Category Archives: Captain’s Shack

Air Fryer and Instant Pot Info

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Captain's Shack, Instant Pot Resources, Interesting Information, What's For Dinner?

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It’s snowing outside. Wet. 5″ Deep. Cold. It’s better to be inside working on this blog.
I have had several requests/questions on how to convert a recipe from the stove/oven/frying process to an Air Fryer or Instant Pot. Air Fryer info can be a little hard to find, but it is there if you look. I recently received a book by Ben Mims, Air Fry Every Day, 2018 Clarkson Potter, New York ISBN 978-0-525-57609-9. A really good book and one you should add to your Kitchen Library.
“I’m a food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer. I’ve formerly worked as the Test Kitchen Director at Lucky Peach magazine, Food Editor at Saveur magazine, a food editor at Food & Wine, and the pastry chef of Bar Agricole restaurant in San Francisco in 2013. I’ve authored three cookbooks: Air Fry Every Day: 75 Recipes to Fry, Roast, and Bake Using Your Air Fryer (Clarkson Potter, 2018), Coconut (Short Stacks Editions, 2017), and Sweet and Southern: Classic Desserts with a Twist (Rizzoli; 2014), in addition to recipe development for Tasty Ultimate: How To Cook Basically Anything (Clarkson Potter, 2018), Matcha: A Lifestyle Guide (Dovetail, 2017) and Munchies: Late-Night Meals from the World’s Best Chefs (Ten Speed Press, 2017). I’ve also written for the Wall Street Journal, GQ.com, Jarry, Lucky Peach, Epicurious.com, Rachael Ray Every Day, Real Simple, Southern Living, and Food52.com.” [Ben Mims Website].
OK. So how do I convert from stove top frying to the Air Fryer? Mr Mims suggests that in general, you should reduce the temperature by 25ºF and the cooking time by 25%. If you are using a packaged/frozen product, or a recipe that you have used for years and the directions say to cook at 425ºF for 25 minutes, cook in the Air Fryer at 400ºF for 18-20 minutes. “… Because the heat in the air fryer is more intense than a standard oven, reduce the suggested temperature by 25ºF to 50ºF and cut the time by roughly 20%. So, if a recipe calls for cooking in the oven at 425ºF for 60 minutes … instead you can air-fry the chicken at 400ºF for about 40 minutes.” [Meredith Laurence] Just remember to check your product at the lower cooking time to check for doneness. For instance, I cook bacon at 400ºF for 12 minutes. It comes out just the way we like it – crisp, but not burned – and it will burn! I always, especially when cooking bacon, line the drip pan with aluminium foil. Clean up is easy. Two other suggestions: (1) Do not over fill the basket. The product needs airflow, and (2) Some items need to be turned – chicken thighs for one. French Fries probably need only a shake. Experiment and have fun.

Now. The Instant Pot. This is really an All-Purpose appliance. Slow cook, pressure cook, sauté , make soup or yogurt. It’s amazing! Several things to remember [The PlateJoy Blog]-

  1. Always use some type of liquid. Water, sauces, etc. No wine until the final process. Like a slow cooker, recipes with a bit of liquid content will do best in the instant pot.
  2. Do not over fill! Instant pots hold a smaller amount than a typical stockpot or slow cooker, so you may need to adjust the proportions of ingredients when you’re adapting your recipe.
  3. Brown in the pot. Rather than using extra dishes, complete prep steps like browning meat or sautéing garlic and onions right in the instant pot on the sauté setting.
  4. Calculate cook time. As a general rule, meat recipes will require about a third of time a standard oven recipe takes. Pasta and grains will take about half the time.
  5. What to omit. Like slow cooking, diary should be added to your recipe at the end. A nice function of the instant pot is that you can remove the lid and continue to simmer without pressure once the pressure-cooking portion is done. This is a great time to add these more finicky ingredients and will round out the flavor of your dish beautifully…Wine and cooking alcohol may not break down as well as if they had hours to evaporate, so you might consider adding these in after browning meat or onions (but before adding the rest of your cooking liquid or ingredients), just to give the alcohol a bit of time to break down.

Just have fun with these appliances and experiment. Cheers!

Celebrating Valentines Week

16 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Baking, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Captain's Shack, Cookies, Crab, Dessert, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs Omelets, Food Photos, Food Prep, Greens, Herbs, Hollandaise Sauce, Homemade Sauce, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Sauces, Housemade Soup, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Potatoes, Lobster, Lunch For Robin, Omelet, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Potatoes, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Sauces, Salad, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Special Dinners, Vegetables, Watercress, What's For Dinner?, Wines - Idaho

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This week in mid February, 2019, was dedicated to the one I love. (There ought to be a song written to that phrase!) A week in the kitchen. Planning. Finding. Testing and tasting. Preparing. Serving. It was an exciting week and very fulfilling. I know she liked the meals – they are all gone! That’s always a good sign. Here are some of the dishes we had. And to answer the question – someone did ask – yes I did make all of this. There are recipe links where available. Enjoy! (Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.)

Eggs Benedict are always liked. Especially on a Sunday morning.

Crab Louie salad is awesome.

Or maybe a Crab Omelet one weekday morning.

Scallop and Watercress Salad makes a great dinner.

The absolute best meal, and the one that took the most time, patience and tasting, was this one. The sides that Robin wanted are checked in red. The salad and the entree are fixed.

Valentines Day Dinner Menu
We had a 2014 Indian Creek Winery (ID) Chardonnay with this dinner

Caprese Salad

Stuffed Lobster with Crab
Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Reduction
Parsley Potatoes
Two sauces were made for the entree – Lemon Butter Sauce for the lobster, and Brandy Mayonnaise Sauce for the crab.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Peanut Butter Cookies

After all of these delicious seafood meals and all, we had to make something, well ………. more subtle. Like some Robin’s Vegetable Soup. But this is not your standard peas, corn, tomato, etc soup. Try some leek, celery, turmeric, etc soup. It is delicious!!

Robin’s Vegetable Soup

So there it is – Our Valentines Day (Week) in the kitchen. Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the kitchen! Cheers and enjoy the recipes.

Boise Foodie Blog Update

29 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in AirFryer, AirFryer Recipes, Boise Food Adventures, Captain's Shack, Galaxy Note 9 Photos, Hard To Find Recipes, Instant Pot, Instant Pot Recipes, Interesting Information, What's For Dinner?

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As Yul Brenner said, “As it has been written, so let it be done.” I asked if the readers of the Boise Foodie Blog would like to have the Air Fryer and Instant Pot recipes put on separate pages from the main recipe file. With over 100 responses, the answer was Yes. So, I have done just that. The main recipe file is located at Boise Foodie Blog Recipes. The AirFryer recipes are located at Boise Foodie Blog AirFryer Recipes and the Instant Pot recipes are located at Boise Foodie Blog Instant Pot Recipes.
I hope that this helps you to find some specialized recipes easier. And as a note, we have tried all of these recipes in their original form and only then have we modified the recipe to match our tastes.

AirFryer Information

07 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by in AirFryer, AirFryer Recipes, Captain's Shack, Interesting Information, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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Actually, there is a lot of information “out there” about AirFryers. And, there are many different brands and models. Do your research and I do think you will be happy with your choice. But first, let me say this about that. (That sounds familiar!)

This handy appliance claims to mimic the results of deep-frying with nothing more than hot air and a tiny amount of oil. And it does in much less time and heat in the kitchen. The AirFryer is essentially and “beefed up” countertop convection oven. Its compact space facilitates even faster cooking. Rapid heated air circulation makes the food crisp, much like deep-frying. Cleanup is super easy too, and most units have a dishwasher safe basket. The units do a fantastic job cooking up anything that is meant to taste deep-fried when it comes from a conventional oven. So think frozen fries, breaded chicken or fish, and frozen onion rings. Liquid batters do not work well in the AirFryer. You also can’t make anything in large quantities, so if you’re feeding a family, be prepared to cook in batches.

How do they work? AirFryers use circulating hot air to cook food that would otherwise be submerged in oil. The AirFryer’s cooking chamber radiates heat from a heating element near the food, thus cooking it more efficiently. A fan is generally used to circulate hot air around the food. The opening at the top is used to take air in and there is an exhaust at the back that controls the temperature by releasing any undesired hot air. It is also used to counter any increases in internal pressure. The temperatures inside can go to 400°F depending on the model. For safety, it is essential to not put oil inside the air fryer or have flammable objects near the air fryer. Lightly spraying the food product with a light coating of oil is OK. Just don’t submerge the product in oil! In general, cooking times in the air fryer are reduced by 20-30% in comparison with traditional ovens. This varies per brand and the quantity of the food cooked in the air fryer. Recipes are generally available on the internet, or you can look at our recipe file as listed above, or Click Here. Here are some of the meals we have made. (Left-Click to see them enlarged)

Fish Tacos

Coconut Shrimp

Salmon

AF Pork Chops with sautéed Cabbage

Blow is a good cooking time reference and you can print it out and post near your AirFryer. Please note: Most proteins probably will have to be turned half-way through the cooking cycle and Don’t Crowd the basket. Bake in batches if necessary. Also, you might have some family or cultural recipes that use the metric system. If you need a conversion reference, use the one posted below and print it out if need be.

AirFryer cooking times.

Temperature and Weight Conversions

What is Tellicherry Pepper? Aleppo Pepper?

20 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Aleppo pepper, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Pepper, Persian Food, Tellicherry Pepper, What's For Dinner?

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Basically it is Tellicherry (origin: India) Tellicherry peppercorns are like San Marzano tomatoes: they need to come from Tellicherry, a city on the Malabar coast of Kerala in India. They’re considered some of the finest peppercorns in the world, and one of the few “names” in pepper that people are familiar with.
Tellicherry Peppercorns and “regular black pepper” both come from the exact same vine. (And for that matter, so do green and white peppercorns, but that’s another subject for another blog post.) All are the species called Piper Nigrum.
At the end of the growing season, in February and March, the pepper fruit is picked from the vine. The pepper is dried over a series of days and eventually shrivels and turns into what we know as black peppercorns. All of the peppercorns are then shipped to “garbling” facilities. These are places that sort the peppercorns by size and then bag them. The sortation machines have several different large flat metal screens with thousands of identical holes in them. The machines shake the peppercorns so that the smaller peppercorns begin falling through the screens. The smallest peppercorns fall to the very bottom screen. Once sorted, the various peppercorn sizes are called different things and sold for different prices.
So a Tellicherry peppercorn is actually determined by size. When a black peppercorn is 4.25 mm pinhead or larger, it’s “Tellicherry.” That’s all there is to it. Because Tellicherry are so much bigger than the other peppercorns, they make up a much smaller percentage of the crop. Oftentimes they represent 10% or less of any given harvest. There’s less of them, so command a higher price at market … Our Tellicherry has strong lime, lemon and orange notes. When you grind our Tellicherry, the citrus aroma is immediate and beautiful [ Tellicherry Pepper]

Tellicherry Pepper

To Robin and I, it is some of the best black pepper available, especially if you grind it as you need it.

Aleppo Pepper

The other pepper I use is Aleppo Pepper, which comes from The Aleppo pepper (Arabic: فلفل حلبي‎ / ALA-LC: fulful Ḥalabī) is a variety of Capsicum annuum used as a spice, particularly in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also known as the Halaby pepper, it starts as pods, which ripen to a burgundy color, and then are semi-dried, de-seeded, then crushed or coarsely ground. The pepper flakes are known in Turkey as pul biber, and in Armenia as Haleb biber. The pepper is named after Aleppo, a long-inhabited city along the Silk Road in northern Syria, and is grown in Syria and Turkey. It is fairly mild, with its heat building slowly, with a fruity raisin-like flavor. It has also been described as having the flavor of “sweetness, roundness and perfume of the best kind of sundried tomatoes, but with a substantial kick behind it.” The most common use is in the form of crushed flakes, which are typically slightly milder and more oily than conventional crushed red pepper, with a hint of saltiness and a slightly raisin-like flavor. Unlike crushed red pepper, the flakes contain no inner flesh and seeds, contributing to the mildness. Crushed Aleppo pepper can be used as a substitute for crushed red pepper or paprika. The spice is a common ingredient in some of the dishes that comprise a meze. [Meze is a collection of finger foods. A meze is a big part of the dining experience in Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Arab countries. The word “meze” means “taste” and/or “snack.” The concept is very similar to the tapas of Spain, but with different ingredients.] Aleppo pepper has a moderate heat level with a mild, cumin-like undertone, a bit of fruitiness, and a hint of a salt and vinegar. [Wikipedia]
Try these two types of pepper. Hopefully, you will be pleasantly surprised. Cheers!

What is this thing called …. Borscht?

19 Friday Oct 2018

Posted by in 5-Stars, Boise Food Adventures, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Ethnic Foods, Food - Slavic, Food Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Russian, What's For Dinner?

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I’m not sure that Cole Porter or Ella Fitzgerald would approve of the title, but I think it is appropriate. Keep reading.

“Borscht (English: /ˈbɔːrʃ, ˈbɔːrʃt/ ) is a sour soup commonly consumed in Eastern Europe. The variety most often associated with the name in English is of Ukrainian origin, and includes beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which gives the dish its distinctive red color. It shares the name, however, with a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht and cabbage borscht … Borscht derives from an ancient soup originally cooked from pickled stems, leaves and umbels of common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), a herbaceous plant growing in damp meadows, which lent the dish its Slavic name. With time, it evolved into a diverse array of tart soups, among which the beet-based red borscht has become the most popular. It is typically made by combining meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables, which – as well as beetroots – usually include cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and tomatoes. Depending on the recipe, borscht may include meat or fish, or be purely vegetarian; it may be served either hot or cold; and it may range from a hearty one-pot meal to a clear broth or a smooth drink.” [Wikipedia] And “those other sour soups” that are cousins to borscht may come from day Lithuania and Belarus, the Ashkenaz Jews, Romanian and Moldovan cuisines, Poland, Armenia and even Chinese cuisine, a soup known as luó sòng tāng, or “Russian soup”, is based on red cabbage and tomatoes, and lacks beetroots altogether; also known as “Chinese borscht”. Wow! There are many varieties of borscht.

But there is only one original or authentic borscht. Borscht derives from a soup originally made by the Slavs from common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium, also known as cow parsnip), which lent the dish its Slavic name. Growing commonly in damp meadows throughout the north temperate zone, hogweed was used not only as fodder (as its English names suggest), but also for human consumption – from Eastern Europe to Siberia, to northwestern North America.
And what is generally served with borscht? “Pirozhki, or baked dumplings with fillings as for uszka, are another common side for both thick and clear variants of borscht. Polish clear borscht may be also served with a croquette or paszteciki. A typical Polish croquette (krokiet) is made by wrapping a crêpe (thin pancake) around a filling and coating it in breadcrumbs before refrying; paszteciki (literally, ‘little pâtés’) are variously shaped filled hand-held pastries of yeast-raised or flaky dough. An even more exquisite way to serve borscht is with a coulibiac, or a large loaf-shaped pie. Possible fillings for croquettes, paszteciki and coulibiacs include mushrooms, sauerkraut and minced meat.” [The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, Anastas Mikoyan]

So. What is borscht usually made of? What are the components? Ingredients? Borscht is seldom eaten by itself. Buckwheat groats or boiled potatoes, often topped with pork cracklings, are other simple possibilities, but a range of more involved sides exists as well.
In Ukraine, borscht is often accompanied with pampushky, or savory, puffy yeast-raised rolls glazed with oil and crushed garlic. In Russian cuisine, borscht may be served with any of assorted side dishes based on tvorog, or the East European variant of farmer cheese, such as vatrushki, syrniki or krupeniki. Vatrushki are baked round cheese-filled tarts; syrniki are small pancakes wherein the cheese is mixed into the batter; and a krupenikis a casserole of buckwheat groats baked with cheese.

But please note, your borscht may be different from your neighbors. There are cultural differences in the borscht. Ingredients may include,beet juice, beet root, veal, ham, crayfish, beef, pork, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, cucumbers, radishes, green onion, hard-boiled egg halves, dill weed, leafy vegetables, sorrel, spinach, chard, nettle, dandelion, cabbage, tomatoes, corn, squash, to name a few.

Our Borscht

So whatever inspired me to write this post? Well, we made a borscht and I posted a photo of it (the one pictured here actually) and I got comments. One of them in particular, from a Ukrainian lady, and she said,”That’s not real Russian Borsch (smiley face). It’s beet soup (smiley face). My mom makes the best, she is a Gourmet Chef for over 50yrs, and specializes in Jewish Cuisine.” [Mara Rizzio] I spoke to Mara – she makes awesome pirogies – and it was a good discussion. Thank-You Mara for “setting” me straight. Thus, this blog post. Cheers. And here is a recipe for Borscht that I found in the internet, from NPR, that includes various ingredients. Have fun! Borscht Recipe.

Having Fun With Popovers

24 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by in Appetizers, Baking, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Food Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, What's For Dinner?

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Oh yes! Delicious popovers. Fill with tuna salad, ham, jam or whipped cream. These buttery, soft “rolls”, of sorts, will suit any party. Or dinner table. Or breakfast. They are so versatile. Easy to make and you don’t really need any special tools or pans. Even though there are special pans for popovers. Or, use a metal muffin pan. Big one or little one.
But where did these come? Who “invented” them? Some sources say they are related to Scottish Short Bread. But more than likely, they come from England and are a derivative of Yorkshire Pudding. “The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings made in England since the 17th century.
The oldest known reference to popovers is in a letter of E. E. Stuart’s in 1850. The first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was M. N. Henderson, Practical Cooking, 1876. The first book other than a cookbook to mention popovers was Jesuit’s Ring by A. A. Hayes published in 1892.
In American Food (1974), author Evan Jones writes: “Settlers from Maine who founded Portland, Oregon, Americanized the pudding from Yorkshire by cooking the batter in custard cups lubricated with drippings from the roasting beef (or sometimes pork); another modification was the use of garlic, and, frequently, herbs. The result is called Portland popover pudding: individual balloons of crusty meat-flavored pastry.
Other American popover variations include replacing some of the flour with pumpkin puree and adding spices such as allspice or nutmeg. Most American popovers today, however, are not flavored with meat or herbs. Instead, they have a buttery taste.
Ogden Nash inverts the historical order of events.
Let’s call Yorkshire pudding
A fortunate blunder:
It’s a sort of popover
That turned and popped under.” [Wikipedia]

And from the sensitiveeconomist. com site, “Popovers are an American recipe that are thought to have descended from English batter puddings and Yorkshire puddings, although the origin is a bit uncertain. Puddings in medieval times were not like today’s custard-like desserts, but rather were meat-based.” In other words, I’m still not completely sure where popovers came from. Although, they appear to be strictly an American treat.

So now we know a little about the popover. But now the question is:Do I need a special pan? “Popovers are airy rolls that are just as much fun to bake as they are to eat. It is a balloon-like roll with a crisp, buttery exterior and a tender, eggy interior. Many people don’t make them at home because the perception is that you need a specialty pan to bake them. Fortunately, this isn’t true.” [craftsy.com] A good, sturdy muffin pan will work just as well.
Here is a recipe that we like and it works very well.

Popovers with Scrambled Eggs and Fresh Fruit

Popovers
Total: 50 min Prep: 10 min Cook: 40 min Yield: 8 popovers
Bob and Robin Young, Boise, ID
Ingredients:
3 T melted butter, divided
2 lg Eggs
1 c whole Milk, warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave (should be lukewarm to warm)
1 c All-Purpose Flour
1 t Celtic Sea Salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400º F.
Using a pastry brush, coat 8 muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and put the tin in the oven for 5 minutes. (This is extremely important to do!)
Meanwhile, mix the eggs in a blender until light yellow. Add the warmed milk and blend. Add the flour, salt and remaining melted butter, and blend until smooth.
Pour the batter into the warmed muffin tin ⅔ full (each popover will expand) and return it to the oven to bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Another variation – Popovers with Ham and Cheese Omelet and Fresh Fruit

(David Libowitz)

From David Libowitz “Sugar-Crusted Popovers

Makes 9
Adapted from my recipe in The New York Times and Maida Heatter’s Great Book of Desserts.I thought these wouldn’t stay crisp for very long after they were baked and coated with the sugar. But the next morning, I was surprised when I pulled off a hunk and they’re weren’t bad. But they are the best the day they’re made; leftovers can be stored in a container and snacked on the next day. You could freeze them in zip-top bags as well.I don’t have popover tins, but found these work quite well in standard-sized muffin tins. For this recipe, feel free to use salted or unsalted butter, depending on your preference.
For the puffs:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup (140g) flour
For the sugar-coating:
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (60g) melted butter
Softened butter, for greasing the pan
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Liberally grease a nonstick popover pan, or a muffin pan with 1/2-cup indentations,with softened butter.
2. For the puffs, put the 2 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and sugar in a blender and blend for a few seconds.
3. Add the flour and whiz for about 10 seconds, just until smooth.
4. Divide the batter among the 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3rds full.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the puffs are deep brown.
6. Remove from the oven, wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the popovers from the pans and set them on a cooling rack. If they’re stubborn, you may need a small knife or spatula to help pry them out.
7. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each popover all over with the 1/4 cup (60 g) of melted butter, then dredge each puff generously in the sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat them completely. Let cool on the wire rack.”

North African Berbere Spice

19 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by in Captain's Shack, Chicken, Classic Spice Blends, Comfort Food, Condiments, Ethnic Foods, Food - Ethiopian, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Mediterranean Foods, Recipes, What's For Dinner?

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Now is the time to add some spice to your life. At least the spices of North Africa – Ethiopia to be exact.

From Demand Africa, “In Amharic, the state language of Ethiopia, ‘barbare’ means pepper or hot. Not surprisingly, berbere spice, the flavor backbone of Ethiopian cooking, gives traditional Ethiopian dishes that fiery kick. Berbere’s constituent spice is paprika (itself a ground spice made from Capsicum peppers), but the final blend could be made from up to 20 spices.
Ethiopian cooks of old were not short of kitchen experiments, and over time have added garlic, ginger, fenugreek seeds, African basil, black and white cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, coriander seed, thyme, rosemary, turmeric and ajwain (carom seeds commonly used in Indian cooking) to the mix. This allows berbere to impart a richer, aromatic and more layered flavor to any dish it’s added to, whether Ethiopian or not…Amharic language scholars speculate that the name ‘barbare’ came from ‘papare,’ the Ge’ez word for pepper (Ge’ez was the language of ancient Ethiopia). While that is likely lost in the mists of time, the more probable theory is that berbere came at a point in Ethiopia’s history when the independent Axumite kingdom controlled the Red Sea route to the Silk Road. The Axumites knew the secrets of the monsoon winds, and harnessed it to send their ships toward India in summer, and back again to Africa in winter…Berbere is the cornerstone spice blend of Ethiopia; without it, ‘doro wot’ or chicken stew (Ethiopia’s national dish) would not have that distinctive brick-red appearance and rustic, savory intensity.
Doro wot is cooked during traditional festivities and is typically served with injera, fermented sourdough flatbread with a slightly spongy texture that serves as the plate and scooping utensil for the stew. Doro wot is ladled generously on top of it and served alongside vegetables and other dips. (To eat injera, Ethiopians pinch off a piece of it and use the same to scoop out a small portion of the stew.)”

You can buy the spice blend in your grocery store – our Albertsons carries it – but it is more fun to make your own. All of these spices should be locally available.
Berbere Spice Mix
Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 5 min
Ingredients:
1/2 c Chili Powder
1/4 c Paprika
1/2 t ground Ginger
1/2 t ground Cardamon
1/2 t ground Turmeric
1/2 t ground Coriander
1/2 t ground Fenugreek
1/4 t ground Cinnamon
1/4 t grated fresh Nutmeg
1/4 t ground Allspice
11/8 t ground Cloves
1/8 t fresh ground Black Pepper
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight jar.

Ethiopian cuisine (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ምግብ) characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes. This is usually in the form of wot, a thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 20 inches in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour.

A recipe from African Bites for
Doro Wat
Ethiopian Chicken Stew -slowly simmered in a blend of robust spices. Easy thick, comforting, delicious, and so easy to make!
Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 6
Calories: 470 Author: Immaculate Bites
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Spiced butter Sub with Cooking oil or more
2-3 medium onions sliced
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoons Berbere Spice (See above)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
½ Tablespoon minced ginger
3- 3½- pound whole chicken cut in pieces or chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
½ Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon dried basil optional
4-6 Large soft-boiled egg shelled removed
1-2 Lemons Freshly Squeezed (adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Season chicken with, salt, pepper and set aside
In a large pot, over medium heat, heat until hot, and then add spiced butter and onions, sauté onions, stirring frequently, until they are deep brown about 7 -10 minutes. After the onions are caramelized or reached a deep brown color, add some more oil, followed by berbere spice, garlic, and ginger.
Stir for about 2-3 minutes, for the flavors to blossom and the mixture has a deep rich brown color. Be careful not to let it burn.
Then add about 2-3 cups water .Add chicken, tomato paste, paprika, basil, salt and cook for about 30 minutes.
Throw in the eggs and lemon juice; thoroughly mix to ensure that the eggs are immersed in the sauce.
Continue cooking until chicken is tender about 10 minutes or more Adjust sauce thickness and seasoning with water or broth, lemon,salt according to preference.
Serve warm

Great Shellfish Boil

09 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by in 5-Stars, Braising, Brunch with Robin, BSU, Captain's Shack, Clams, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Corn, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Food Prep, Gameday, Garlic, Herbs and Spices, Idaho Potatoes, Kitchen Adventures, Lobster, Made From Scratch, Main Dish, Mussels, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Potatoes, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Pasta, Recipes - Seafood, Scallops, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Shell Fish, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?

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Since Boise State was playing the University of Connecticut, (BSU 62, UConn 7) we thought it would be fitting to have a shell-fish boil. Just did not have any sea water to boil the packs in nor any sea weed. Nonetheless, it was good. No! It was fantastic!
Per package, we used 1 lobster tail, 9 clams, 6 mussels, 1/2 ear corn and 8 small potatoes that we left whole. That was plenty per person. Wrapped the articles in cheese cloth, tied it into a package and placed it in sea salted boiling water for 20 minutes. Made some brown butter for dipping and some good wine and had a feast. Here are some photos. Left Click them to see enlarged. Enjoy!

Making the cheese cloth packages.

After cooking and plated.

Earlier this week, we had an awesome Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta. Here it is. Easy to do – Sear the sea scallops (the large ones), 4 per person, in butter with a little minced garlic. In the meantime, make about 1/4 pound angel hair pasta until adente. Add frozen peas and cook until peas are soft, if using frozen ones. Add to the seared scallops and mix well. Plate and top with chopped Italian parsley. Eat slowly and enjoy!

Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta

And then tonight, we had an awesome Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon. Simply delicious and quick and simple.

Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon

Winter Is Coming – Time For Jagerschnitzel

20 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by in 5-Stars, Bacon, Captain's Shack, Classic Sauces, Cooking Styles, Dinner For Robin, German Food, German Recipes, Homemade Sauce, Idaho Bacon, Idaho Beef, Idaho Chicken, Idaho Pork, Local Markets, Mushrooms, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Bavarian, Recipes - German, Recipes - Sauces, Traditional Foods, What's For Dinner?, Wines - German

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That ‘s great and I do love a good Jagerschnitzel. But, what is Jagerschnitzel?

Jägerschnitzel means “hunter’s cutlets” in German, and the dish was originally made with venison or wild boar backstrap, pounded thin. … Jägerschnitzel at its core is a thin cutlet of meat served with a mushroom gravy. [Honest Food]

A schnitzel is meat, usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer, that is fried in some kind of oil or fat. … Originating in Austria, the breaded schnitzel is popular in many countries and made using either veal, mutton, chicken, beef, turkey, reindeer, or pork. [Wikipedia]

You get the idea. Personally, I like the pork or, when you can afford and find it, veal. Here is one recipe.

Jägerschnitzel with Mushroom Sauce
(Hunter’s Schnitzel)

Source: adapted from Oma’s Kaffeeklatsch
Bob and Robin Young, Boise, ID
Ingredients:
4 Veal Cutlets, pounded lightly (use pork for Schweineschnitzel)
1 T fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
½ t Celtic Sea Salt
about ½ c Flour
3 T Water
1 Egg
about 1 cup Bread, or panko, Crumbs
3 T unsalted Butter
3 T Vegetable Oil
1 Lemon, sliced

Instructions:
Trim fat from meat and clip edges to stop edges from curling during cooking.
Sprinkle cutlets with lemon juice and salt.
Place 3 shallow bowl on counter. In first one, put flour. In second one, mix egg and water. In third one, put breadcrumbs. Coat schnitzel, first with flour, then egg, and then breadcrumbs. Heat butter and oil over medium heat in skillet. Fry cutlets until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices.

Jägerschnitzel Sauce

Ingredients:
1 T unsalted Butter
3 slices Bacon, diced
1 Onion, diced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 t Tomato Paste
1 c Water
1½ c White Wine
2 T Paprika
fresh Thyme, Celtic Sea Salt, fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper, to taste
2 T Parsley, chopped
¼ c Sour Cream

Instructions:
In a skillet, brown bacon and onion in butter. Add mushrooms and fry until tender.
Add tomato paste, water, and white wine. Add paprika. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Add parsley and sour cream. Stir. Serve over Schnitzel

Here is another recipe. Enjoy!

German Schnitzel with Mushroom Cream Sauce
(Rahmschnitzel)

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins
Author: Goodie Godmother, adapted from Cooking With Christine Serves: 4-6
Bob and Robin Young, Boise, ID

Ingredients – For the Pork Schnitzel:
1.5-2 lbs Pork Cutlets, or Pork Loin pounded thin
3 T Lemon Juice, approximately the yield from 1 fresh lemon
⅓ c All-Purpose Flour
1 t Celtic Sea Salt
½ t fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
1 t ground Paprika
Ingredients – For the Mushroom Cream Sauce:
½ c unsalted Butter, 1 stick
⅓ cup dry Sherry Wine or a dry White Wine
16 oz sliced Crimini Mushrooms
2 T chopped fresh Chives, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 T All-Purpose Flour
¼ t fresh ground Nutmeg
¾ c Heavy Cream
Celtic Sea Salt and fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper to taste

Directions:
Place the sliced pork between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound thin with a heavy rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet.
Place the pork cutlets in a shallow dish with the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes, flipping the pork once. When you are ready to prepare the schnitzel, remove the cutlets from the lemon juice and pat dry on paper towels.
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a shallow bowl and coat each cutlet with flour, shaking off excess.
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat while you preheat the oven to the lowest temperature setting. Turn off the oven when it reaches temperature, you just want a warm place to store the schnitzel while you prepare the sauce.
Working in batches, cook the flour coated pork cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly browned. Melt another tbsp or so of butter about halfway through the cooking process if the cutlets start to stick too much. Place the finished cutlets on a paper towel lined plate and store in the warmed oven.
Turn the heat up to medium high and pour the cooking wine into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape any flour bits that may have stuck to the pan.
Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the mushrooms, garlic, chives, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and slightly golden in parts.
Stir in the flour, cook for an additional 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Stirring constantly so that the sauce stays smooth, pour in the heavy cream, stirring until a smooth sauce forms. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust any seasonings if necessary.
Remove the pork schnitzel from the oven, plate, and pour the sauce over top of the schnitzel, adding additional fresh chives for garnish if desired. Serve immediately.