“Scotch Eggs” – What are they?

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(BBC)

(BBC)

OK. So are they really from Scotland? Well, not exactly. They were “invented” in London in an upscale department store. Here is a short history from http://www.scotch-eggs.com. And now, I will probably try some of these and pretty soon. When I do, I will post the results here and if I run into any trouble along the way. I will post a recipe below that gives a pretty complete set of instructions. Enjoy!

The History of Scotch Eggs

In recent years the scotch egg has come back in to fashion, from being a fairly bland egg mayo filled affair from supermarkets to home made delicacies adorning pubs bars and menus. But where did it all start?

Legend has it the scotch egg was invented not by the Scots, but by Fortnum and Masons in London. Fortnums archives reveal that back in the 1730s they invented the scotch egg due to customer demand. Back then their customers would partake in long carriage journeys and needed portable snacks for sustenance.

The first reference of a scotch egg recipe appeared in Mrs Rundell’s cook book in 1809 entitled A New system of Domestic Cookery. You will however find better more conventional recipes in our recipe section!

The naming of the scotch egg came to fruition as “scotched” means processed, referring to wrapping a boiled egg in meat and then breadcrumbs. Scotch eggs can be made from hens eggs, quails eggs, duck eggs and at times goose eggs, though technically you could use most eggs, even ostrich!

With interchangeable eggs in the centre of scotch eggs comes experimentation in meat wrapping as well. Popular variations on classic sausage meat include black pudding, haggis, venison or less conventional alternatives like salmon!

As promised, here is a recipe for Scotch Eggs from Jamie Oliver. Enjoy!

Scotch Eggs

Ingredients:
4 large free-range eggs
10oz sausage meat
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 spring onion, very finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4oz plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 free-range egg, beaten
4oz breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for deep frying

Directions:
Place the eggs, still in their shells, in a pan of cold salted water. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for exactly nine minutes.
Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water, then peel.

Mix the sausage meat with the thyme, parsley and spring onion in a bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper (Simon recommends being generous with the freshly ground black pepper).

Divide the sausage meat mixture into four and flatten each out on a clean surface into ovals about 12.5cm/5in long and 7.5cm/3in at its widest point.

Place the seasoned flour onto a plate, then dredge each boiled egg in the flour. Place each onto a sausage meat oval, then wrap the sausage meat around each egg. Make sure the coating is smooth and completely covers each egg.

Dip each sausage meat-coated egg in the beaten egg, rolling to coat completely, then dip and roll into the breadcrumbs to completely cover.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan, until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and deep-fry for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp and the sausage meat is completely cooked. Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve cool.

Cinco de Mayo Enchiladas

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What a great use for some hamburger – Thanks Brook! Lightly fry the crumbled hamburg. Add diced onion, garlic and Ro-Tel and cook until heated. Place on one end of a 12″, Whole Grain Tortilla and roll up, folding in the ends. Place in a casserole dish and add enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve with a green salad and slaw. You could serve with rice of black beans, too. Serve with Dos Equis. Then for dessert, fresh made Flan. Yum-O!

Beef Enchilada Diced Onion Slaw Fresh Tomatoes Fresh Greens Dos Equis

Beef Enchilada
Diced Onion
Slaw

with
fresh tomatoes and fresh salad greens

Dos Equis

Original Pancake House, Boise

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I am not particularly one for pancakes in the morning. I tend to make them too sweet. So today, on our visit to The Original Pancake House in Boise, with Marnie and Mac, I opted for an omelet. Not your stand-by Denver Omelet, but rather a Mushroom Omelet with a Mushroom/Sherry Sauce. Add some home fries, and we have a big breakfast. Enjoy!

Mushroom Omelet with Mushroom/Sherry Sauce Home Fries

Mushroom Omelet
with
Mushroom/Sherry Sauce
Home Fries

Omelet For Breakfast

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I made Robin an Egg In Toast – make a hole in bread, grill it, add an egg, serve it – and noticed that there was some asparagus that had to be eaten and some mushrooms. So, for me, I made this omelet that was terrific. Left-Click to see the photo enlarged. Cheers!

Asparagus, Mushroom and San Marzano Tomato Omelet Acme Bake Shop Toasted Rye

Asparagus, Mushroom and San Marzano Tomato Omelet
Acme Bake Shop Toasted Rye

What is the Tuscan Cooking Style?

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(comonstock.com)

(comonstock.com)

I had an interesting question the other day as to what is the Tuscan Cooking Style. Quite simply – It is a very basic style of Italian cooking using the barest of food essentials. Fresh herb, pasta, wine, bread. Not particularly a heavy tomato sauce, although tomatoes are used. Only a light sauce, if any, and pasta with herbs and cheese. There is a wide variety of information on the Tuscan Style of cooking on the web. I offer only a small portion of that information here.
If you are looking for some Tuscan traditional recipes, here is one source: Tuscan Recipes. And if you want that well known 3″ thick Tuscan Porterhouse steak, aka Bistecca alla Fiorentina, here is that recipe: Tuscan Porterhouse. And the traditional Tuscan dish of Osso Buco – here is a recipe for Veal Osso Buco. Or maybe you prefer a Lamb Osso Buco. An Osso Buco is referred to in the article by Delallo (dot) com below.
Information from the Examiner,

Tuscany is the land of simple and honest flavors with cooking that might be heartier than much of the rest of the country. It features excellent ingredients including a fair variety of herbs such as basil, rosemary and sage, strongly flavored olive oils, meat dishes from cattle and wild game like wild boar, and seafood on the coasts. Soffritto, a mixture of chopped celery, onions, garlic, peppers and herbs sautéed in olive oil, similar to the French mirepoix, is used as a base for soups and sauces, might be more popular here than elsewhere. Beans have long been a big part of the diet, and spinach is the most popular green vegetable. Excepting the spinach and the few tomato dishes, much of the cooking is unattractively brown… Commonly found dishes include the hearty peasant bread soup, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup), pappardelle sulla lepre (fresh pasta ribbons with wild hare), pappardelle con cinghiale (with wild boar), fritto misto (fried meats, offal and vegetables), tagliata (thinly sliced beef served with arugla), and the famous bistecca alla fiorentina (a thick steak traditionally from the prized and enormous Chiana cattle that used to clutter the Chianti hills, simply prepared and grilled over an wood-fired flame).

And here is some information fro EHow,

Tuscan-style cooking evolved from “la cucina povera,” or peasant cooking. The cuisine relies on home-grown ingredients, prepared fresh with nothing left to waste … Tuscan-style cooking employs a wealth of vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, green beans, fava beans, peas and all types of greens, including Swiss chard, spinach and escarole. Peaches and pears are popular fruits … The most famous Tuscan meat is the bistecca alla fiorentina, a large grilled porterhouse. Game meats, including wild boar, duck and rabbit are also important to Tuscan-style cooking … Wild porcini mushrooms and truffles add an exotic touch to Tuscan dishes. The porcini can be served raw, grilled, sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Truffles are added to pasta dishes or shaved over eggs or steak … The basis of many Tuscan dishes is soffritto, which means “under-fried” in Italian. Soffritto is made by lightly frying minced vegetables in olive oil. The soffritto goes into sauces, soups and other recipes.

And finally from Delallo (dot) com,

… The single most pervasive food image associated with Tuscany is likely that of the olive tree, which grows in a gnarled profusion throughout the region. But Tuscany’s climate also provides ideal soil for the grapes grown to create the region’s world-renowned Chianti wine. Cattle also weigh heavily in the region’s food production. Chianina cattle is one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world, as well as one of the largest, producing prized Fiorentina beef for bistecca alla fiorentina (a T-bone steak brushed with olive oil and grilled perfectly rare).
Game meats and fowl, fish, pork, beans, figs, pomegranates, rice, chestnuts and cheese are earthy staples of the Tuscan table, and the coveted white truffle abounds in the region. Tuscan cooking is an interesting blend of dishes made from odds and ends for poor tables, as well as choosier fare created for the powerful noble house of Medici which once occupied and ruled from the Tuscany area. Osso bucco is a well-known favorite of the area, as are finocchiona (a rustic salami with fennel seeds), cacciucco (a delicate fish stew), pollo al mattone (chicken roasted under heated bricks), and biscotti di prato (hard almond cookies made for dipping in the local desert wine, vin santo). Barlotti beans, kidney-shaped and pink-speckled, provide a savory flavor to meatless dishes, and cannellinibeans form the basis for many a pot of slowly simmered soup. Breads are many and varied in Tuscan baking, with varieties including donzelle (a bread fried in olive oil), filone (an unsalted traditional Tuscan bread) and the sweetschiacciata con l’uva (a rolled dough with grapes and sugar on top). Pastas are not heavily relied upon in Tuscan cooking, and papparadelle (a wide egg noodle) is one of the region’s few traditional cuts. Pecorino Toscano cheese is native to Tuscany, as are semi-soft cow’s milk Tendaio and mixed sheep and cow’s milk Accasciato cheeses.
Soups, sauces and stews are the cornerstones of Tuscan cooking, many beginning with and relying upon the mastery of a perfect soffritto on which to build more complex flavors. A soffritto can be considered a sort-of Italian cookedmirepoix, and is a “pre-prep” combination of olive oil and minced browned vegetables (usually onion, carrot and celery) that creates a base for a variety of slow-cooked dishes. Herbs (sage and rosemary are used in many Tuscan dishes) and seasonings can be added to the soffritto as needed to bring out the unique flavors of each different recipe. Try the following Ribollita Toscana (Tuscan soup) recipe any time of year to transform your kitchen with the smells and flavors of the Tuscan countryside.

Wait a minute! What about the big, bold, deep red to purple wines of Tuscany? Have no fear. Here is some delightful information http://www.winecountry.it:

Wines of Tuscany – Tuscany’s winemaking industry counts on one of the most noble and ancient traditions that predates the universally known Chianti wine that often springs to mind when this region is discussed … Nowadays, the most grown variety is the noble Sangiovese, which is often combined with small amounts of locally grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and other grapes into wonderful blends such as the Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano, Carmignano and, of course, the signature Tuscan wines, the Chianti and Chianti Classico, which probably are the best known Italian wines in the world. Other grapes grown here are the Mammolo, Malvasia, Colorino, Raspirosso, Gamay, Grand Noir, Barbera, Moscatello, Aleatico and Vernaccia, among others.

Some interesting reading. But like I say, there is much, much more information available on the web about the Tuscan style of cooking. Indulge yourselves and look for more specific answers to your questions. Cheers!

Awesome Beef Short Ribs!

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26April2014_1_Beef-Short-Ribs_Homestead-Ribs-ThawingThis was an awesome dinner! Beef Short Ribs from Ed Wilsey and Homestead Natural Foods. It is really nice to see that most of these products are available, and were bought at, The Boise Farmers Market. If you live in, or around Boise, this is the “place to be” on Saturday mornings. And I sincerely urge you, whether or not you live in Boise, to visit and support your local farmers and your local farmer’s markets. In this meal, we used products from Homestead Natural Foods (beef short ribs), River View Farms (wild garlic and carrots), Meadowlark Farms (eggs) and Purple Sage Farms (rosemary and salad greens). From our own garden, we used fresh thyme, Miner’s lettuce and Mexican oregano. An Indian Creek Winery wine was served with dinner and a 2002 Parma Ridge Vineyards Milange was used in the recipe. Enjoy these photos and the recipe of this awesome dinner. Cheers!

The beef short ribs have been cut and are thawing and getting ready fr roasting.

The beef short ribs have been cut and are thawing and getting ready for roasting.

Beef short ribs added to the pot along with the herb bundle.

Beef short ribs added to the pot along with the herb bundle.

Mushrooms are added to the pot. 1 hour into the cooking process. This house smells so good!!

Mushrooms are added to the pot. 1 hour into the cooking process. This house smells so good!!

Fresh green salad with Idaho products.

Fresh green salad with Idaho products.

The plated Beef Short Ribs. We also had some Acme Bake Shop Sourdough and a 2009 Indian Creek Cabernet Sauvignon with the dinner. Fantastic wine!!

The plated Beef Short Ribs. We also had some Acme Bake Shop Sourdough and a 2009 Indian Creek Cabernet Sauvignon with the dinner. Fantastic wine!!

Twisted Eggs Benedict, Slightly!

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The Wise Ole Owl says that if you have not tried this fantastically easy Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce (Russ Terrell, this is still the best Hollandaise going!), you need to re-think your kitchen challenge. Notice, I said challenge not ability. If you read this blog, then your ability is sound. This recipe is soooooooooo easy and quick. And we tweaked the Eggs Benedict below and changed the bread. We did not use the English Muffin, as is traditional, but instead, we used a slice of lightly toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough. The bake shop is at the Boise Farmers Market each Saturday at 10th and Grove in Boise. Get yourself a loaf, or two! The best sourdough in town.

"Wise Ole Owl"

“Wise Ole Owl”

Eggs Benedict

Twisted Eggs Benedict
with
Lightly Toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Boars Head Black Forest Ham, Meadowlark Farms Poached Eggs and Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

And if the Twisted Eggs Benedict are not enough for breakfast, help yourself to one of these awesome Acme Bake Shop Cinnamon Brioche Rolls. Forget all the calories today! These are also available, sometimes, at the Boise Saturday Market.

And if the Twisted Eggs Benedict are not enough for breakfast, help yourself to one of these awesome

Acme Bake Shop Cinnamon Brioche Rolls

Forget all the calories today! These are also available, sometimes, at the Boise Saturday Market.

An Afternoon at Asiago’s and Powells

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23April2014_1c_Asiagos-Powels_AsiagosWe originally planned to go and see the baby owls. But the property owner was not feeling good so we will go on Saturday. We had planned to go to Asiago’s for lunch before going birdwatching. We did. And then we needed dessert, so Powell’s Sweet Shoppe in east Boise was the place to go. Here are some photos from today. Left-Click any of them to see the photo enlarged. Enjoy the food photos and following us on a Foodie Sojourn! Cheers. Here is a link to Asiago’s Menu. Asiago’s is definitely a 5-Star restaurant (out f 5-Stars) for an Italian restaurant in Boise.

Robin at Asiago's

Robin at Asiago’s

(L) 2012 Vesevo Beveventano Falhnghina Campania, Italy Althnuma Pinot Grigio DOC Val d'Adige, Italy

(L) 2012 Vesevo Beveventano Falhnghina Campania, Italy
(R) Althnuma Pinot Grigio DOC Val d’Adige, Italy

Can’t really say that any one of these was better than the other. The Pinot Grigio went extremely well with the smoky salmon while the Beveventano went better with the salad and the mushrooms. They were both good selections.

Here

Funghi
fresh mushrooms sautéed in champagne and butter, finished with gremolata

Here

Caesar Salad
hearts of romaine, croutons, anchovies and asiago with the house caesar dressing

Yea! Finally a restaurant in Boise that knows how to make a Caesar Salad. It’s not a Caesar without the anchovy and garlic! Sorry, but that’s the way it goes.

Smoky Salmon with Fettuccini and Cream Sauce

Smoky Salmon with Fettuccini and Cream Sauce

CHICKEN ASIAGO  gremolata chicken breast over fresh fettuccine in Asiago-garlic cream, finished with tomato-pesto  sauce. served with the house or Caesar salad

Chicken Asiago
gremolata chicken breast over fresh fettuccine in Asiago-garlic cream, finished with tomato-pesto sauce.

Then we were off to Powells in east Boise for some Gilato. Here Robin is enjoying some.

Then we were off to Powell’s Sweet Shoppe in east Boise for some Gelato. Here Robin is enjoying some.

Gelato - Italian Ice Cream

GelatoItalian Ice Cream

Awesome Easter Lamb Dinner

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20April2014_1g_Captains-Shack-Easter_Lamb-Happy_Dinner-PlatedThis is probably one of the best lamb dinner we have had. I adapted it from a recipe found on Epicurious. Here is the link to our adapted recipe: Arugula, Spinach and Miner’s Lettuce Stuffed Lamb. The recipe is not for the faint of heart. But it is really fun to do. Give it a try. Take your time and enjoy the process. If you don’t have an already boned leg of lamb, here is a previous post on this blog about boning a leg of lamb. Well worth the short time to view the video. How To Bone a Leg of Lamb. Enjoy the lamb. Most, but not all, of the products on our menu were from Idaho – Support Idaho Farmers: Buy Local. And we really try to do this. Here is our list: Wine – Sawtooth Winery; Lamb – Felzien Family Lamb; Garlic – River View Farms; Salad Greens and Herbs – Purple Sage Farms; Bread – Acme Bake Shop and Vegetables – Volcanic Farms. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Cheers!

The boned leg of lamb with the stuffing in place. To bone the lamb, see the link above.

The boned leg of lamb with the stuffing in place. To bone the lamb, see the link above.

The rolled lamb is "getting happy".

The rolled and tied lamb is “getting happy”.

The cooked lamb is resting to redistribute the juices.

The cooked lamb is resting to redistribute the juices.

Green Salad with Miner's lettuce, slivered carrots and green onion Olave Coratina Olive Oil and Agrestum Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Green Salad
with
Miner’s lettuce, slivered carrots and green onion
Olave Coratina Olive Oil and Agrestum Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

2011 Sawtooth Winery Estate Grown Pinot Gris ($43.00) 2003 Ridge Vineyards Lytton East Zinfandel ($165.00 - 54 barrels produced)

Wines For Dinner
2011 Sawtooth Winery Estate Grown Pinot Gris ($43.00)
2003 Ridge Vineyards Lytton East Zinfandel ($165.00 – 54 barrels produced)

Arugula Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Arugula, Spinach and Miner’s Lettuce Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Arugula, Spinach and Miner's Lettuce Stuffed Leg of Lamb Oven Roasted Rosemary Yukon Gold Potatoes Roasted Vegetable Medley Acme Bake Shop Sourdough Bread

The Entree Menu
Arugula, Spinach and Miner’s Lettuce Stuffed Leg of Lamb
Oven Roasted Rosemary Yukon Gold Potatoes
Roasted Vegetable Medley
Acme Bake Shop Sourdough Bread

Here

The Entree Menu
Arugula, Spinach and Miner’s Lettuce Stuffed Leg of Lamb
Oven Roasted Rosemary Yukon Gold Potatoes
Roasted Vegetable Medley

Scrumptious Dinner At “Fresh Off the Hook”

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18Aprikl2014_1_Fresh-Off-the-Hook_Menu-CoverOnce agai, we went to Fresh Off the Hook in Boise and were treated to another awesome dinner. It is, without a doubt, the Best In Boise for seafood. Yes. A 5-Star seafood restaurant. Their Menu is full of surprises and delicious. I want to try one of everything. For instance, their fried foods are more like the tempura at Sushi Joy, it is light and not grease soaked. The fried foods taste like they are supposed to. Shrimp taste like shrimp. Cod tastes like cod. Not over powered with batter. It is good! In short, if you are in Boise, you must try to go to Fresh Off the Hook. Cheers and enjoy these photos.

Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) on the left and a Kendal Jackson Chardonnay on the right. Look at the color difference.

Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) on the left and a Kendall-Jackson (CA) Chardonnay on the right. Look at the color difference.

Robin is enjoying herself.

Robin is enjoying herself.

Green Beans Fried A great appetizer!

Green Beans Fries
A great appetizer!

Shrimp Tomato Bisque

Shrimp Tomato Bisque

Clam Chowder There's actually clams in here!

Clam Chowder
There’s actually clams in here!

Seafood Linguini

Seafood Fettuccini
Tiger shrimp, bay scallops, bay shrimp, zucchini, mushrooms, scallions and diced tomatoes sautéed in white wine and garlic butter smothered in our creamy Parmesan-garlic sauce tossed with fettuccine noodles. Topped with Parmesan, tomatoes and scallions, and served with warm sourdough bread 14.99

Captain Alex’s Seafood Platter A medley of cod, salmon, halibut, mahi mahi, Jumbo shrimp, calamari and clams battered and deep fried to perfection. Served with chef’s choice sautéed vegetables and wild rice 18.99

Captain Alex’s Seafood Platter
A medley of cod, salmon, halibut, mahi mahi, Jumbo shrimp, calamari and clams battered and deep fried to perfection. Served with chef’s choice sautéed vegetables and wild rice 18.99

Fishing boat

Fishing boat

Sailing rig. These are ship models that are placed around the restaurant.

Sailing rig. These are ship models that are placed around the restaurant.