I have always liked Char-Broil grills. Well built and long lasting. The last one I had, a combination gas/charcoal grill lasted 10 years. This one, an American Gourmet Deluxe Smoker, BBQ and Grill from Char-Broil seems to work very well. The photo to the left is the grill with it’s BSU cover on it.
A spatchcock is a historical term for a culled immature male chicken, but increasingly denotes a preparation technique. The spatchcock, also known as “spattlecock”, is poultry or game that has been prepared for roasting or grilling by removing the backbone, and sometimes the sternum of the bird and flattening it out before cooking. The preparation of a bird in such a manner for cooking may also be known as butterflying the bird. The term “spatchcock” is used when the backbone is removed, whether or not the sternum is removed. Removing the sternum allows the bird to be flattened more fully…Barbecue (also barbeque, BBQ and barby/barbies) is both a cooking method and an apparatus. The generally accepted differences between barbecuing and grilling are cooking durations and the types of heat used. Grilling is generally done quickly over moderate-to-high direct heat that produces little smoke, while barbecuing is done slowly over low, indirect heat and the food is flavored by the smoking process…The word barbecue when used as a noun can refer to the cooking method, the meat cooked in this way, the cooking apparatus (the “barbecue grill” or simply “barbecue”), or to an event where this style of food is featured. Used as an adjective, “barbecued” refers to foods cooked by this method. The term is also used as a verb for the act of cooking food in this manner. Barbecuing is usually done out-of-doors by smoking the meat over wood or charcoal. Restaurant barbecue may be cooked in large brick or metal ovens designed for that purpose. There are numerous regional variations of barbecuing, and it is practiced around many areas of the world. [Wikipedia]
#boisefoodieguildstuff, #bobfoodphotos, #boisecaptainsshackstuff
The new grill by Char-Broil An American Gourmet Deluxe
The spatchcock chicken. The pepper is a combination of black, pink and green peppers that I ground. Great flavors. A light sprinkle of Lemon Olive Oil.
Grilling
The plated dinner.
Green Salad with Tomato, Green Onion, Carrot Threads and Corn Shoots
Green Peas
Spatchcock Grilled Chicken
A good wine from Downton Abbey
Wonderful Easter Ham Dinner
27 Sunday Mar 2016
Posted in Buy Idaho, Cakes, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Dessert, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Family, Easter Dinner, Holiday Gatherings, Holiday Menu, Idaho Greens, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Vegetables, Local Harvests, Photos By: Bob Young, Pork, Purple Sage Farms, Vinegars, What's For Dinner?, Wines - NW
Such a great time having a meal with family. Robin, Marnie and Mac. We did miss Christopher and Sophia, but they got a “Care Package”. Hope they enjoy it. The photos below are what we had and some of the recipes are with the photos. Mac made some wonderful rolls and there are some left-over for ham sandwiches. A word about the recipes, especially the Holiday Ham recipe by Chef Michael Symon. When we watched him make the ham on the ABC program The Chew, he used a ham steak. I altered that somewhat and use a Shank Portion Smoked Ham. The same technique that Chef Symon used for browning the ham was used so I would have some pan “grameles” for the gravy. I roasted the ham in the oven at 350 degrees F but first, after cross hatching the skin and fat layer and rubbing it with some ground clove and ground allspice and then some good maple syrup. Not much, but enough to give the ham some sweetness. The recipe for the Holiday Ham and the Parsley Salad are permanently located in the recipe file above. It turned out superb. Here are some photos of the dinner. Enjoy!
Again, another recipe adapted from Chef Michael Symon. We did alter it by adding honey, radish and miners lettuce. Enjoy the recipe – easy to do and so refreshing. Parsley Salad
Ham Gravy
Smashed Garlic Blue Potatoes
Steamed and Minted Sugar Snap Peas
Mac made some awesome rolls to go with the ham. We also had a 2014 Estancia Pinot Grigio that went very well with the dinner.
Marnie made this. She found these individual “cake pans” that worked very well for her. Basically, sliced pineapple on the bottom with brown sugar and then carrot cake batter on top and baked. Iced with the standard Carrot Cake Icing. It was super! Thanks Marnie.
Icing is on the bottom! Told you it was an upside down!
2016 Treefort/Foodfort Boise
26 Saturday Mar 2016
Posted in Beef, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Beer Tasting, Boise Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Duck, Food, Food Photos, Idaho, Idaho Beef, Idaho Breweries, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Grains, Idaho Greens, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Polenta Roys Calais, Idaho Vegetables, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Modern Hotel, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurants, Sausage, Special Beers, What's For Dinner?
Well I did go this year. The first time since the first one that was held 4 years ago in 2012. What drew me this year? Janie Burns and probably the fact that the organizers added Idaho food products, thus Foodfort!
The Treefort Music Fest is a five-day, indie rock festival which is held at numerous venues throughout downtown Boise, Idaho in late March.The 2014 festival took place March 20–23 with the featured acts Built to Spill, The Joy Formidable, and Poliça; the 2015 festival, scheduled March 25–29, featured TV On The Radio, Trampled By Turtles, and Emily Wells, and locals Built to Spill and Josh Ritter. Treefort has been called “the west’s best SXSW alternative” and “Boise’s preeminent artistic, cultural and musical happening” which has “morphed from quirky music festival to consuming community event.” It has also been characterized as having become a “nationally renowned gathering just by maintaining its personable close-knit vibe” and a “music lover’s joyous mayhem” which showcases the soul of Boise. [Wikipedia]
Here’s some of the venue – Beer, Food and Entertainment.
It was very full and busy.
All ages jumping rope!
They were very good!
See?
And these folks.
To a hand-stand!
There were many local and Idaho breweries represented. Some very good micro breweries and nano breweries.
Chef Richard – James Beard Nominee – from Vincinos.
He uses local rainbow carrots in some of his dishes.
He made, for public consumption and enjoyment, Duck with Polenta and Tomato. It was superb!
The folks from Juniper were there also.
Juniper provided Kuboto Beef with Farro. Again, all Idaho products!
The Modern Hotel supplied us with a delicious Sausage and Lentil dish.
I heard the Michael from Acme Bakeshop was working on a new bread and had samples. I did not see him. But maybe next week when the Boise Farmers Market opens for the season. Find them from 9am to 1pm at 10th and Grove in Boise.
St Patrick’s Day Party
20 Sunday Mar 2016
Posted in Appetizers, Boise Food Adventures, Bread, Buy Idaho, Cabbage, Comfort Food, Corned Beef, Dinner With Friends, Ethnic Foods, Food Photos, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Raisins, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dinner, Roasted Vegetables, St Patrick's Day, Turnips, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?
Although it was not actually St Patrick’s Day on Saturday, we still had a wonderful party and meal. Thanks to Tom and Leanne Felzien for inviting us and for opening your home to all of us. It was delightful. Our task this year was to make the Irish Soda Bread, and that we did, after a little research and combining of recipes from Chef Michael Symon and The Chew, Ina Garten and the Tasting Table Test Kitchen. Here is the recipe I used for our Irish Soda Bread. And even if I do say so myself, it is by far some of the best soda bread I/we have EVER eaten! Bar none! Try it and let us know what you think. We also had a wonderful dip that Heather brought. I think this is the recipe: Guinness and Mustard Cheese Dip! Here are some photos from the party. And, by the way, this is the farm where we get our lamb. Never had a bad piece of lamb in almost 10 years from them. We are on the list again this year for 1/2 a spring lamb! Yum.
The day and the event calls for some good Scotch and maybe a brew, too.
The finished product of our soda bread.
(Beets, Potato, Parsnip, Turnip}
Cabbage
Irish Soda Bread
Corned Beef
Crescent Roll Tacos
17 Thursday Mar 2016
Tags
So different, yet so good. At least for a slight change. And you can make them at home easily. Let’s look at how to make these. And then ask the kids to help you assemble them. Cook for about 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Crescent rolls are unpacked and laid in a circle on a sheet pan. Fry off about 1 lbs of hamburger mixed with some garlic and green onion. Add some Mexican spices and some salsa.
Drain the liquid from the hamburger. Place in a ring as shown and top with some shredded cheese. Fold the “points” to the center and tuck under.
Bake off at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until the rolls turn light brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve with sour cream, diced fresh tomatoes and fresh shredded lettuce.
Can also be served without the sour cream.
There you go. Easy to do and fun to make.
BLT for Breakfast
16 Wednesday Mar 2016
Tags
Actually, YES! Standard BLT, bacon and toast – a Toasted Whole Wheat English Muffin. Forget the mayo and cheese. Slowly created Meadowlark Farms Fried Egg, local Tomato, 1 piece Falls Brand Bacon and local Spinach. Delicious! Carbs 23.7g, saturated fat 28.0g and calories 498. Really, really good! And Mark you calendars – BFM – Boise Farmers Market – Opens Saturday, April 2 at 9:00am at 10th and Grove in Boise!
Irish Days Are Upon Us
14 Monday Mar 2016
Posted in Ahi Tuna, Asian Food, Asparagus, Avocado, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Classic Sauces, Dinner For Robin, Ethnic Foods, Heirloom Carrots, Herbs and Spices, Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Idaho Greens, Idaho Lamb, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Vegetables, Lamb, Local Farmers Markets, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, What's For Dinner?
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And that mean “Party-Hearty”! Time for lamb. Or Laphroaig. Or Glendronach. Or maybe some Corned Beef with some Cabbage. I am going to make some Irish Soda Bread, or maybe an Irish Brown Soda Bread, for a St Patrick’s Day party on Saturday. Gonna wear my kilt, too! And the socks that my niece Beth made me. We just made some Irish Stew, that turned out pretty darn good. Just need to tighten the sauce a little. Doesn’t this just look scrumptious? And yes, the Boise Farmers Market at 10th and Grove in Boise opens up on April 2, 2016! Yea!!!
Prep for the Irish Stew. Carrots, celery, lamb cubes (Local Felzien lamb!), Red onion, green onion and spices.
And the other night we had this delicious beef dinner. The beef was just OK. Nothing to brag about. But the dinner was good.
with
Mushrooms and Tarragon Sherry Cream Sauce
Steamed Asparagus
with
Hollandaise Sauce
Twice Baked Potato
Green Salad with Tomatoes
And then we also had,
Steamed Asparagus with Almonds
Green Salad with Radish Slivers
C’est Francois! At “The Buzz”
09 Wednesday Mar 2016
Posted in What's For Dinner?
Good French wines and dinner at the Buzz in Boise.
Such a good night last night at The Buzz in Boise! A short, but fun, visit to France. French wines. French foods. No Moulin Rouge dancers, though. “… Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. Today, the Moulin Rouge is a tourist attraction, offering musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world. The club’s decor still contains much of the romance of fin de siècle France.” [Wikipedia]
And Cristie’s Choice wine, a 2013 Heritages Cotes du Rhone, was among the high score wines for the night with a score of [18] out of [20]. It was that good! Here are some photos…
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Kibrom’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant
02 Wednesday Mar 2016
Kibrom’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant at 3506 W State St, Ste 100, Boise, Idaho. (208) 703-0564. Eritrea, “Eritrea (/ˌɛrᵻˈtreɪ.ə/ or /ˌɛrᵻˈtriːə/;, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the East Africa. With its capital at Asmara, it is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast.” [Wikipedia] We were pleasantly surprised by this totally different cuisine. “Ethiopian cuisine (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ምግብ?) characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes. This is usually in the form of wat (also w’et or wot), a thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat exclusively with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes. Utensils are optional…The Ethiopian Orthodox Church prescribes a number of fasting (tsom, Ge’ez: ጾም ṣōm) periods, including Wednesdays, Fridays, and the entire Lenten season, so Ethiopian cuisine contains many dishes that are vegan… typical dish consists of injera accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, lamb, vegetables and various types of legumes, such as lentils. Gurage cuisine also makes use of the false banana plant (enset, Ge’ez: እንሰት inset), a type of ensete. The plant is pulverized and fermented to make a bread-like food called qocho or kocho (Ge’ez: ቆጮ ḳōč̣ō), which is eaten with kitfo. The root of this plant may be powdered and prepared as a hot drink called bulla (Ge’ez: ቡላ būlā), which is often given to those who are tired or ill. Another typical Gurage preparation is coffee with butter (kebbeh). Kita herb bread is also baked. Pasta is frequently available throughout Ethiopia, including rural areas.[1] Coffee is also a large part of Ethiopian culture and cuisine. After every meal, a coffee ceremony is enacted and espresso coffee is served. Ajwain or radhuni, korarima, nigella and fenugreek (clockwise, from top) are used with chilies and salt to make berbere, a basic ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes.
Berbere, a combination of powdered chili pepper and other spices (somewhat analogous to Southwestern American chili powder), is an important ingredient used in many dishes. Also essential is niter kibbeh, a clarified butter infused with ginger, garlic, and several spices.
Mitmita (Amharic: ሚጥሚጣ?, IPA: [mitʼmitʼa]) is a powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It is orange-red in color and contains ground birdseye chili peppers (piri piri), cardamom seed, cloves and salt.[6] It occasionally has other spices including cinnamon, cumin and ginger…In their adherence to strict fasting, Ethiopian cooks have developed a rich array of cooking oil sources—besides sesame and safflower—for use as a substitute for animal fats which is forbidden during fasting periods. Ethiopian cuisine also uses nug (also spelled noog, also known as “niger seed”).
Alcohol – Tej is a potent honey wine. It is similar to mead, which is frequently served in bars (in particular, in a tej bet or “tej house”). Katikala and araqe are inexpensive local spirits that are very strong.
Tella is a home-brewed beer served in tella bet (“tella houses”) which specialize in serving tella only. Tella is the most common beverage made and served in households during holidays.” [Wikipedia]
We saw no alcoholic beverages listed on the house menu. I hope this attempt at demystifying the Ethiopian cuisine helps. It is good and the restaurant can be a fun place. I would suggest going with friends or a small group. Here are some photos of our meal. Enjoy!
Please note: The bread like addition to the next two plates is as common as Wonder Bread and is known as, “Injera (Amharic: ənǧära እንጀራ [ɨndʒəra]; sometimes transliterated as enjera; Oromo: bidenaa; Somali: canjeero) or taita (Tigrinya: ጣይታ) is a sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea. A similar variant is eaten in Somalia and Djibouti (where it is called canjeero or lahooh), as well as Yemen (where it is known as lahoh) and Sudan (where it is known as kisra).” [Wikipedia]
Meal Variations and Other Things
01 Tuesday Mar 2016
Posted in Apricots, Baking, Biscuits and Gravy, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Chutney, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Copper River Salmon, Crème fraîche, Cultural Differences, Curry, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Poached, Ethnic Foods, Food of India, Ham, Hard To Find Recipes, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Sauces, Housemade Soup, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Pork, Idaho's Bounty, Indian Food, Mirepoix, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Sauces, Salmon, Sausage, Seafood, Sofritto, Soup, Special Information, What's For Dinner?
Such a great weekend again working in the kitchen. Warm enough outside to keep the kitchen door open. We can still find fresh, as such, asparagus but watch the prices. I saw prices vary here in Boise from $2.99 a pound for medium sized spears – which I bought – to $8.99 a pound for the skinny little spears, which I did not buy. It’s either $8.99 a pound for skinny little asparagus spears or my meds for this month. I chose my meds. (This is week #6 past open heart surgery for me. Go Team!) So with that introduction, here are some photos, and recipes, for our culinary endeavors for this past weekend. Enjoy!
Such a good and rather easy soup to make. Here is the Recipe. Enjoy! It is really a good soup.
Homemade, absolutely superb biscuits! And bake them in a waffle iron for different effects. Just don’t cut them much thicker than about 1/2″. They will rise!
Here is the recipe for these Angel Biscuits. The original recipe came from Trisha Yearwood.
Cut those biscuits out. These are thicker – about 3/4″ – than the waffle biscuits.
Scrambled Eggs with Hollandaise Sauce
Oh yes! The easiest Hollandaise ever. 5 minutes to make and no double boiler. Here is the Recipe – It is also in the recipe file above. And do you need a basic white gravy recipe? Here is my variation – White Gravy. Just add crumbled sausage for Sausage Gravy or sauteed dried beef for Creamed Dried Beef. Or try it over steamed asparagus. There’s a hundred thousand uses for this gravy. Be inventive. And daring.
I don’t have any photos for these recipes, but the plates were delicious. We made a chicken and then prepared a Chicken Curry Salad with some of the left-overs. (The rest are used in chicken stock!) But for the dressing we used this recipe, and it is superb! Chicken Curry Salad Dressing The curry dressing calls for a chutney. We don’t have any in the house. Don’t fret! Here is our own recipe for the Apricot and Cranberry Chutney.
Chutneys, by nature are, “Chutney (Hindi/ Nepali – “चटनी” also transliterated chatney or chatni, Sindhi: چٽڻي) is a side dish in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent that can vary from a tomato relish to a ground peanut garnish or a yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip…Major Grey’s Chutney is a type of sweet and spicy chutney popular in the United Kingdom and the United States. The recipe was reportedly created by a 19th-century British Army officer of the same name (likely apocryphal) who presumably lived in Colonial India. Its characteristic ingredients are mango, raisins, vinegar, lime juice, onion, tamarind extract, sweetening and spices. Several companies produce a Major Grey’s Chutney, in India, the UK and the US…The word “chutney” is derived from the Hindi word chatṭnī, meaning to lick. It is written differently in North and South Indian languages (Nepali: चटनी, Gujarati: ચટણી, Bengali: চাটনি, Marathi: चटणी, Punjabi: ਚਟਣੀ, Tamil: சட்டினி chaṭṭiṉi, காரத் துவையல் karathuvaiyal, Kannada: ಚಟ್ನಿ, Hindi: चटनी, Urdu: چٹنی, Sindhi: چٽڻي, Malayalam: ചട്ടിണി, chattin̩i, ചമ്മന്തി, Telugu: పచ్చడి). Pacchadi, as written in Telugu script, refers specifically to pickled fruits, whilst chutney refers to minced foods, usually made out of coconuts.
In India, “chutney” refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately. Several Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only. A different word achār (Hindi: अचार) applies to pickles that often contain oil and are rarely sweet.” [Wikipedia]
Our chutney, is but one of many variations of chutney. Ours is not cooked. Think of chutney as jerk sauce or sofrito, “…Italian soffritto, the Spanish sofrito, from Portuguese-speaking nations refogado (braised onions, garlic and tomato), the German Suppengrün (leeks, carrots and celeriac), the Polish włoszczyzna (leeks, carrots, celery root and parsley root), the U.S. Cajun and Creole holy trinity (onions, celery and bell peppers), and the French duxelles (onions, shallots, and mushrooms, sauteed in butter). Or Cajun Trinity – they can all vary from kitchen to kitchen. Fun stuff!
Boise Foodie Guild 