tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52330588182451300722024-02-21T06:20:14.903-08:00Emily's Culinary Adventuresemmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03154686946588678005noreply@blogger.comBlogger314125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-69726330845845302942017-08-03T15:22:00.001-07:002017-08-03T15:25:05.063-07:00Freezer Adventures: Roasted Duck Red Curry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Confession: It's possible that I'm a bit of a food-hoarder. I could tell you a sad story about the time in my life that I blame for this tendency, but it's really not that interesting or important. The important thing is that I am the kind of person who winds up with a duck, 3 Magret duck breasts, and 4 duck leg quarters in my freezer for longer than is remotely necessary. Half of that duck is going to turn into something Trinidadian soon. (Actually soon. I promise.) The rest turned into one of my favorite foods: Roast Duck Red Curry...<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclJWz3_Gy77WDTBEo1CCZOuaKSs0Ci8VA1BRGDv0g2iaKwIWqtUekFekLMR17H6tckswcFzrrrc11PknKGYP2JF7kmCA9C5Ym4HjYzlJPhATojEd1SmowU5nJveQpJQLJ-S8KJ52yXvxi/s1600/IMG_4905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclJWz3_Gy77WDTBEo1CCZOuaKSs0Ci8VA1BRGDv0g2iaKwIWqtUekFekLMR17H6tckswcFzrrrc11PknKGYP2JF7kmCA9C5Ym4HjYzlJPhATojEd1SmowU5nJveQpJQLJ-S8KJ52yXvxi/s400/IMG_4905.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2017/08/freezer-adventures-roasted-duck-red.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03154686946588678005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-30623364209447858172017-08-03T14:37:00.003-07:002017-08-03T15:25:21.094-07:00How (Not) To Cook For One - Prosciutto, Cremini, and Pea Tortellini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I've been making an effort lately to make small batches of amazing food when I have a craving... Not filling up the freezer and/or forcing myself to eat the same meal (no matter how delicious) 8 times in a row... I think of it as "cooking for one," but I'm really bad at it... Here's how it happens.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWA9FUrZaVE_nBITMNtjWgUywYqDSZnxCBJh3aqKXiPhWv1dS_VhCTPtzRqpV45lLb0VtU2QAUwZ5yDou5FLVwyerTS4FFXwfMUPZRVrGfhL7KhYFXE9w8tFlbuflZCAw_GuaYfHQibN-/s1600/IMG_4822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWA9FUrZaVE_nBITMNtjWgUywYqDSZnxCBJh3aqKXiPhWv1dS_VhCTPtzRqpV45lLb0VtU2QAUwZ5yDou5FLVwyerTS4FFXwfMUPZRVrGfhL7KhYFXE9w8tFlbuflZCAw_GuaYfHQibN-/s400/IMG_4822.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2017/08/how-not-to-cook-for-one-prosciutto.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03154686946588678005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-15490391127727384532016-09-23T11:13:00.001-07:002017-04-12T19:35:00.494-07:00Slow Roasted Tomatoes (And a Pasta to Use Them In)<div style="text-align: justify;">
For assorted not-particularly-interesting reasons, I've been finding myself with an excess of tomatoes these days. Roasting (followed by freezing) has always been my go-to method for using up extra tomatoes, but recently I've discovered the beauty of super-duper-slow roasting them. Behold:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCESGfVbC7iNlo1WJNqavecSLKUBIppwvxFdbDP47plBH1p3ndbAe58pMEW3XNsIQa6KcQF-ZB7TPUf6X14jTLRUIuVM5LjUpcgRw5pV1ENje1W23vvq1EbA1Y7eKHhtTSy2ETOuzpOM/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCESGfVbC7iNlo1WJNqavecSLKUBIppwvxFdbDP47plBH1p3ndbAe58pMEW3XNsIQa6KcQF-ZB7TPUf6X14jTLRUIuVM5LjUpcgRw5pV1ENje1W23vvq1EbA1Y7eKHhtTSy2ETOuzpOM/s400/IMG_4410.JPG" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2016/09/slow-roasted-tomatoes-and-pasta-to-use_23.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-43693424005741756272016-01-08T19:37:00.000-08:002016-01-08T19:37:18.590-08:00Favorite Kitchen Tools: Batter Dispenser <div style="text-align: justify;">
My house smells like chicken stock right now. Scratch that... My house smells like ridiculously awesome chicken stock right now. Perhaps my very favorite miracle of cooking is homemade stock. I am a woman who buys more than her fair share of bulk-store rotisserie chicken. (It's juicy, perfectly cooked, and $5/bird every time. I can't justify the time or money to buy a chicken and then d<span style="font-family: inherit;">o what it takes to make it that delicious when having it done for me is $5...) This means that, at least a couple times each month, I have some lovely chicken carcasses with which to make stock. I pull the meat off a couple carcasses, vacuum-seal breasts in one bag and dark meat in another (either to freeze or to re-therm later via sous vide). Everything else goes in the pot. A bundle of carrots. A bundle of celery. A red and a white onion. Bay leaves and parsley. Large handful of black peppercorns. Fill a 20-quart stockpot with all of that and then cold water to reach 1" below the rim, simmer for 24-36 hours, and everything you make that calls for chicken stock suddenly has depth of flavor. (It's kind of like the difference between </span>sautéing in schmaltz <i>vs.</i> in oil. If you know what I'm talking about, then... yeah.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was Michael Ruhlman who first </span><a href="http://ruhlman.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-th/" style="font-family: inherit;">made me realize</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> how important this is (and I've mentioned it </span><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/02/sunday-cookbook-adventures-braised-pork.html" style="font-family: inherit;">here before</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">). To quote, </span>"I cannot say this strongly or loudly enough: DO NOT use canned stock/broth. Use WATER instead. I repeat. You DO NOT NEED to buy that crappy can of Swanson’s low sodium chicken broth! It will HURT your food. Use water instead. When that recipe says 1 cup of fresh chicken stock (or good quality canned broth), please know that your food, 90 percent of the time, will taste better if you use tap water instead of that "good quality" canned broth. Water is a miracle." </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_LhPi4Lm0ws/VpB8InT8lSI/AAAAAAAAKWs/DMiUZy35LF8/s1600/IMG_3999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_LhPi4Lm0ws/VpB8InT8lSI/AAAAAAAAKWs/DMiUZy35LF8/s400/IMG_3999.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I suppose the secret hero of this post is actually the Pressure Canner (and, by non-trivial extension, my mother, who operates the pressure canner for me 99 times out of 100), which allows me to store my crazy-awesome </span>homemade<span style="font-family: inherit;"> stock without a sacrifice of freezer space... But the hero I would like to acknowledge is the lowly Batter Dispenser. I originally owned one so that my boyfriend could make me pancakes, but it turns out it's actually the world's greatest fat separator... The clean stock pours out the bottom, and you release the handle before the fat flows through. Add more stock, the fat moves back to the top... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What I've come to really love about homemade stock is all the ways it enriches things. Buying the chickens gives me time off in the kitchen (since delicious protein ready to be flavored as you wish and used in any number of dishes makes for lots of easy meals). It gives me 5-10 quarts (depending on how concentrated I make it) of kick-ass chicken stock to cook with. It also, amazingly, makes dog food. (It turns out the meat left on the carcasses (once picked) combines with the overcooked veggies from the stock, fresh rice, and some homemade chicken stock to give my toothless dog the greatest mealtime experience ever...)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the type of thing I like to think about these days. I try (successfully or not) to minimize talk of my physical limitations when I write things here, but those limitations are typically the most screamingly relevant factor in every moment of my life. It's been great to think about things I can do for (essentially) free and in less than 10 minutes of hands-on time that can also make every meal I cook taste just a little more nuanced and give my food that </span><i>je ne sais quoi </i>feeling that the person who cooked it for you loves you.</div>
emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-17702893681307800992015-05-22T17:06:00.001-07:002015-05-22T17:08:01.269-07:00One-Pot Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Sun-dried Tomato Cream<div style="text-align: justify;">
I saw this recipe at <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/11/22/chicken-sun-dried-tomato-cream-sauce/">Damn Delicious</a> and recognized right away that it sounded like "our flavors." After a few tweaks based on ingredients lying around my kitchen (and on my unwillingness to measure ingredients), this simple dish wowed us and entered the ranks of household staples... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_EMj-zNQZ1M/VV-4ni08OYI/AAAAAAAAJCE/7ujzgMAQ9WU/s1600/IMG_3766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_EMj-zNQZ1M/VV-4ni08OYI/AAAAAAAAJCE/7ujzgMAQ9WU/s400/IMG_3766.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2015/05/one-pot-roasted-chicken-with-potatoes.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-68886015450359749082015-05-22T16:40:00.000-07:002015-05-22T16:43:24.962-07:00Extra-Meaty Ragú Napoletano <div style="text-align: justify;">
Every now and then, we get a craving for some old-school, rustic, meaty tomato sauce with pasta. I've tried my hand at a couple different versions of bolognese, but there was always something missing. <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/01/ragu-napoletano-meat-sauce-pork-beef-sausage-recipe.html">This meat sauce</a>, on the other hand, is basically perfection, and I'm psyched to have 3 quarts more of it waiting for me in the freezer to satisfy our next craving...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBjhJZvYTCXOVfFRl6Tq7QcCWco4i0R96EyHL-uBL_ZxkWQgQh0UvaEW709Fud1penbCl3_7sc6ldfInmBtsQdb7WSfTcwjn_88JUJmTm0kgBVFIP4Z7bab1niTvfAokqFWTOKx_Jk6E/s1600/IMG_3708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBjhJZvYTCXOVfFRl6Tq7QcCWco4i0R96EyHL-uBL_ZxkWQgQh0UvaEW709Fud1penbCl3_7sc6ldfInmBtsQdb7WSfTcwjn_88JUJmTm0kgBVFIP4Z7bab1niTvfAokqFWTOKx_Jk6E/s400/IMG_3708.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2015/05/extra-meaty-ragu-napoletano.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-59298336694570653962015-05-13T17:05:00.000-07:002015-05-13T17:06:56.300-07:00Everyday Yumminess: "Holy Crap" Shrimp & Grits<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mothers' Day was this past weekend, and we thought making my mom brunch at home made a lot more sense than waiting in super-long lines at any of our favorite brunch spots in town. Shrimp & Grits came to mind right away, which led us on a recipe search when we realized we had no idea how we'd made this dish last time. I found a recipe at <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/old-charleston-style-shrimp-and-grits/">allrecipes.com</a> (of all places) that (with a couple minor changes) turned out to be pretty darned spectacular, and when all was said and done we found ourselves sitting down to one of the most awesomely delicious meals we've cooked in recent memory, leading me to exclaim several times during brunch "Holy crap! This is AMAZING!"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTN3z8lm2Ns/VVPanJrhsLI/AAAAAAAAI8A/dvrXrcceCpo/s1600/IMG_3688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTN3z8lm2Ns/VVPanJrhsLI/AAAAAAAAI8A/dvrXrcceCpo/s400/IMG_3688.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2015/05/everyday-yumminess-holy-crap-shrimp.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-78635092020245896072015-03-22T14:10:00.001-07:002015-03-22T14:10:21.445-07:00Everyday Yumminess: Double-Cut Pork Chops with Rustic Polenta and Chanterelle Cream<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of my deep-seated (and largely irrational) kitchen fears is cooking bone-in meat for guests. I trust myself when I'm cooking for just me, and I'm starting to get there cooking for me and Devin, but I hate over-cooked meat as much as I dread seeing a guest cut into their pork or chicken only to find it under-cooked at the bone. I realized the other day that this is pretty much the entire reason I got in the habit of cooking pork tenderloin rather and boneless chops rather than bone-in pork chops (and it is an irrelevant fear now because sous vide allows me to cheat on final internal temperature). After cooking this meal, I see that it's a crying shame I left this ingredient out of my repertoire for so many years. The inspiration was a couple gorgeous double-cut Carlton Farms pork chops that found their way home with us from <a href="http://www.laurelhurstmarket.com/index.cfm?butcher+shop" target="_blank">Laurelhurst Market</a>. The result was one of the best simple meals we've sat down to in a long time...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48MWr1yUY9U/VQHmOgtoeDI/AAAAAAAAIcE/dr3vxwtY06I/s1600/IMG_3545-2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48MWr1yUY9U/VQHmOgtoeDI/AAAAAAAAIcE/dr3vxwtY06I/s1600/IMG_3545-2-2.jpg" height="266" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2015/03/everyday-yumminess-double-cut-pork_22.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-20271017927569000642015-03-22T13:31:00.003-07:002015-03-22T13:32:24.471-07:00Random Pet Post: A New Member of the Household<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ever since deciding to try my hand at posting here again, I've been struggling to actually sit down and <i>do</i> it. I could blame any number of things, but the most adorable excuse I have is that it's hard to type with this little sweetheart lounging on my lap...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXgce9LmRzZOqGC29PAmMhguf8PYkrEsUakzmDdX6W56pc7hhV2b_YLYerkubnUJo_JCJl9MnJ23Iz-BNGYl5sJrEWdpyq5CNQLY_9O-R8Q-szMld8e15mdycBQqs-TFfxTsWwP7GxwQ/s1600/IMG_20150311_120414317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXgce9LmRzZOqGC29PAmMhguf8PYkrEsUakzmDdX6W56pc7hhV2b_YLYerkubnUJo_JCJl9MnJ23Iz-BNGYl5sJrEWdpyq5CNQLY_9O-R8Q-szMld8e15mdycBQqs-TFfxTsWwP7GxwQ/s1600/IMG_20150311_120414317.jpg" height="225" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2015/03/random-pet-post-new-member-of-household.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-48390004632164147382013-09-24T18:08:00.000-07:002013-09-24T18:08:07.925-07:00Everyday Yumminess: Perfect Sous Vide Mayo<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello, there. It's been a while since I've posted here. I've still been having fun in the kitchen, but things have changed such that I now have a partner-in-crime who distracts me from taking pictures and noting changes I make to recipes... I've been more about enjoying the cooking than documenting the cooking, which anyone who loves cooking knows isn't a bad thing... Anyway, this is something I came across a few months back in Modernist Cuisine at Home that totally rocked my world: Modernist Mayo. It's rich, decadent, bullet-proof (emulsion-wise), and actually easy... Things start with 75g of egg yolks (5 or so...).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKcUVFsrLyc/UkI0NQJ--WI/AAAAAAAAG5w/1u1egQSQTs8/s1600/IMG_1559-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKcUVFsrLyc/UkI0NQJ--WI/AAAAAAAAG5w/1u1egQSQTs8/s400/IMG_1559-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Those are vacuum-sealed and cooked sous vide for 35 minutes at 67°C. (Reading the recipe now, I was apparently supposed to blend them first, but in 5 times making this I've never done that and it's always turned out perfectly, so...) The yolks get all smushified, anyway, when you vacuum seal them, and come out pretty well mixed anyway...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdZYILVUb5CQGgKyOpR6UfiyC_8jVPRK9NyGBt5qIXML-841WDWDyS1L_UI2mXpyMbuiPmTEgtQQ37BX3znpHvIAXIxq2BJ568Zng-1e_qoOg7cbxkTSVpSsf5KhRwplCpi6Vis6TI3c/s1600/IMG_1569-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdZYILVUb5CQGgKyOpR6UfiyC_8jVPRK9NyGBt5qIXML-841WDWDyS1L_UI2mXpyMbuiPmTEgtQQ37BX3znpHvIAXIxq2BJ568Zng-1e_qoOg7cbxkTSVpSsf5KhRwplCpi6Vis6TI3c/s400/IMG_1569-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, you'll stir together some (45g) water and Dijon (25g) in a mixing container. When the yolks are ready, you immersion-blend them to smoothness, then start drizzling in about 300g of neutral oil in (while running your immersion blender.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FstQ1GdH_w/UkI0Neir51I/AAAAAAAAG6A/5KENk6Lt7rM/s1600/IMG_1571-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FstQ1GdH_w/UkI0Neir51I/AAAAAAAAG6A/5KENk6Lt7rM/s640/IMG_1571-6.jpg" width="465" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I made this little immersion-blending-lid after one too many experiences making traditional mayo, when it ended up sprayed halfway across my kitchen... It turns out this lid is completely superfluous with Modernist Mayo, given the thick texture... When the oil has been emulsified, you can season to taste (I like a little lemon juice and salt), and you have on your hands a batch of perfect mayo...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7pc6IaFC_qzc5I9b3mvc5p905jJwllgV1sf6ko5G55gjWxMdB5dCOXmc5Z_P-UONkXxxMP8V7DsKeZFLBGUraSOmjqusEB-jiYqoV59SqhSByeQvqCYquChCxMGHsvYgXxbvT_qhNso/s1600/IMG_1575-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7pc6IaFC_qzc5I9b3mvc5p905jJwllgV1sf6ko5G55gjWxMdB5dCOXmc5Z_P-UONkXxxMP8V7DsKeZFLBGUraSOmjqusEB-jiYqoV59SqhSByeQvqCYquChCxMGHsvYgXxbvT_qhNso/s400/IMG_1575-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(This also happens to be the perfect base for Fry Sauce and Sriracha Mayo... but we'll talk abou that later...) Back soon with more yumminess... </div>
emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-9698910179102762392013-06-28T11:19:00.000-07:002013-06-28T11:19:09.260-07:00Everyday Yumminess: Carnitas Hash with Eggs<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is one of those meals where I started with a <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/03/02/fried-eggs-and-carnitas-hash-recipe" target="_blank">recipe</a>... but then failed to follow any part of that recipe and still ended up with something super-yummy. In the end, I suppose the recipe just stuck an idea in my head: "Carnitas Hash is probably delicious." A few weeks later, when I had some carnitas vacuum-sealed in the freezer and found myself with extra Yukon Gold potatoes, it seemed like the best possible way to remedy those two situations...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i40wQ38Ioq8/Uc3HViyEFLI/AAAAAAAAGzQ/MJ-dM3q_-Nk/s1600/IMG_1552-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i40wQ38Ioq8/Uc3HViyEFLI/AAAAAAAAGzQ/MJ-dM3q_-Nk/s400/IMG_1552-5.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/06/everyday-yumminess-carnitas-hash-with.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-43826508112366334482013-06-26T10:55:00.002-07:002013-06-26T10:56:30.177-07:00Happy Birthday To Me!<div style="text-align: justify;">
A couple weeks ago I had a kick-ass group of friends over for my annual birthday dinner. It's the first time I've been able to do it at my own place since moving back to Portland, and I don't think it's a stretch to say it was one of my most delicious birthday menus ever... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qoPXKdZc59g/UcsjkRWQUKI/AAAAAAAAGxw/l7QmDfiF0xE/s1600/Table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qoPXKdZc59g/UcsjkRWQUKI/AAAAAAAAGxw/l7QmDfiF0xE/s400/Table.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPViY-f3Hpc8CxYY3R5QaT_OQWODCW13Hr3CxItkOfG8QbnplWEFc7kmTlh_mg7OrAzLzk4dbaYC2jXg_ZW44145Qx2eJEO8wEmYkh4whYwIjRIDkMN4I2v9aMEZQpm3oeVFBrD6nrtXc/s1600/IMG_1488-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPViY-f3Hpc8CxYY3R5QaT_OQWODCW13Hr3CxItkOfG8QbnplWEFc7kmTlh_mg7OrAzLzk4dbaYC2jXg_ZW44145Qx2eJEO8wEmYkh4whYwIjRIDkMN4I2v9aMEZQpm3oeVFBrD6nrtXc/s400/IMG_1488-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For the trio of plated appetizers, we had <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2011/03/chemistry-cookbook-adventures-shrimp.html" target="_blank">Shrimp Mosaic with Avocado-Melon Salsa</a>, Super-Crispy Calamari, and Vodka-Spiked Grape Tomatoes...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN2058jKWI1f1BGRDoxUGC_U1qxoibYtuzqjzPZ2Jv0bp_0a79VQyIUQQIxkjrNkOHiN9a0oOys8RPBLcsL3hZZh7FNYukOmXvsKkl7R6V7UdWFNVjHgFQW31hx2Exioq20bHyTQkdZw/s1600/IMG_1492-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN2058jKWI1f1BGRDoxUGC_U1qxoibYtuzqjzPZ2Jv0bp_0a79VQyIUQQIxkjrNkOHiN9a0oOys8RPBLcsL3hZZh7FNYukOmXvsKkl7R6V7UdWFNVjHgFQW31hx2Exioq20bHyTQkdZw/s400/IMG_1492-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The two dishes on the sides are old favorites, but the calamari was a new recipe. The batter is made with vodka and soda water, and crisps up beautifully when it fries... Next up was another old favorite, <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/everyday-yumminess-kick-ass-asparagus.html" target="_blank">Creamy Asparagus Soup with Lemon Dumplings</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimkw87N5OYkmAOu0TKX2a-tgd3ZIzx7vE-T3-B4JsXkHbDeXpip8PY1tTBI7utg4Ab0cPOxTeQCmN6jxXLKLefCh98E3VtvWiEPCkvELrh2aUv0QXxlXg-hT6pa7DKRUJhDuya2JErD8/s1600/IMG_1493-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimkw87N5OYkmAOu0TKX2a-tgd3ZIzx7vE-T3-B4JsXkHbDeXpip8PY1tTBI7utg4Ab0cPOxTeQCmN6jxXLKLefCh98E3VtvWiEPCkvELrh2aUv0QXxlXg-hT6pa7DKRUJhDuya2JErD8/s400/IMG_1493-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These little dumplings are filled with super-bright homemade lemon "jello," which melts when the dumplings cook and then explodes into the soup when you take a bite. I wanted the guests to get to see what was hiding under their soup, so we poured the soup tableside...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtUPIl_J3z7Lq3fdMgU7BlC4ryErD4oQhhzMvzyNThKLKAsIKGobFYcnmpYJ6InWkmmQoldY82dUIelGJRaRPodLQ7nH92rrdAdG5OR3aczTrUBp6BEUhW7nwxo-IoGNl1MhxsHdkeU0/s1600/IMG_1494-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtUPIl_J3z7Lq3fdMgU7BlC4ryErD4oQhhzMvzyNThKLKAsIKGobFYcnmpYJ6InWkmmQoldY82dUIelGJRaRPodLQ7nH92rrdAdG5OR3aczTrUBp6BEUhW7nwxo-IoGNl1MhxsHdkeU0/s400/IMG_1494-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The salad course came from Zak Pelaccio's "Eat With Your Hands" cookbook: a <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/04/zakary-pelaccios-crispy-pork-and-watermelon-salad-.html" target="_blank">Crispy Pork Belly and Watermelon Salad</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sS_c71XH4N4/Ucsjj0QNikI/AAAAAAAAGyE/f_2bfo_Cogs/s1600/IMG_1495-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sS_c71XH4N4/Ucsjj0QNikI/AAAAAAAAGyE/f_2bfo_Cogs/s400/IMG_1495-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I went ahead and compressed the watermelon, since I love the texture and it's so much prettier, but other than that this was just as written. The pickled watermelon rind was beautifully spicy and was perfect with the crispy pork... Mmm.... Because I'm addicted to scallops, I added a seafood course this year in the form of a Seared Diver Scallop with Ginger-Carrot Emulsion.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSDgsEfjlyJobTOm9LP1FBwMEh1hsXQVBTO1cYzm7mtq7BM9zm-fRod5jf67Ps-v0rcyuzvV7qCtHZ-JWqzWDRS_HtU-V-_-Z8QnlSd0st8hCNnCyOVtMrLUv_R-oHH0yvJsU0JQG69M/s1600/IMG_1449-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSDgsEfjlyJobTOm9LP1FBwMEh1hsXQVBTO1cYzm7mtq7BM9zm-fRod5jf67Ps-v0rcyuzvV7qCtHZ-JWqzWDRS_HtU-V-_-Z8QnlSd0st8hCNnCyOVtMrLUv_R-oHH0yvJsU0JQG69M/s400/IMG_1449-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The sauce is from <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/09/sunday-cookbook-adventures-peas-and.html" target="_blank">Thomas Keller's Peas and Carrots</a>, but I passed it through a whipping siphon so that I could make it in advance. The siphon re-emulsifies the sauce when you reheat it, and also adds a crazy-awesome texture... The main course was a Horseradish-Crusted Rib-Eye with Red Wine Jus and Crispy Potato Ruffles...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgYkbywcoYE/Ucsjkpra6VI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/z4-RWmEgpzM/s1600/_MG_1511-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgYkbywcoYE/Ucsjkpra6VI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/z4-RWmEgpzM/s400/_MG_1511-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3p9S13NSRpva6nedQsrZVsO3oyaNhUU6Evld1T2Rz5YO37zkoxCx0EI3amDMXsWugPKJKC1tn3GwAUwizTbSmTUFrkkTc84CncnMLDQmYjANCOLzz6ngAwYayFkhRg4Hy8kp6vRXRuXs/s1600/_MG_1515-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3p9S13NSRpva6nedQsrZVsO3oyaNhUU6Evld1T2Rz5YO37zkoxCx0EI3amDMXsWugPKJKC1tn3GwAUwizTbSmTUFrkkTc84CncnMLDQmYjANCOLzz6ngAwYayFkhRg4Hy8kp6vRXRuXs/s400/_MG_1515-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EMHgFsm5-pc/UcsjkOTcKKI/AAAAAAAAGx8/a-e7gP-cz3E/s1600/IMG_1520-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EMHgFsm5-pc/UcsjkOTcKKI/AAAAAAAAGx8/a-e7gP-cz3E/s400/IMG_1520-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And, finally, the meal finished up with Thomas Keller's take on Strawberry Shortcake...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOCHBuo5QDSxbLGazA6gl1-a1ynR6iqyut3QNNv28wwbrLzPsqvUgTAXjNscH19UdBQgPjmxPLYkZE_QpmP3XySxB4ok8cgwTPVjH_emgOLPj_IHhE5f8Cljo53Ee02-uV0277i49Sh0/s1600/IMG_1523-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOCHBuo5QDSxbLGazA6gl1-a1ynR6iqyut3QNNv28wwbrLzPsqvUgTAXjNscH19UdBQgPjmxPLYkZE_QpmP3XySxB4ok8cgwTPVjH_emgOLPj_IHhE5f8Cljo53Ee02-uV0277i49Sh0/s400/IMG_1523-14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This plated up way prettier the first time I made it (see below), but was delicious even when ugly... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN2PimbmjsLRmA8Ij4cs8l0DyJU6WRLopIiv-ZUVugePZKdyH0HxfiLlynAZQ-FVTpG64jqfgODQEBTRUF6tAHF1LXg0tfcUK7lwGGIhWr-IvSBoYqyptdJIrakiiZQDlNIxJ4UI9YKI/s1600/4+-+Dessert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN2PimbmjsLRmA8Ij4cs8l0DyJU6WRLopIiv-ZUVugePZKdyH0HxfiLlynAZQ-FVTpG64jqfgODQEBTRUF6tAHF1LXg0tfcUK7lwGGIhWr-IvSBoYqyptdJIrakiiZQDlNIxJ4UI9YKI/s400/4+-+Dessert.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time we got home from some late-night post-dinner karaoke, I have to say this was one of my best birthdays ever... A super-fun evening with totally awesome company and fantastic food... It will be hard to top it next year, but I'll see what I can do...</div>
emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-27848392788234442162013-04-30T10:28:00.001-07:002013-04-30T10:32:49.566-07:00Recipe Revisited: Seared Spring Salmon with Melted Leeks and Herbed Beurre Blanc<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is a recipe I've made (and loved) <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunday-cookbook-adventures-salmon-with.html" target="_blank">before</a>, but I had to post again because it was even more mind-blowing this time with three small changes. I don't like to make many alterations to Thomas Keller's recipes, because he's pretty much always right... but I feel like my leeks turned out better (and infinitely easier) by switching up the technique a little. The recipe for this amazing dish is <a href="http://www.pepperplate.com/sharedrecipe.aspx?id=8cdc4a77-3709-4acf-beea-16e9d29a0958" target="_blank">here</a>, and I highly recommend trying it out next time you get your hands on some beautiful salmon...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWaqdai5TnA/UX_1E0QT1HI/AAAAAAAAGkw/KGS7pjoEFas/s1600/IMG_1323-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWaqdai5TnA/UX_1E0QT1HI/AAAAAAAAGkw/KGS7pjoEFas/s400/IMG_1323-10.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/04/recipes-revisited-seared-spring-salmon.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-75186737506463283022013-03-04T17:13:00.001-08:002013-03-04T17:20:04.254-08:00Everyday Yumminess: Chicken Divan Casserole<div style="text-align: justify;">
My mom tells me that she sometimes made Chicken Divan Casserole for us when we were growing up. I am not about to call my mother a liar, but somehow the food memory didn't dig itself very far into my brain, so this isn't a dish I would have thought to seek out a recipe for and make... A couple weeks ago, though, a friend mentioned some pangs of nostalgia for the Chicken Divan his mom had made for him when he was young...and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't try to make a version of this classic for him? (I know the pictures of the finished dish are a little scrappy, but it's comfort food so I wasn't about to mess around with fancy plating...)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F9ycbDwPypWbqsaEeqoeV82LE6NBthLGFa7uY1Nxewn-2d7fBsmxMauXyqcYXGwAO6LQVJFDsvGsqOJNGCC9CG-9QMQLypSciyjbNmz5j6iK69b6ecHOhzKOUMKd0fLyi8co42GjDY4/s1600/IMG_1085-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F9ycbDwPypWbqsaEeqoeV82LE6NBthLGFa7uY1Nxewn-2d7fBsmxMauXyqcYXGwAO6LQVJFDsvGsqOJNGCC9CG-9QMQLypSciyjbNmz5j6iK69b6ecHOhzKOUMKd0fLyi8co42GjDY4/s400/IMG_1085-3.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/03/everyday-yumminess-chicken-divan.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-26875781378479808772013-03-01T13:24:00.000-08:002013-03-01T13:24:16.800-08:00Sous Vide Makes it Better: Two Curries<div style="text-align: justify;">
I haven't made a lot of "new" dishes lately, but something I do a lot of is re-making things I've made before, only switching the cooking method over to sous vide. I tried this with two curries last week, and was incredibly happy (for different reasons) with both dishes... The first dish was <a href="http://emilysfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com/2008/08/beef-rendang-with-roti-canai.html" target="_blank">Beef Rendang</a> with <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/03/everyday-yumminess-my-favorite-buttery.html" target="_blank">Roti Canai</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--HoGUfd8FQw/UTEIdJoWXNI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/Cb9y_G8WImM/s1600/IMG_1040-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--HoGUfd8FQw/UTEIdJoWXNI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/Cb9y_G8WImM/s400/IMG_1040-23.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/03/sous-vide-makes-it-better-two-curries.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-55769948170944972812013-03-01T12:19:00.000-08:002013-03-01T12:19:34.266-08:00Everyday Yumminess: My Favorite Buttery Flatbread<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I mentioned when I made the <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/02/cookbook-adventures-mission-street-food.html" target="_blank">Mission Street Food Buttery Flatbread</a>, one of the reasons I was a little disappointed by that flatbread was my preexisting love of an easier version... I first made these <a href="http://emilysfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com/2008/08/beef-rendang-with-roti-canai.html" target="_blank">Roti Canai </a>almost 5 years ago when I was still living in Australia. (I have no idea where the original recipe came from anymore...) They're kind of fun to make, super-delicious, and super-buttery... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CC5msSipVNo/UTEITmTZ9aI/AAAAAAAAGXI/XrVIjAQ4lts/s1600/IMG_1033-21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CC5msSipVNo/UTEITmTZ9aI/AAAAAAAAGXI/XrVIjAQ4lts/s400/IMG_1033-21.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/03/everyday-yumminess-my-favorite-buttery.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-12972726487253929012013-02-15T12:14:00.001-08:002013-02-25T11:33:33.036-08:00Valentine's Feast (Alternate Title: My Mom is Awesome)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>UPDATE</b>: I've now uploaded the recipes <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6oBTdBiiKSlcG81SDFmXzh1Vkk/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a> if anyone wants to recreate portions of this meal... The soup with lemon dumplings is <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/creamy-asparagus-soup-with-lemon-dumplings" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
<br>
As I was enjoying an amazing 5-course dinner with my parents last night, I realized something: Nobody has ever cooked a dinner party for me. I love to cook (obviously), and I love throwing dinner parties, but it was one of the nicest gifts my mom could have given me when she prepared everything for this feast and then brought the whole production over to my house so that she and my dad could share it with me. There's sometimes a misconception about us people who are obsessed with food and cooking... an idea that, because we love to go crazy in the kitchen, we're going to be harsh critics of other people's cooking and thus are too intimidating to cook for... (When, in fact, I love very simple food, too... and even a grilled cheese sandwich is enough to rock my world if I didn't have to make it myself...) Even though this wasn't a cool restaurant or my own cooking, I wanted to share the meal my mom prepared for us... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8zGHEbaMNVZL4fHE2MS2YdhyphenhyphenuxdoVQ7ot-1aO6rpup6go-XWqceRRKXXn2t6W6OopWhRvOk17sc9q3Nh68AlAkC2URL9-nK3-EyXJgzxMLvUHY9Ga1vpR4agJhP35n7Di-fYgVxmJIc/s1600/IMG_0911-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8zGHEbaMNVZL4fHE2MS2YdhyphenhyphenuxdoVQ7ot-1aO6rpup6go-XWqceRRKXXn2t6W6OopWhRvOk17sc9q3Nh68AlAkC2URL9-nK3-EyXJgzxMLvUHY9Ga1vpR4agJhP35n7Di-fYgVxmJIc/s400/IMG_0911-2.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-feast-alternate-title-my-mom.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-51439527395503398972013-02-04T10:26:00.000-08:002013-02-06T09:41:33.586-08:00Cookbook Adventures: Mission Street Food (Updated)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mission-street-food" target="_blank">Mission Street Food</a> is another one of those books that I couldn't wait to get my hands on, but then didn't manage to play with until now... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9iLUMZ8tLE/UQ_tODGB3uI/AAAAAAAAGRg/qWENnwUkJ_k/s1600/IMG_0850-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9iLUMZ8tLE/UQ_tODGB3uI/AAAAAAAAGRg/qWENnwUkJ_k/s400/IMG_0850-25.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now that I've tried a few recipes, I think it may be a while before I break it out again... Everything was sort of in that "good... but not as great as I'd hoped..." category.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WKAE7bXkpHw/UQ_tO4WdazI/AAAAAAAAGRs/To7FyPUjXDI/s1600/IMG_0855-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WKAE7bXkpHw/UQ_tO4WdazI/AAAAAAAAGRs/To7FyPUjXDI/s400/IMG_0855-27.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love the philosophy of the book, and I love the ideas behind the recipes, but it may end up being one of those books that I turn to more for inspiration than for guidance... <br>
</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/02/cookbook-adventures-mission-street-food.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-37555538916201617572013-02-04T09:57:00.000-08:002013-02-06T16:03:10.094-08:00Sous Vide Duck Confit<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been meaning to make Duck Confit for a long time, but it took a while to decide I really wanted to stock up my freezer with duck legs and duck fat... I finally took the plunge and picked up some <a href="http://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com/" target="_blank">gorgeous duck products</a> a few months ago, and then it was on...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98ngAH8SIjE/UQ_tFow8LOI/AAAAAAAAGOU/Uv3PH21Hw4o/s1600/IMG_0628-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98ngAH8SIjE/UQ_tFow8LOI/AAAAAAAAGOU/Uv3PH21Hw4o/s400/IMG_0628-14.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/02/sous-vide-duck-confit.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-63610184708099575682013-01-25T12:05:00.001-08:002013-01-25T12:05:30.024-08:00Pizza Fest: Playing with My New Baking Steel<div style="text-align: justify;">
After all the buzz on the interwebs, I couldn't resist spending some Christmas-present money on a new toy: the <a href="http://bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel/" target="_blank">baking steel</a>... It turns out all the hype is correct. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcPYNonG3Cf_iBI4EF9a9OoNlgfZRAsEIu8TpxNbkojjWWVB6PHY_iJwffPIxcHNH_dXB0i7WsWe8Fyr9if9TquwqkGPsb0hstteLIYxVquRE53q312FkByOdHxSNHNu0Tg5UwJ-9kLQ/s1600/IMG_0614-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcPYNonG3Cf_iBI4EF9a9OoNlgfZRAsEIu8TpxNbkojjWWVB6PHY_iJwffPIxcHNH_dXB0i7WsWe8Fyr9if9TquwqkGPsb0hstteLIYxVquRE53q312FkByOdHxSNHNu0Tg5UwJ-9kLQ/s400/IMG_0614-8.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(As you can see, I got the 1/2-inch version.) I tried three different crusts on my new steel, and every one of them blew me away with how amazing it turned out... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6My9x7d8pxSNIXJOY7o_np2kwOA8ZaXg8r5UCGY67vth13VpSyhR3plOH6OkDa9q7hQOgQ-0W3qw_rHpD4UvxEYZbA1FgYen9Fhl1aQDfJ4YolwoeEMydnFsU4qPy7MusXv0uOhax2Y/s1600/IMG_0635-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6My9x7d8pxSNIXJOY7o_np2kwOA8ZaXg8r5UCGY67vth13VpSyhR3plOH6OkDa9q7hQOgQ-0W3qw_rHpD4UvxEYZbA1FgYen9Fhl1aQDfJ4YolwoeEMydnFsU4qPy7MusXv0uOhax2Y/s400/IMG_0635-18.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd2ouxTVxTp1X5F9olVctRwsoz1vdjBD6zrvCMKSt9UnwLBFZHeKmMs4tIcWSk23ZVN1DC3nr2mP6L-VnoqEpikjCuerPZCZfksQ9O-CtycPACYxYQjhcjYbGbfNXS5gFqJ8vm76SMm0/s1600/IMG_0765-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd2ouxTVxTp1X5F9olVctRwsoz1vdjBD6zrvCMKSt9UnwLBFZHeKmMs4tIcWSk23ZVN1DC3nr2mP6L-VnoqEpikjCuerPZCZfksQ9O-CtycPACYxYQjhcjYbGbfNXS5gFqJ8vm76SMm0/s400/IMG_0765-9.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yum...</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/01/pizza-fest-playing-with-my-new-baking.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-14120934418055644802013-01-24T12:17:00.000-08:002013-01-25T12:25:07.857-08:00Another Sous Vide Trick: Über-Caramelized Onons<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love caramelized onions, and I love them super-duper caramelized. When I did this for <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/02/sunday-cookbook-adventures-bouchons_21.html" target="_blank">Thomas Keller's French Onion Soup</a>, it took about 8 hours of caramelizing (stirring every 30-45 minutes) to get the onions as dark as I wanted. That's not really an option these days. I've heard a rumor (which I believe) that you can't caramelize onions from raw using sous vide because the gases released by the onions will make the bag explode... (I didn't want to test this...) Instead I did a bit of a hybrid technique. While I was putzing around in the kitchen, I threw the sliced onions in a pot with a bit of salt over medium-high heat, covered. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qAORwzhO_ggX3eVHNbZzB0-BUAF0eUlWLWwppX7e0X-NaSsziVo6mK_ZbofwhnFXjuNPAx4rpq-NzP1jxUHiunYdX5Ax0zhsuGlomG4TF_fz2StFz-OAMxGilcJPSNVoHqI6JwsEF8A/s1600/IMG_0593-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qAORwzhO_ggX3eVHNbZzB0-BUAF0eUlWLWwppX7e0X-NaSsziVo6mK_ZbofwhnFXjuNPAx4rpq-NzP1jxUHiunYdX5Ax0zhsuGlomG4TF_fz2StFz-OAMxGilcJPSNVoHqI6JwsEF8A/s400/IMG_0593-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(This is how I always start my onions, since it forces them to release their liquid early and thus allows faster caramelization later...) After a good amount of liquid is rendered, you can uncover and let it cook off, stirring every now and then. Because there is so much liquid at this stage, there's minimal risk of burning so you can totally ignore the onions for the most part...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1ULKG8tWhM/UQBjhcutFEI/AAAAAAAAGEM/B3i2K8ZjXeg/s1600/IMG_0596-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1ULKG8tWhM/UQBjhcutFEI/AAAAAAAAGEM/B3i2K8ZjXeg/s400/IMG_0596-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once the onions had given off their liquid and that liquid had mostly cooked off, I tossed them into a vacuum bag, closed the top with a bag clip, and plunged them into an ice bath to chill (since hot things do not vacuum-seal well...). After sealing, the onions can go into a 180-degree water bath until they achieve the desired caramelization... A couple hours for moderate...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdBPV7btcDoT8aJnpkX9KKNLT__spqrpOVQ5AFSURmVn2M1Y8EDHbXsL189m3QnFOGxtHviyoYP1-KEid8HFFNylWYh7-bs4bH28kDj6ILkIBvy0hYafEdk3ii327C5cnZLc0TRai514/s1600/IMG_0598-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdBPV7btcDoT8aJnpkX9KKNLT__spqrpOVQ5AFSURmVn2M1Y8EDHbXsL189m3QnFOGxtHviyoYP1-KEid8HFFNylWYh7-bs4bH28kDj6ILkIBvy0hYafEdk3ii327C5cnZLc0TRai514/s400/IMG_0598-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
or overnight for super-duper-crazy-caramelized... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs1AmzUBVpYRznzsU48usVvEE8HA-Kc_bNN7iqzgoZ4qdp3olJPZXH5v8ax-VPVr9rejbue5BCo8SB5zpGNiERi6gHxAwgM-GmSVtDEC2FtO3cHN1t1DTO0iTrWUkxwLITSmBK243FcA/s1600/IMG_0612-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs1AmzUBVpYRznzsU48usVvEE8HA-Kc_bNN7iqzgoZ4qdp3olJPZXH5v8ax-VPVr9rejbue5BCo8SB5zpGNiERi6gHxAwgM-GmSVtDEC2FtO3cHN1t1DTO0iTrWUkxwLITSmBK243FcA/s400/IMG_0612-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pretty awesome, yeah? Again, this is just (regular, not sweet) onions with a bit of salt... and this is totally how my onions are getting caramelized for my next batch of onion soup...</div>
emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-26577768169921893832013-01-23T15:11:00.000-08:002013-01-23T17:52:17.885-08:00Everyday Yumminess: Sriracha Salt<div style="text-align: justify;">
I bought my food dehydrator back in the day because I wanted to use it as a <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/04/everyday-yumminess-best-yogurt-ever.html" target="_blank">yogurt-making incubator</a>. While that remains its primary purpose in my kitchen, I like finding other random uses for it (e.g., <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/fyi-prosciutto-powder-is-awesome.html" target="_blank">prosciutto-powder</a>). The most recent application was to streamline a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sriracha-Salt-364309" target="_blank">recipe</a> for Sriracha Salt.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTF2SxFGIEs/UQBjzD-qStI/AAAAAAAAGHg/fqaArEZ5QdQ/s1600/IMG_0733-17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTF2SxFGIEs/UQBjzD-qStI/AAAAAAAAGHg/fqaArEZ5QdQ/s400/IMG_0733-17.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/01/everyday-yumminess-sriracha-salt.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-89566106932725514852013-01-23T14:45:00.000-08:002013-01-23T14:45:13.736-08:00Everyday Yumminess: Homemade Tonic Water<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is something I'd been wanting to try for a while so, once I got a soda siphon for Christmas, it shot to the top of my queue. Homemade tonic water (or, more accurately, tonic concentrate that is mixed with soda water to make tonic water) isn't necessarily going to save you any money over generic-brand store-bought versions. This is a case where the DIY version is superior because it lets you tweak the flavors to your palate. (I, for example, hate how sweet store-bought tonic water often is... so when I made my own I cut back on the agave the recipe called for and it was perfect...)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Le9yzyc-ypk/UQBjGJR3QcI/AAAAAAAAGDw/Fpp3utkjoAM/s1600/IMG_0740-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Le9yzyc-ypk/UQBjGJR3QcI/AAAAAAAAGDw/Fpp3utkjoAM/s640/IMG_0740-18.jpg" width="433"></a></div><a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2013/01/everyday-yumminess-homemade-tonic-water.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-27973793546658262092012-09-22T09:25:00.000-07:002012-09-22T10:19:28.192-07:00Cookbook Adventures: Another Take on 48-Hour Short Ribs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I had such a delicious experience with her awesome <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/cookbook-adventures-amazing-zucchini.html" target="_blank">zucchini dumplings</a>, I went right back to Susan Feniger's <i>Street Food</i>
to try another dish. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjiuuRTtWbqT9THTly9xeOqCMSB4H98nCrplItjros69rJ5BMS8vK4778wrMu8RWJqRC5tuI62FHd35L7anbg2ECp4UuLfOFdAdKyWS2AER-Eu0Bf0Dgvu5Sjc2mywDv6-1uZCB2C8XQ/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjiuuRTtWbqT9THTly9xeOqCMSB4H98nCrplItjros69rJ5BMS8vK4778wrMu8RWJqRC5tuI62FHd35L7anbg2ECp4UuLfOFdAdKyWS2AER-Eu0Bf0Dgvu5Sjc2mywDv6-1uZCB2C8XQ/s400/1.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The inspiration for trying (and modifying)
Korean-Glazed Short Ribs with Sesame and Asian Pear was the abundance of
Asian pears hanging from the tree in my back yard. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6syRiklts_UOyuibawaL3MddJ9N6E6wCgzR4RwE1tWtvTRqVsOB3oYJ_1fBZN32GLzOXP-_Ggn7Yt19cY-xASbiQ1RNE_wFEAxk3K_CeY0tHMTYq2Dvmtrz4cMR6ahWBmu6RXD6UJj4Y/s1600/IMG_0132-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6syRiklts_UOyuibawaL3MddJ9N6E6wCgzR4RwE1tWtvTRqVsOB3oYJ_1fBZN32GLzOXP-_Ggn7Yt19cY-xASbiQ1RNE_wFEAxk3K_CeY0tHMTYq2Dvmtrz4cMR6ahWBmu6RXD6UJj4Y/s400/IMG_0132-1.jpg" width="400"></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Maybe it was because the marinade reminded me of the marinade for <a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/07/sunday-cookbook-adventures-momofuku-48.html" target="_blank">Momofuku's 48-hour short ribs</a>,
maybe it was just because after cooking short ribs sous vide I would
never cook them any other way, but I ended up straying pretty far from
the recipe when it came to the cooking of the ribs... Whatever the reason, the results were totally awesome...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUc-kLL-FzCa9s-2pDu5WYS6kPBpxhraPtUb-7tmA9Iz11I3N6TvvZ7M_HmtQE-kalTtQ42sC7kIh-2bZ6id3PPOYmBOZkuL7MCmCONnCjwjf3NeJ36qWNFBIHxB_K3LkUxKid62H40c/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUc-kLL-FzCa9s-2pDu5WYS6kPBpxhraPtUb-7tmA9Iz11I3N6TvvZ7M_HmtQE-kalTtQ42sC7kIh-2bZ6id3PPOYmBOZkuL7MCmCONnCjwjf3NeJ36qWNFBIHxB_K3LkUxKid62H40c/s400/2.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/cookbook-adventures-another-take-on-48.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5233058818245130072.post-77613184397558477042012-09-09T11:56:00.002-07:002012-09-09T12:17:25.327-07:00Sous Vide Apple Craziness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
A friend brought me a big bag of random apples (no idea what kind, just harvested
from some trees he was working near), and I was trying to think of
something more interesting than an apple crisp to make with them. What I
ended up making turned out pretty freaking cool...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxCosBq9lenc1Co9dtRvuwhlC-AUHEdkcpGQbz_fZ-zFZufKOeMPx3mfyj35EPllF89B3uvi9B0E_lhCuTdLndTazXMwj8IRpgvLQCZgEwTtvo8wYgTArtfclpJ9d8hHtYFZSjRVk9z0/s400/IMG_0003.jpg" width="400"></div>
<a href="http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/sous-vide-apple-craziness.html#more">Read more »</a>emmohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16110893152717708067noreply@blogger.com0