoke Hearts. Lisa made a French Toast with Wild Blueberries and Cinnamon as well as Buttermilk Cupcakes stuffed with Italian Crema and topped with Whipped Cream and Strawberries.
We also enjoyed a Bloody Mary Bar and Mimosas made with Prosecco, Orange juice and a smackerel of Grenadine. It was a marvelous meal and a great time with some very good friends.
Good Eating,
Tim
Bill and Steph had invited four other friends to the party so we came up with a menu for the event; on the list was a Butternut Squash Bisque for the soup course, Popovers, Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Brown Rice Pilaf, Pistachio Crusted Halibut, Roasted Halibut with spices and Chardonnay and a Caramel Apple Pie for dessert. Jack and Patti were in charge of the dessert and wine and brought the pie as well as a very nice Sauvignon Blanc for the wine. Steph made the Popovers and Hollandaise and I cooked the Asparagus and two versions of Halibut. My favorite is the Pistachio Crusted version which is the same recipe I developed for Walleye. It's the same for either fish so here is the recipe:
6 T Unsalted Butter
3 Lbs. Halibut fillets
4 Shallots, minced
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 T Lemon Juice
Kosher salt and fresh ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Cup ground, salted Pistachio nuts (green) pulsed in a food processor to approximately 1/8" pieces.
1 Cup fresh bread crumbs ( English muffin pulsed in a food processor until fairly fine)
2 T unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees.
Mix the ground Pistachios and fresh bread crumbs in a medium bowl along with the 2T melted unsalted butter until well combined. season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Melt the 6 T butter and pour in a 9x13 baking dish. Lay the Halibut fillets in a single layer on top of the butter. Sprinkle the Shallots and Garlic on top of the fillets. Mix the wine and lemon juice together and carefully pour over the fillets, not disturbing the shallots and garlic. Spread the Pistachio mix over the fillets. Bake uncovered for approx. 20 minutes until the fish is opaque and begins to flake when tested with a fork and the Pistachios are golden brown on top.
The Asparagus is very simple; cut off the woody stems and rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper and place in a baking dish. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and serve with Hollandaise drizzled over it.
The Butternut Squash Bisque is a bit more complicated and I'll give you that in another installment.
The other event that took place was a Gourmet Food Club Brunch that was held at my friends Bruce and Lisa's house on Saturday the 22nd. It was a very nice brunch as they always are.
Our menu consisted of 3 types of Ebelskivers; Crab filled with a Roasted Red Pepper Aioli,
Plain with a Sausage Gravy and a version filled with crisp Proscuitto and Fig Jam. My friend Anita made two types of Roasted Breakfast Potatoes. Casey made two types of Egg Bake; one with Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Cayenne, and the other with Artichoke Hearts. Lisa made a French Toast with Wild Blueberries and Cinnamon as well as Buttermilk Cupcakes stuffed with Italian Crema and topped with Whipped Cream and Strawberries.
We also enjoyed a Bloody Mary Bar and Mimosas made with Prosecco, Orange juice and a smackerel of Grenadine. It was a marvelous meal and a great time with some very good friends.
Good Eating,
Tim
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