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I had the great pleasure to attend a Lox Class this past week. I’ve made lox before, but this was a great class to attend to learn maybe a better technique led by Brad Wolf. It is not difficult. 1-3 pounds of fresh salmon, 1/4 cup kosher salt per pound, 1/4 cup sugar per pound, 2 aluminium pans and saran wrap. You can also use some fresh herbs for this, too. We like fresh tarragon but others like black pepper and dill. Use what you like. Combine salt and sugar and add about 1/2 of it in one pan, add the salmon, skin side down, add the herbs if you are using them and coat the salmon with the remaining salt and sugar mix. Cover tightly with saran wrap and place the second aluminium on top. Weight down with something. I use a 5 quart cast-iron Dutch oven, but you can use anything. Place in the refrigerator for 48 hours. After 48 hours, rinse the salt, sugar and herbs off. Pat dry. Slice on the diagonal thinly using a very sharp Chef’s knife and enjoy! Here is the way mine turned out. Enjoy! (Click on an image to see enlarged)
Correction – The salt and sugar ingredients should be 1/4 cup per pound of salmon. Sorry for the error.
Sliced a piece off. Delicious!
Class Bagel and Lox with a good red wine. This one was a Porteugese wine.
Bagel and Lox for lunch.
Cranberry Sourdough and Lox. Different., but good.
So there you are. Easy to do, fun and a great party treat, for those who like Lox Enjoy.
I know. Its been a while. But it has been a learning session. Making sourdough starter, bread and pancakes. But it has been an exciting adventure and a real learning experience. Started out with a basic
The starter, in my opinion, must be active, bubbly and smell somewhat “sour”. It is the starter is what gives the bread it’s name – Sourdough Bread or Pancakes, Cookies, Bagels or a host of other baked goods their name. The starter pictured here is my starter and you can see how it has doubled in size and is nice and bubbly. Thee rubber band around the jar marks the level at the start and then one can “see” how the starter has grown, or not. The starter is not especially difficult to do, but it does take some time and persistence to create. Check the recipe above to see how it is done, but don’t be intimidated by it.
This is the bread right after it came out of the oven. The recipe link above has two different baking techniques listed. Personally I like the 500 degree F temperature best, but either one will work fine. See the recipe above. The crust could be a little browner, but not much more.
Here is the loaf after it has cooled and is partially sliced. Notice the crumb – the “holes” – in the surface and the color of the crust. Love the flavor from the starter. The interior is soft, but not gummy.. The crust is crunchy, but you won’t break any teeth on it. It is somewhat crunchy. However, it could be a little more crunchy.
And finally, we have one, of many uses, for the starter discard. Sourdough Pancakes. But you can also make cookies, bagels, rolls, etc. There are many recipes on the web, but the one I like is PantryMama, http://www.pantrymama.com. Many recipes there, but more importantly, much useful information and help in solving sourdough problems. You can also find help on Facebook.
So there you go! It was a long 5 weeks or so to gather, read and then produce this bread. It was a long process, but well worth it. And then too, I had a lot of personal help from friends and relatives. I want to Thank each and everyone who gave me assistance. Have fun with these recipes. It might be a new adventure, but a fun one. just remember – Temperatures are extremely important, so follow them closely. And please don’t use cups or ounces. Rather use an inexpensive digital scale that reads in tare and grams. They range from about $20 to well mover $100. The brand I use is Escali, for about $30 and it works just fine. And please too, use a 10 quart Cast Iron pan with lid.
We came across this awesome asparagus and since we have a contact to pick some – 75 pounds worth – and after some were canned, we made this awesome soup. Changed it slightly, I added some bacon for another layer of flavor and it was super. Not hard to do. Great with the fresh asparagus you are picking. Here is the recipe. Try it and see what you think, http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Asparagus-Soup.pdf
Bobotie – A South African dish
Then we tried this South African dish, Bobotie. We like it with lamb, even though the recipe calls for beef. And we change the chutney to apricot jam and julienned dried apricots. We also made our yellow rice with turmeric. The rice: For this Basmati rice, which we browned in butter before we added water, and then brought it to a boil, reduced the heat to a slow simmer and covered it. Took about 15 minutes to cook it. Here is the recipe. Enjoy! http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Bobotie.pdf
From Wikipedia, “Today, bobotie is much more likely to be made with beef of lamb, although pork can be used. Early recipes incorporated ginger, marjoram and lemon rind (zest); the introduction of curry powder has simplified the recipe but the basic concept remains the same. Some recipes also call for chopped onions and almonds to be added to the mixture. Traditionally, bobotie incorporates dried fruit like raisins or sultanas (yellow raisins). It is often garnished with bay leaves, walnuts, chutney and bananas. Although not particularly spicy, the dish incorporates a variety of flavours that can add complexity. For example, the dried fruit (usually apricots and raisins/sultanas) contrasts the curry flavouring. The texture of the dish is also complex, the baked egg mixture topping complementing the milk-soaked bread which adds moisture to the dish. Bobotie is usually served with “yellow rice”, which is rice cooked with turmeric.“
Oh my! Such a good dinner. Loved this lamb. The Citrus and Celery Salad, which is posted in the Boise Foodie Blog Recipe File – along with many more recipes, was a delightful addition and paring to the Lamb with Peppers Ragu. Take a look at this delicious meal. The dinner is not difficult to prepare. Just use good lamb. We got this kabob lamb from Meadowlark Farms in Nampa, ID. (Our normal supply of lamb from Felzien Farms is limited to chops and ground this year.) This lamb is great with a Merlot or Malbec. Great to have Marnie with us for dinner.
Here is a wonderful – and very easy to do – Orange Upside Down Skillet Cake that we adapted from Rachael Ray. (Recipe in PDF) Really a super, good variation on the traditional Pineapple Upside Down Cake. We topped the cake with a Tiramisu Mascarpone instead of the whipped cream. Change the orange to lemon and use Limoncello instead of Grand Marnier and you might have another variation. The variations are limitless. Then also check out the Egg Thread Soup with Aspagagus found after the cake – Eat dessert first, Life is too short! Left-Click the photos to see them enlarged.
Caramelizing the orange slices. I use a mandolin to get the thin slices.
Cake batter is poured on top of the carmelized oranges.
The cake is cooked and is now cooling before removing it from the skillet. Nice brown edges.
Put a platter over the skillet, turn it upside down and the cake should come out easily. If not, tap it lightly to encourage it.
Cross-section of the cooled cake.
Orange Upside Down Skillet Cake
Tiramisu Mascarpone Topping
And here is the awesome Egg Thread Soup with Asparagus:
These two items are so much fun to make. Somewhat quick. Somewhat involved. Always good. Give them a try. Enjoy!
Breakfast Potato Cups
Line a muffin tin with thinly sliced potato slices. Bake off for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F until potatoes are slightly crisp. Fill with a mixture of beaten egg, cheese, green onion, rendered bacon pieces, some salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F until eggs are set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes. I used the convection for baking these. Top with Slasa or Pico de Gallo.
Breakfast Potato Cups Plated. They should come right out of the muffin tins as a unit. Serve with fresh fruit.
Heirloom Carrots
Fresh Corn
Pork Medalions with Port Wine and Herb Reduction
Port reduction – Using the cast iron skillet that the pork was done in, add 1 T Olive Oil, 2 c Port Wine, 1 T fresh Sage chopped, 2 t fresh Thyme and 2 T Heavy Cream. Stir to release the bits of pork that remain in the pan and the wine is reduced to 1 cup and starts to thicken slightly. Place 1 T of the reduction under the pork and 1 T on top of the pork.
Just a super fun and good weekend celebrating Mother’s Day with Robin. Exciting coming up with meals that were different and surprisingly good. Fun to make. Easy to make, although some were rather involved. Great to have Marnie over for Sunday dinner. Even Ray, her Golden Lab, had a good time with Buddy.
Some of the photos that follow of the dishes I prepared, have the recipe hotlinked in the article. Please feel free to use the recipe if you would like. The Coq au Vin – Chicken in Wine – is not difficult to do, but it does take some time. The Popovers are quick and easy. The Crab Cakes are different. We had these for both dinner a breakfast! the remoulade is a pretty basic sauce and can vary widely. “… Rémoulade (English pronunciation: /reɪməˈlɑːd/; French: [ʁemulad]) is a condiment invented in France that is usually aioli- or mayonnaise-based. Although similar to tartar sauce, it is often more yellowish (or reddish in Louisiana), sometimes flavored with curry, and sometimes contains chopped pickles or piccalilli. It can also contain horseradish, paprika, anchovies, capers and a host of other items. While its original purpose was possibly for serving with meats, it is now more often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes, especially pan-fried breaded fish fillets (primarily sole and plaice) and seafood cakes (such as crab or salmon cakes).” Ours is mayo, chilli sauce, ketchup and green tomato relish. And a touch of horseradish.
Crab Cakes on Biscuits with Strawberry Fan and Remoulade
Here is the recipe for the Old Bay Crab Cakes. They are differently good.
Strawberry Pie
After the Crab Cakes, we just had to have this Strawberry Pie Recipe. I’m not a baker, but this is wonderful!
Crab Cakes and Eggs
This was an awesome breakfast! Nothing better than seafood for breakfast.
Popovers
Fresh from the oven. Great with butter and jam, too!
Actually, a weekend full of some really fun food. And some I had never made – Crayfish Pie. Made them in individual servings using a cupcake pan. Worked well. And they were good! The Crayfish Pie is a traditional New Orleans dish.Here is my recipe for Crayfish Pie. Enjoy!
And really, I never expected the Denver Broncos to pull this one off. But happy they did. 24 – 10 over the Carolina Panthers. But Carolina is to be congratulated on a superb season – 17-2! Wow!
But now, for the food. We had a great time preparing and securing all of this. Took probably two days and that is where the fun is – prepping. A lot of food for two of us – I really expected more, but that didn’t happen. Anyway, look at what we made and devoured! Left-Click any of these photos to see enlarged. Cheers!
We went to Powell’s Sweet Shop and got some candy hearts and gilato. Look at the lid of the candy box on the counter.
Italian Peppers, Meatballs and Pasta. Thanks Paul!
Shrimp, Chicken Wings, Dips and Sauces. Plenty of Tailgate Food!
Lots of food all weekend and generally all homemade. Waiting sorta of patiently for the BSU Broncos football season to start next Fall. Seems like it is so far away! We also made two salads – Fennel and Celery with Olive Oil and Balsamic Dressing and Sliced Cucumbers with a Balsamic Dressing. Delicious!
Tagine cooking using a cooking utensil like pictured here, is a very Mediterrean or a North African style of cooking. Low heat and long time. More information on tagines and tagine can be found on this blog by Clicking Here. According to Wikipedia,
A tajine or tagine (Arabic: طاجين tajin from the Arabic: طاج) is a historically North African dish that is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A similar dish known as tavvas is found in Cypriot cuisine. The traditional method of cooking with a tajine is to place it over coals. Use of the tajine can be compared to stewing … The traditional tajine pot is made of pottery, which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. Tajines can also be cooked in a conventional oven or on a stove top.
Tajine is traditionally cooked over hot charcoal leaving an adequate space between the coals and the tajine pot to avoid having the temperature rise too fast. Large bricks of charcoal are purchased specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours. Smaller pieces of charcoal are reserved for cooking brochettes (barbecue) and other grilled meats.
Other methods are to use a tajine in a slow oven or on a gas or electric stove top, on lowest heat necessary to keep the stew simmering gently. A diffuser – a circular piece of aluminium placed between the tajine and burner – is used to evenly distribute the stove’s heat. European manufacturers have created tajines with heavy cast-iron bottoms that can be heated on a cooking stove to a high temperature. This permits the browning of meat and vegetables before cooking. Tajine cooking may be replicated by using a slow cooker or similar item; but the result will be slightly different. Many ceramic tajines are decorative items as well as functional cooking vessels. Some tajines, however, are intended only to be used as decorative serving dishes … Moroccan tajine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with sliced meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Spices, nuts, and dried fruits are also used. Common spices include ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron. Paprika and chili are used in vegetable tajine. The sweet and sour combination is common in tajine dishes like lamb with dates and spices. Tajines are generally served with bread. Because the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tajine pot traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables. This method of cooking is practical in areas where water supplies are limited or where public water is not yet available.
Here is the process of making our Lamb Shank Tagine. Enjoy!
The lamb shanks are seared in olive oil and Mediterranean spices in a large cast iron pot over medium heat. The Mediterrean spices can be found in most grocery stores or in speciality stores. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Remove the shanks from the cast iron pot and put aside. Do not remove the lamb liquid. Lower the heat so vegetables do not burn or scorch. Add one thinly sliced onion, diced garlic and chopped garlic scapes and cook in the olive oil in the cast iron pot until tender. More Mediterrean spice and sea salt and fresh pepper can be added.
Chickpeas, drained, and chopped dried apricots are added and mixed. Add about 4 Bay Leaves.
Chopped tomato is added to the pot. Let cook until warmed through. Taste and adjust spices and seasonings as necessary.
Add the vegetable mixture to the tagine. Place the lamb shanks into the vegetables. After 1 hour, it should look like this.
After 2 hours, the shanks should look like this.
3 hours and the shanks are looking good. The lamb should be tender and tend to pull easily from the bone..
An interesting and adventuresome dinner tonight. Here is the recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb BBQ Sauce and an interesting side to this BBQ sauce, it also goes with chicken and beef. We had it with pork tenderloin and it was fantastic. The recipe calls for oven roasting the tenderloin for 15 minutes. Ours was big enough that it probably should have gone 25 to 30 minutes. You too, may also have to extend the oven time. Enjoy the photo and you can Left-Click the photo to see it enlarged. The recipe is also a permanent entry to the Recipe File listed above. Cheers.
Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Oven Roasted Baby Broccoli and Baby Turnips
Acme Bake Shop Focaccia
Steamed Turnip Greens
Watermelon and Cucumber Salad with Feta Cheese
2012 Indian Creek My Best Friend Malbec
Boise Foodie Guild 