Lou's Most Excellent Cod n' Chile Pepper Risotto

[Yes, it’s been awhile….]

A great, fairly fast (comes together in about 45 minutes) dish that does a Sunday good. I've done some variations of this using diced carrots in place of the asparagus. But asparagus is everywhere this time of year so here goes...

4 cod filets
1 cup of risotto
4 cups chicken broth
3 thick slices of pancetta, julienned
1 small yellow onion, mined
2 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
3 large asparagus spears, diced into 1 cm pieces
1 green onion, green parts only, julienned
2 TBS diced chile peppers (Hatch-style)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
1 TBS unsalted butter
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper

Boil the chicken broth and set aside.

In a pot suitable for making risotto (everyone has a risotto pot, right?), over medium heat add in 2 TBS of olive oil and the butter; heat until melted. Add in the yellow onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about three minutes while trying not to burn it.

In a separate small pan, add in 1 TBS of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté up the pancetta until it’s crispy. Remove and set aside the pancetta, reserving the oil and then sauté the asparagus for about two minutes in the pancetta oil. Remove the asparagus and cover.

Lightly coat the cod filets in paprika and a generous pinch of salt.  Set aside but be ready for it.

Back to the risotto…. Add in the risotto to the pot and stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add in about 1 cup of the broth: it should begin to boil quickly. Stir in the chile peppers and about ½ tsp of salt. Continue to stir until the rice has adsorbed most of the broth, then add another cup of broth. Repeat this process up to the third addition and then taste the risotto: it should be a little crunchy like al dente pasta. If not, add in more broth.

In another pan add about 2 TSP of olive oil and heat to medium. Cook the cod filets until you think they’re done. For a 1.5” (3 cm) thick piece of cod this could be about 1.5 minutes per side.

When the risotto is nearly done, add in the asparagus and green onion. Stir for about a minute and then add in the Parmesan cheese.

Serve the cod on top of some risotto and sprinkle the pancetta over the top. Voila…

Still Around!

Hi All - I'm still around. I've got four recipes in draft that'll be published in due time. A combo of travel, new camera, and rehashing old faves has all contributed. Be back very soon....

LME™ Beefy Bolognaise

Becky and Aimee came to visit us here in France and two of the three nights we've had pasta. Don't get me wrong: I love pasta. But I found it kind'a funny that this was the case. Here's a Bolognaise I made yesterday which works well each time. Note: there's no sugar added to it since the carrots provide the needed sweetness.

This is super easy to make but takes some time; it's best to let it simmer for about 2 hours before eating it. Thus it's easy but not quick.

Genius, ah oui?

2 thin pork chops, bone in
1 pound ground beef
1½ yellow onions, chopped
4 medium carrots, diced into ¼" bits
3 large cloves garlic, minced
4.5 pounds pureed tomatoes
½ cup milk
Sea salt
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

In a 4 quart pot add about ½ a cup (yes, half) of olive oil and heat to medium-high heat, ensuring the olive oil doesn't smoke. Lightly salt/heavily pepper the pork chops and fry on each side for about 45 seconds. They'll brown slightly. Remove and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium and using a spatula scrape the pork chop bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the onions and carrots to the pot and saute for about 6 - 8 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic and saute for an additional minute.

Now, here's where the this-is-a-bitch-part/i-didn't-sign-up-for-this-shit part comes in. Add in the ground beef and, using your spatula, chop up frequently. "Frequently" defined as every 5 seconds. Thus...constantly.

Until cooked through.

'Till it looks like this:






Sorry dude's and dudettes - this takes a full 5 minutes (OMG! A WHOLE FIVE FRIGGIN' MINUTES?!?! Lou! I have CHILDREN!).

This is what two glasses of wine are for.

When looking like the picture here, add in the tomato puree and milk, mix together, and then pork chops and parsley. Mix again and wait until it begins to bubble again. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour.

Remove lid and taste: add more salt as needed. If that "something" is missing it's likely sugar. Add a TBS of sugar and see what happens. This said, you shouldn't need it. Keep the lid off and simmer for another hour.

Serve on your pasta of choice. Lot's of Parmesan works well too.

LME™ Five S's

This combines my five basic food groups. Big, tender, succulent shrimp. Baby scallops, so lovely sweet. Crispy, spicy chorizo sausage. Spinach for some color and texture. Spaghetti for substance.

The key - as always - is not to overcook the shrimp and scallops. If you think they're undercooked then that means they're done. A good scallop is actually raw in the middle but warmed through. It can be a bit mentally tough to get there if you're not into raw fish, but you gotta grow up and get there.

Serve this for a group of people: you can plate it all in a large serving dish and bring to the table. It presents well and is very aromatic.

So much so, everyone asked for seconds...and Becky was snarfing up the left over sausage bits left in the pan. Food hoarder she is....

8 large shrimp peeled, deveined, and butterflied
About 20 baby scallops
2 big handful's of spinach, large stems removed, torn to pieces
2" link spicy chorizo sausage, sliced thin.
Three large cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ pound of spaghetti
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated Parmesan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile....

In a skillet add about ¼ cup of olive oil and heat to medium-high'ish. Add the chorizo and cook like it was bacon, getting it to near crispy. The oil should start to take on a red tinge. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, being careful it's not browning.

Add your spaghetti to the boiling water. Set your timer for one minute less than what it takes to cook the pasta al dente. You now have that many minutes left....

Add the shrimp and cook each side for about 45 seconds. Remove the shrimp to a bowl; add in the scallops to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove the scallops but keep the pan on. Add an additional ¼ cup of olive oil to the sausage:garlic mixture and keep on.

The following is going to happen within one minute. Read up, prepare, and focus.

Pasta should be nearly done. When timer goes off add the spinach to the pot. Count down from one minute. While that's going....

Crank up the olive oil to medium high and add back in the shrimp and scallops. Get it sizzling.

Drain the pasta:spinach in a colander after one minute. Right after you pour it return it to the pot. You want it wet. Don't burn yourself.....

Add in about ½ of the olive oil from the pan to the pasta, toss to mix, and then plate into a large bowl. Top the pasta with the shrimp/scallops/oil/sausage.

Serve immediately and top with Parmesan.

Lou's Most Excellent Spanish Eggs

"Do you know how to fry an egg?" asked Eduardo.

And there I was, being challenged, in my own kitchen. The talk of making omelet's and fritata's with lots of olive oil had been discussed at length up to this point. This man knows his olive oils and he definitely is telling me he knows how to fry an egg. I'm struggling. I'm thinking.

"But of course. You, uh, you know, uh....use a lot of olive oil. About this much," and I pinch my two fingers together to about 1/8 an inch.

"No, no," he replies. And he takes his thumb and index finger and and spreads them to a width of 1/2 an inch. That's a lot of oil.

In fact, in Spanish, the equivalent saying of "he can't make a piece of toast" is "he can't fry an egg." Everyone in Spain knows how to fry an egg.

They take it up one level. And when you fry an egg Spanish style, you get it.

Eggs
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

In a non stick pan - this will really help - pour about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of olive oil into it. Heat it up to medium high: add about two drops of water to the pan while heating. When they begin to pop your oil is ready. Do not get it to smoke point but to just near.

Add the eggs. Here I put two in some small bowls and poured in together - it was a little easier since I was making four.

They'll sizzle pretty hard. Take your spatula and loosen them from the bottom and lap the hot oil over the top of the eggs. Gently swirl the pan to get the same effect.

These will cook fast - perhaps in less than a minute. When the whites look set, using a slotted spoon, remove from the oil, plate, and add some sea salt.

Dive in, savor the runny, hot - but not set - yolk. Serve with crusty bread to pick up all that stuff on the plate. Yummy.

Lou's Most Excellent Rocketti

LEFTOVERS.

Leftovers conjure sour memories for me. Circa 1982. When Mom said, "we're having leftovers" for dinner that meant we were having what we didn't eat the night before because we didn't like it.

I always thought of leftovers as "used food." I know that's a bad way to look at it but there's the truth.

I made a flank steak the other night coated with Montreal seasoning. We had half of it left and The Lovely Wife is busting my chops about when-are-we-gonna-finish-the-steak? because TLW loves leftovers. I was dreading it.

I think I came up with something that works and is also not so bad for ya'. This serves two quite well.

2 shallots, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cayenne pepper - about 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - about tsp
"Leftover" beef-product, about 1/3 pound, sliced very thin
1/8 box wholewheat pasta
Two BIG handfulls of baby roquette (spinach works too)
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil

This happens pretty fast - pay attention.

Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil.

In 2 TBS olive oil sweat-up the shallots for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cayenne and black peppers. Cook for 30 seconds more and then transfer to a small heat-proof bowl.

Add the pasta to the boiling water.

Add the steak to the pan you sauteed the garlic/onions in. Gently warm up until the steak just turn a bit grey (assuming you started with rare steak...which you should have). Remove steak from pan and set aside.

Pasta should be near done......going on 8 minutes here.

Add the roquette to a colander and drain the pasta into the colander. Quickly add back the pasta/roquette to the pot and stir in the garlic/onion mix.

Plate the pasta in bowls and top with the steak. Top with shaved Parmesan.

Ah bon....

Lou's Most Excellent Smashed Spicy Squash

This was adapted from, I think, an original recipe from Jamie Oliver. I've modified it quite a bit.

You can use this as a dip for crusty baguette or as a side dish. Best part is that it's easy, relatively healthy for you (albeit it's got a shitload of olive oil in it), and pretty much everyone likes it.

I've "twisted" this version a bit. What's written is what I did tonight but I've noted what I usually do. I'm certain that Sichuan peppercorns are not usually found in most home kitchens....

...and these are wonderful things. They have an unusual property of creating a numbing sensation, especially on the lips. They're not hot like a classical hot pepper nor pungetly-sneezy like black pepper. Dare I say it (and risk sounding like an idiot from a TV show hyped up on uppers): they're kind'a fun.

Lookie here though: these lil' bastards can pack a punch that you're not used to and may not be expecting. If not familiar with them I suggest you cut the amount I call for in half or just use red pepper flakes to a level you like. Your lips and tongue will numb up, almost like on Novocaine, but the heat sensation is not blinding. It's there, but different. I suppose there was a reason they were illegal in the US up until a few years ago (really).

[Note: this dish takes about 45 minutes to make. Most of it is just waiting around but for a veggie/side/app, you should know that this isn't very quick.]

1 leek, white part only, thinly chopped
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground (normal: 1 TSP red pepper flakes)
3 garlic cloves, minced (use less if you're not into garlic)
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
4 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant, peeled (optional - good for stretching)
A lot of extra virgin olive oil
Salt - I've been using sea salt as of late

In a 3 - 4 quart pot (pending if you're using an eggplant or not), add about 3 TBS of olive oil over low heat. Add the leek and sweat it over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until softened.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into big chunks as so:

Cut two in half lengthwise, then into 8 pieces.
Cut one in half lengthwise, then into 4 pieces.
Cut the last into 5 pieces.

Look - do whatever. You need some big pieces and small pieces and that's the deal. If using the eggplant, cut big cubes (say, 2"x1" and some smaller ones that are 1"x1"). I'm certain you'll figure it out. Set aside.

Add the peppercorns and cook for about 2 minutes; the fat from the oil helps release the "heat" from the peppercorns. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then the zucchini, eggplant (if using), herbs, and about 2 TBS more oil. Toss to mix, set heat to medium low, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes undisturbed.

After about 20 minutes remove the lid and using a flat-ended thinger (this is my favorite tool for doing this - a flat wooden spatula),

smash the shit out of the pieces. Some will stay big, some will not...this is a result of starting with a melange of sizes. The largest pieces remaining should be as big as the smallest you started with (make sense?).

At this point salt to taste and you'll quickly find out if you made it too hot too. If so, there ain't much you can do at this point except Plan B: live up to it or Plan C: go get a bag of frozen broccoli and serve that.

Set heat to simmer and let simmer uncovered for another 20 min.

Serve as you wish....

Lou's Most Excellent Shrimp n' Spinach Omelet

It’s not a frittata. It’s an omelet. The goal was a frittata but my shit-for-nuthin’ oven doesn’t allow me to fit a typical pan inside it. And I didn’t have a frittata pan. And, most importantly, I didn’t really know what the hell a frittata was to start with.

The vision for the frittata was there but my technique wasn’t. So what turned out here is really just a giant, fluffy, slightly crispy omelet that’s actually quite satisfying. Telling my friend Silvia about the frittata-come-omelet, she explained to me my problem, which is one of those “mother-to-daughter” things that happens in the kitchen on how to flip a frittata. Take the lid of the pan – preferably flat on the inside I guess – and flip the frittata onto that and then slide back into the pan. A plate could work too.

The simplicity is still beyond me and I’m kicking myself for it. But I’m certain in execution it’s a mess, until you’ve done it a few dozen times.

I cannot emphasize the importance of a really good non-stick pan here. If you’re a non-non-stick pan type, you’ll need a lot of oil.


6 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied in half
¼ yellow onion, thinly sliced and minced
2 whole green onions, finely chopped
3 BIG handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
½ cup of milk
A nice extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
Truffle salt (or truffle oil)
Pepper
Tzatziki sauce


In a large (10”) non-stick pan, add about 2 TBS of oil and heat till near shimmer. Add the shrimp and cook on each side until they turn pink; you don’t want to cook any longer (about 30 seconds per side, pending size of the shrimp). Remove shrimp from pan.

Add in the onions and sauté over medium heat until the yellow onions are translucent (about 2 minutes). While this is ongoing, furiously whip up the eggs and milk along with 1½ TSP of truffle salt or 1 tsp truffle oil. The eggs should foam up a little.

Add in another 2 TBS of olive oil to the pan and then the spinach leaves. Toss the leaves for about 1 minute, just to where they’re about to start to wilt (it will look like A LOT of spinach in the pan but this is OK – it shrinks). Pour the eggs into the pan and mix in the spinach. Place the shrimp on top.

Once the omelet has set on the outside you’ll need to “drain” it. See the photo on how to. Lift the omelet on one side and tilt the pan so that the uncooked egg runs underneath it.
Do this for the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. Add about 1 TBS more oil around the perimeter of the pan where the egg meets the edge; the oil should bubble some.

Cover the pan with a lid for about a minute. Check to see that the inside has set and then flip the omelet over using your preferred method. Serve with cold tzatziki sauce.

Random Foods I've Made

Haven't been blogging in a bit but here's some random food porn I've been up to here and there. The job and travel keeps getting in the way....

Deconstructed Carbonara for a MasterChef audition: I didn't make it.


Prawns and Salami.

Rigatoni & Buffalo Mozzarella

LME Curried Zucchini n' Lamb

This was an experiment of throwing everything in but the kitchen sink. Worked out quite nice.

6 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant
3/4 pound lamb pieces (I used loin)
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, whole
1 TSP cayenne pepper
1 TSP dried Thai chili peppers, minced
1 TBS salt
EVOO
2 TBS unsalted butter
2 TBS yellow curry powder
1/2 cup Vouvray wine
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
4 TBS chopped, roasted cashews

Preheat your oven to 250.

Take lamb and cut into cubes. Coat w/ salt and pepper. In a 4 quart, oven safe pot, sear each side over medium high heat with 2 TBS of EVOO for 30 seconds.

Peel eggplant; cut into 1" chunks. Cut zucchini in half, chop into 1" chunks.

Heat 2 TBS EVOO in the pan that had the lamb in it over medium heat. Add minced shallot and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Add the thin sliced garlic cloves with 1 TSP salt. Saute for an additional minute.

Add butter, zucchini and eggplant. Saute 10 minutes chopping the veggies with a metal spatula. Add cayenne and dried Thai chili peppers and continue to saute until the veggies have softened, about 20 minutes (or when the volume has decreased by half). Add in the curry powder.

Add back the lamb and garlic cloves. Let them rest of top of the veggies, cover, and set into the oven for 2 hours.

Add the wine and stir the entire mix. Put back into the oven for an additional hour; add in the bread crumbs and then back into the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve with rice and top with chopped roasted cashews.

Lou's Most Excellent Hatcho Risotto

The first posting from France! An accomplishment it 'twas. Still (and will be for a while) getting used to the kitchen here, which has a lack of storage space and a joke of a stove (I have to manually light the burners each time I turn one on). So, if I can do it here YOU can easily do it.

This was too good to be true. One, the risotto itself. Two, "finding" Hatch-like chili's in France!

This was actually quite simple to make (and very tasty).

To make it vegetarian just remove the salami - you likely won't miss what it adds (I used the salami for another dish).

2 ½ inch/1.5 cm thick slices of salami
2 TBS EVOO
1 TBS unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Hatch chili, roasted and diced to ½ inch/1.5 cm cubed pieces
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup arborio rice
1 ounce/25 grams brie de meaux, rind removed (brie or camembert good substitutes)
Half package (4 oz./100g of prepared bitter greens (frisée, raddichio, and argula mix)
Sea salt

In a 3 quart (3 liter) pot over medium heat add the salami slices and cook until crispy and the fat has rendered off. Remove the salami - save it for the chicken if you're going to do that - and add the olive oil and butter. Toss in the shallot and about 2 TSP sea salt and saute for 8 minutes until softened. Add in the garlic and Hatch chili and saute for about 2 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium high and pour in the rice; saute for about 2 minutes. Add about 1 cup of the chicken broth - or enough to cover the rice - and return to a boil, stirring constantly. As the broth boils off add more to keep the rice covered. Do this for about 10 minutes and then check the rice for doneness - it should be a little crunchy.

Stir in the cheese until melted and then add in the greens. Stir until the greens soften (about 2 minutes, tops) and serve immediately.

Lou's Most Excellent Sausage Sautéed Spaghetti

This goes up there with true, genuine, man/dude/guy food. Quick, easy, and hearty. It ranks up there with crappy lo mein eaten while drunk. In fact, if I were drunk eating this I'd swear it'd be the best thing out there. And really only four ingredients, not counting the oil. Recipe is for one person.

Since we're moving to France in a month I'm trying to clean out the fridge and cupboards. It's amazing what you can come up with.

Spaghetti (1/6 of a box)
2 sausage links of your choosing, about ¼ pound (I used Elgin)*
1 clove garlic, halved
Grated Parmesan cheese
Canola oil

*Recommended sausages: Polish, Czech, even a real (i.e., contains veal) bratwurst.

Cook the spaghetti to al dente as per directions on the box in heavily salted water. Cold shock it (i.e. run cold water over it) when you drain and set aside.

Halve the sausage links lengthwise. In a small skillet add about 1 TSP of canola oil, the garlic, and the sausage and cook over medium heat until browned on both sides, about 6 - 8 minutes.

Remove the sausage from the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and add the spaghetti (IT WILL SPATTER - be careful). Toss the pasta around in the oil and let sit to allow it to crisp up, about 2 minutes. Toss it again and repeat this process about 3 times, or to your own desire.

Cut the sausage up into bite-sized pieces and add into the pan for a final toss. Transfer into your favorite I-use-this-bowl-to-inhale-food bowl, generously sprinkle with Parmesan, and go to town.

Variation that would work: in the spaghetti fry add a whole egg and scramble it up while sauteing the pasta. Mmmm. Could even sub American cheese singles for the Parm. Let it melt on the pasta, then mix it all up. Oh boy I'm hungry now.....

Lou's Most Excellent Cast Iron Steak

Much like what I did in my Steaked Salad recipe, this takes it to a new level and is good for small cuts of steak...such as that from buffalo.


Buffalo NY Strip steaks, about ¾ inch thick
Butter
Salt & Pepper (or Montreal steak seasoning)

...one hour before cooking.......

Remove the steaks from the fridge, quick rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim some of the visible fat off the steaks, about a scant ¼ cup worth, and reserve. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper or the steak seasoning. Set steaks on a wire rack and let sit for one hour, uncovered, room temperature.

Preheat the cast iron skillet to medium for 5 minutes. Add the reserved fat and "render" it for about 10 minutes, meaning, gently cook the liquifying fat out of the solids. Discard the solids keeping the liquid fat in the pan.

Crank the heat up to medium-high. [For what it's worth, my stoves burners go up to 19,000 BTU so medium-high on mine might be high or medium on yours.] As soon as the fat begins to smoke, add 1 TBS of butter per steak. It will immediately bubble and start to brown. Get ready.....

Add the steaks and try not to get fat burns on your arms doing this; tongs are advised. Sizzle for two minutes; tilt the pan to swirl the fat around.

Rotate the steaks to their sides as seen in the pictures - cook like this for about 30 seconds on each side (lateral ends excluded).

Flip the steak to the uncooked side and cook for an additional minute, tilting the pan to ensure equal fat distribution. When removing the steaks, swirl the top of the steak in the pan quickly to soak up some fat.


Voila.

Lou's Most Excellent HFS Garlic Hummus

I can't believe how crazy-stupid-easy it is to make hummus. To think I've been buying the inferior crap at the store all these years. Shame! SHAME on me! This said it makes a mess. Cutting board, food processor, etc. BUT...well worth it.

This makes A LOT of hummus so if you've got a party happening, great. If it's just the two of you get ready to hate hummus by the third day. Recipes I found called for very little garlic (which I changed) and I think a spash of paprika helps too. Lemon juice is critical. Most recipes called for 1 TBS of lemon juice, I think 2 TBS is better along with some zest.

2 cans of chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
½ cup of tahini
½ cup of good extra virgin olive oil
1 TSP kosher salt
1 TSP hot paprika
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
Juice from two large lemons
Zest from half a lemon

In your food processor add everything all at once, minus the chickpea liquid. Blend the shit out of it for about 2 - 3 minutes. While blending, add in about ½ a cup reserved chickpea juice so the hummus takes on the consistency of...hummus.

The longer you blend, the smoother it gets. [Duh.] I think I wound up going 4 minutes but experienced the law of diminishing returns on that.

Serve in a bowl with extra olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika (optional). Dip anything you want (assuming it's edible) into it. Cucumbers, radishes, pita, carrots, celery, etc.

Lou's Most Excellent Lettuce Boats II

This is a take on my Shrimp Boat recipe. A little easier and more satisfying.

Filling
1 pound lean (90%) ground beef (buffalo used in this version)
½ medium yellow onion, sliced thin
8 green onions, white parts only, sliced thin
4 green onions, green parts only, sliced into ¼ inch segments
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cloves garlic, whole
1 - 2 Serrano peppers, sliced thin
1 TBS sugar
Sea salt
Fish sauce
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Chili oil
Canola oil

Garnish
Juilenned Daikon radish
Juilenned seedless (English) cucumber, insides removed
Kimchi
Omelet from Shrimp Boat recipe, minus the bell pepper
Crushed, salted cashew nuts
Whole butterleaf lettuce leaves from two heads, cleaned and patted dry

In a 3 quart pot add about 1 TBS of canola oil over medium heat. Saute the onions with a big pinch of sea salt until near translucent - about 8 minutes - then add the minced garlic and 2 TSP each of sesame and chili oils. Toss for 30 seconds and then add the beef. Using a flat spatula or pastry blade, continue to cook the beef while chopping with the spatula to make a fine mixture of beef (think of making taco meat).

When the beef is done add in the sugar, 2 TSP each of fish and soy sauces, the Seranno peppers, whole garlic, and white green onions. Toss and reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let sit for 30 - 45 minutes, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes. [During this time prepare the garnishes.] When the beef is near 10 minutes finished, add in the chopped green green onion parts.

Prepare a wrap/boat by placing one strip of omelet on the bottom of a leaf, about 2 - 3 heaping TBS of beef, a strip of kimchi (if desired) and generously top with daikon and cucumber. Sprinkle the top with cashew pieces and get lots of napkins.


Yum.

Lou's Most Excellent Quick Veal n' Vodka Cream Sauce

There's a difference between starting to cook and then getting drunk and starting off drunk and then starting to cook. Results will vary.

My SIL and her boyfriend were in town and we had a blast drinking the day away at an outdoor cafe in DC. Tiring out, it was time to do something for dinner and the plan was to do it at home. Her boyfriend is a real starch loving kind'a guy. Never met a potato or pasta he didn't like (except for a gratin he was none too fond of not long ago).

No added sugar needed here: the subtle sweetness comes from vanilla and the cream gives it a filling punch.

He had three servings of this. 'Nuff said?

1 pound ground veal
1 box Pomi strained tomatoes (26 ounces) or equivalent
2 - 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup heavy cream
1 TSP vanilla extract
1 TSP cayenne pepper
½ cup vodka
Salt

In a 3 quart saucepot heat the olive oil to medium. Saute the onions with two big pinches of salt for 5 minutes until they begin to become translucent, add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Add in all the veal and using your spatula finely mince the veal; you'll have to keep doing this until the veal resembles fine, coarse bits. Continue until veal is cooked through.

Add in the tomatoes and stir to mix. Mix in the cream, vanilla, cayenne pepper, and about 1 TBS of salt. Slowly, while stirring, add in the vodka. Reduce heat to simmer and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour uncovered.

After one hour take a taste and add salt, if needed. Serve over your favorite pasta (tagliatelle in the pic) with lots of grated Parmesan.

Lou's Most Excellent Sweety Leeks

Need a different side? Here you go. Works well with anything (assuming you like what's in this to start with). Leeks are filthy veggies - always loaded with dirt n' shit. Make sure you clean 'em (I'll tell you how).

3 large leeks
8 pieces of raw okra, sliced into ¼ inch slices
¼ fennel bulb, sliced very thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS fresh ginger, finely minced
1 TBS minced parsley
1 cup Gewurztraminer wine
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Clean the leeks. Take each leek and cut the bottom ½ inch off then go ½ inch into the green end and cut the leaves off. Discard the bottom and top. Halve each leek longitudinally. Discard the outer layer and rinse the leek under cool water, fanning it, to remove all the dirt.

Slice the leeks very thin, as thin as you can without slicing your finger tips off (which shouldn't happen if you know how to chop, but I do this wrong all the time).

In a medium non-stick skillet, over medium heat add the olive oil and warm to shimmer. Add the okra and sauté for about 3 minutes, tossing to keep even. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 more seconds, then throw in all the leeks with about 2 TSP of sea salt. Toss to mix and reduce heat to medium-low. Toss every-so-often to keep the cooking even over the course of 5 minutes. Add half the wine to the mix and continue to cook for five more minutes, then add the rest of the wine and cook for 2 - 3 more minutes, until the leeks are tender. Add in the parsley and serve immediately.

I topped off some halibut on mashed cauliflower with this mixture. Pretty good.

Lou's Most Excellent Piedmontese Blog

Check it out at the Washington City Paper.

Lou's Most Excellent Honeyed Asparagus

It's very easy to do grilled asparagus: coat with olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Grill. Too bad it gets really boring after awhile. Oh boy, grilled asparagus, again. Doesn't that sum'bitch come up with anything new?

So if boredom's got you down, try this.

1 pound fresh asparagus
Macadamia nut oil
Sea salt
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS honey
1 fennel bulb, cut into ¼ inch rings and halved

Cut the bottom inch off the asparagus and plunge the stalks into about 2 inches of fresh, cold water. Let them sit for 30 minutes. [This helps rejuvenate the stuff - it really works]

If the asparagus is thick (thicker than your pinky finger thick), lightly peel the stalks with a veggie peeler being careful not to peel your finger, like I did. It was a gusher - took 30 minutes to stop. This photo is 3 days later.

In a baking dish large enough to hold all the asparagus, sprinkle with sea salt and then coat with about 2 TBS of macadamia nut oil. Add the shallot, garlic, and honey to the mix and then add in the fennel.

Grill over direct fire until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Lou's Most Excellent Sausage Stuffed Chicken

Brilliant. Genius. Innovation defined.

How can one not go wrong with a chicken breast stuffed with sausage and then grilled? The idea hit me while running the other day as I didn't want to do my usual schtick with the bird, and this came up. I'm still patting myself on the back.

1 whole chicken breast, with skin and bone in, split
2 smoked sausages, skin removed*
Lou's Most Excellent Chicken Brine, minus the oregano, rosemary, chives, thyme, and onion.

*I used Meyer's Elgin sausage for this recipe.

Brine the chicken parts.

Cut the sausage lengthwise into thirds. Place three sausage strips in between the skin and the meat and lightly coat the skin with olive oil.

Cook the chicken as per LME Grilled Chicken tips skin side down, using hickory as your main smoke flavor.

Mmmmmmm.....