Kefta

I was thrilled that the supermarket had some decent-looking ground lamb when I shopped last. It inspired me to make some kefta, one of my favorite treats when I eat at the Old Jerusalem Restaurant near my work. I confess that I have not made many Middle-Eastern dishes over the years, and I needed some guidance on the seasonings. I combed several recipes online, and forged ahead with my own take on the dish. I knew I wouldn't be able to grill these, too, so I had to find a way to get at least a little bit of "crisp" on these puppies.

I used some basics in this one; paprika, cumin, coriander, dried cilantro, salt, pepper, and the smallest bit of cinnamon. But I also added in some za'atar that I was fortunate enough to have found at a nearby middle eastern grocery in the recent past. A fair bit of onion went in as well. To get a bit of a char-like feel, I opted to pan-fry in some peanut oil, then finish cooking in the oven to keep in some of the moisture (thank you, onions!). In hindsight, the only thing I would change is the mince on my onions. They were just a bit too big. I should note that I did mix the lamb with beef, about a 2-1 ratio of lamb to beef. I like the mix when I use the two together, as the beef takes a bit of the edge off the lamb-y-ness for those not as keen on eating lamb. (My half-siblings in Indiana like to say that lamb tastes "hairy" to them...)

I paired this with a brown and wild rice mix (seasoned with dill and garlic) mixed with some peas, and served it with a dollop of creamy goat cheese.

THE VERDICT

Simply delicious. The bonus: the house this morning still had the lingering exotic smell of a "foreign" meal and that delicious aroma that only residual peanut oil can leave behind. I'd say we all enjoyed it, although I have still yet to get our daughter to try any of these more adventurous meals. She's still sticking to chicken, peas, and toast as mainstays for dinner. I think breaking her out of that routine will take some doing, and I hope someday she'll relish these sorts of meals as much as her mom and I do. It was a special treat to share the meal with my mother-in-law who has been a blessing these past 2 weeks, watching our daughter each day as our day care provider is away.  I suppose my biggest regret is that I didn't open some wine for this one....

Ham and Potato Soup

Ham and Potato Soup


The day started out rainy, and it never really warmed up. When autumn arrives, so does soup. I was dreaming up the soup yesterday, knowing there were two ham bones (and plenty of frozen leftover ham, to boot) on deck. 


The morning was stock making time. Mirepoix, coarsely cut, received a quick saute, then bones, herbs and spices took the plunge for a long simmer. 


We pulled meat from the bones after lunch, then added in potatoes, additional meat, and a hint of milk (for mouth-feel; it's all about that mouth-feel sometimes). I was trying to split the difference between a creamy soup and a broth, and it worked out just that way. I hate overly-soggy veggies, so the first round was removed and new veggies (with some corn for fun) went back in. 


The ham had been really smokey, and the broth was as well.


Served up with a nice handful of shredded cheddar and some bacon cheddar muffins my wife made.


The Verdict


Comforting, stick-to-the ribs soup, gooey cheese, and fresh-baked muffins? How could it be bad?

Long Hiatus

I am terrible about keeping up with things sometimes. This blog qualifies as one of those things, and I'm not surprised. But I'm back, at least for now, and have something fun to write about.

We (my wife, daughter, and I) went apple picking last weekend, and have about 15 lbs. of the fruit on our counter. My wife does most of the baking in our house, and I'm OK with that. But I needed to do my part to help use up some of the goods.

My mind immediately went "duck" when I thought about what to cook with the apples (and no, this is not because of any humorous jabs taken at my wife; I was thinking of the fowl). We were lucky enough to find some bone-in duck legs at Gene's Sausage Shop. As an added bonus, they sell a double-smoked pork tenderloin as well, and I knew what I'd be concocting at that point quite clearly.

I decided to remove the meat from the bones on the duck legs in the interest of time. I'd have preferred to have roasted those instead, but there were other things to do (like nap for a change) this particular Sunday. I cooked out a good bit of the fat from the skin, removed the partially cooked duck, chopped it into small cubes, and returned it to the pan to cook a bit more.

Later in the day I cubed up about 4 apples and the pork. I sauteed these along with the now-cooled duck in some butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, a bit of honey, some raisins, and dried cherries. These went into a 9x9 casserole dish, topped with thin layer of shredded cheddar cheese, and then a nice layer of puff pastry (I try to keep some in the freezer at all times).

The Verdict

Yummy comfort food. If you want an opinion beyond that, ask my wife. Wish we'd had a nice bottle of Bordeaux tonight, however. Ah well...

Fathers' Day - Pulled Pork

Chicago has no shortage of great places to eat. It also has several places that do justice to slow-cooked smoky meat. But sometimes I get a hankering for the taste of NC-style pulled pork BBQ, and Fathers' Day gave me an excuse to take matters into my own hands. I am less than an hour removed from eating the meal, and the lingering flavor and aroma of mesquite and pig are still full and rich.

This meal was partly possible because I was able to talk my wife into stopping at the Paulina Meat Market on the way home from the zoo this weekend. It was my first trip there, and in all honesty, I had my heart and mind fixed on a pork shoulder from the start. I did eyeball some other meats, and it will not be long before I'm writing about some rabbit here, I'm sure. And while there is an excellent butcher shop not far from our house, I really wanted to give this place a try. I was not disappointed. I was reminded of the great butcher shops I had the occasion to visit as a kid, and it is good to know that there are still places that know how to deliver excellent quality meat with outstanding service.

I prepped the meat on Saturday night with a basic rub, the core of which involved brown sugar and paprika. I like a slightly-smoky, slightly-hot paprika in general, and it served me well for this particular rub. The 7-pound cut fit nicely in a gallon Ziploc, and spent the night in the fridge. I was treated to some fantastic pancakes for Fathers' Day breakfast (a big thanks to my wife for including both chocolate AND peanut butter chips today!), and as soon as we finished, I started getting the grill ready. It was my first time trying to really slow-smoke anything over gas. I had a can of mesquite chips on hand, and tucked them over the low flame on one end of the grill for about 10 minutes as the meat sat out shedding some of the chill from the overnight stay in the fridge. Once the smoke started to billow, I brought the shoulder out and placed it with the fattier side up, the heat as low as possible, and I watched periodically to make sure the heat did not get much higher than 250 degrees (F). My grill is a real powerhouse, it seems, and does not like living in the low end of BTU production, but in the end, I was able to get a nice steady low heat, and was able to walk away.

One of my favorite side dishes to make is also one of the simplest. I like making a carrot slaw, and mine uses a white balsamic and mayo (roughly equal parts) as a base. Today I was lucky to still have some peach-flavored white balsamic on hand, and with some craisins and shredded carrots (along with a few other flavorings), it was quick work thanks to the food processor. The only downside was, in my rush to get the work done, I did not handle the shredder blade with my usual care, and I opened up a nasty little nick on the tip of my middle finger. Carelessness in the kitchen is never a good recipe.

With that done, I turned attention to my barbecue sauce. I went for a compromise today, and took the best of the eastern NC and western NC traditions to heart, adding my own touch of balsamic vinegar to the mix (the real stuff, not the white stuff). The sauce was mildly hot, with a good mixture of vinegar, enough ketchup to keep the tomato-based touch in play, and even hint of mustard to tip my hat to the folks in SC (who sometimes serve up mustard-infused sauces with their BBQ). I should also mention that I prefer honey to sweeten most of the BBQ sauces I make, and this was no exception.

I figured with all this effort, it would be a shame to miss out on hush puppies, so I turned to Paula Deen's recipe as a starting point. She's a great go-to resource for many southern staples, and this particular recipe did not disappoint (although I'm already thinking about my own take for the next time; these were damn good, but I don't think they'd suffer from some modification). As an afterthought, I served up some buttery corn to round things out.

The verdict

An added treat tonight was sharing the meal with our friends Ali and Crystal. They seemed to appreciate the meal, and they brought good beer and hard cider to the table, which is never a bad thing! It had been entirely too long since we last shared a meal with them, and I'm glad that happenstance (running into my wife coming back from the playground with our daughter) led them to join us tonight.

The pork - fabulous. Juicy, smoky, just enough of the "crispy" stuff alongside tender strands of succulent pig. It is as close to real NC pulled pork as I have had since the last time I was in NC, and I'm not afraid to make that claim. There is simply no substitute for real wood smoke and slow cooking, and taking the time today was well worth the effort. The sauce was outstanding, too. Sauce can be such a debatable thing, and I don't know why folks need to get so uppity about one kind being better than another. I find that one of the best things about American food is the regional differences we get to celebrate, and I have not had too many sauces that I did not like. If made with thought, love, and enthusiasm, each has a place at the table, and mine was no exception. I don't know if I would replicate this one identically, and that's just fine with me. I'm sure that my next trip to NC will bring me at least one more take on the classic, and I will have a few new ideas to try out on my next pulled pork dinner.

The hush puppies were perfectly golden brown on the outside, and just right on the inside. I cannot abide over- or under-done hush puppies, and while they are not the food of my heritage, I've certainly had enough to know good from bad. Mine were good. Really good. I'm considering my options for the next time around, but I'm also open to suggestions from any hush puppy aficionados out there who care to chime in. The corn was fine, if forgettable, and that was about what I expected. No effort, no reward, and sometimes, no cares either. Just a little something to give you the excuse to eat a little butter.

The slaw was as good as always. I sometimes opt for golden raisins or plain old Sunmaids, but the craisins give a nice tartness that offsets the natural sweetness of the carrots. The slaw was the ideal complement for the pork, and was great both on and off the bun (I tried it both ways to make sure).

The real verdict today had nothing to do with the meal. The fact that I got to celebrate being a dad would have made any meal special. The fact that I got to spend the day with my amazing daughter (and wife), and with some dear friends was the most important thing. Having a meal that brought me comfort, provided me a modest challenge, and took at least intermittent focus to avoid screwing up the end product was an added treat. But it turned out so well that I'm sure I'll remember it for a while to come.

I hope other dads out there had comfort, love, and good food today, too.

Neighbors

It is never a bad thing when you have neighbors over for dinner. Of course, it is better when grilling is involved. When they bring margaritas, it is hard to imagine a bad time.

Last night I grilled some steak for fajitas. I also grilled onions and peppers. The steak marinaded over night, and I prepped the veggies early in the morning. No sense in working too hard late in the day if you don't have to.

I also made some "Spanish" rice. I've learned that what we Americans call Spanish rice is mostly a Tex-Mex concoction. I also have decided that the food I cook, eat, and enjoy need not have a pedigree, just good flavor, texture, aroma - the important stuff.

The gem in this meal was the refried beans. I used kidneys and pintos with a dash of cayenne. I have no problems using beans from a can (not pre-mashed, but whole beans). They taste just fine when smashed up and sauteed in butter. I also know that lard is the traditional fat, but it's just hard to feel right about buying a tub of the stuff, especially since my middle is not as middle-sized as I'd like it to be. I like to keep the beans on the coarse side when I mash them. There is a certain satisfaction in the rustic look of beans that have not been completely macerated.

The Verdict

The steak was ok, not stellar. I found the marinade I'd concocted to be a bit too bright and acidic. While I like the lime, the vinegar I used was a bit heavy. I also could have used more salt and cilantro to fill out the flavor. The peppers and onions were good, just a bit crisp but with a light grill-char. The rice was quite good, although not quite "authentic."

The beans were awesome, and any excuse to eat queso fresco is a good thing if you ask me.

More than anything, it was great to share some time with some fantastic neighbors, trade some stories, and enjoy each other's company. As much as I love the simplicity of dinner with just my wife and daughter, it is a treat to open up our home when we can and break bread - or tortillas - with another family.

Back to the Grill

I had a few days away; away from the blog and away from the grill. Mostly, I had a rough week at work, largely due to the erratic weather and power grid, and as a result, had little time to write, to cook, and on most days, no inclination to do anything because it was too blasted chilly for June.

I kept things simple for Sunday dinner, mostly because I have bigger plans for Monday, but also because the grill needed a good cleaning and that was time I could not spend on prep. Early in the afternoon, I cooked up some small red potatoes for a dill potato salad (with lots of chopped Claussen's and dill weed). I soaked some cheddar/jalapeño brats in some Goose Island ale, and left thing alone as I enjoyed time with the family.

The great treat was not the two items that took prep work. It was the asparagus that took almost no effort at all (not that any part of this meal was laborious). A quick pass through some butter, a shot of garlic salt and black pepper, and they went on the grill alongside the brats. The key to good asparagus, in my opinion, is to keep them from going completely limp. I find too many cooks want so badly to have beautiful grill marks on them, perhaps to prove they are grilled, that they overcook the poor veggies into a limp and bitter mess. I pull mine as soon as they begin to droop when lifted in the middle of the stalk with a pair of tongs. Another smattering of butter, garlic salt, and pepper (just in case any of them were missed, of course), and they were ready for the table.

Verdict

Not much more to say. The brats were good. I like sauerkraut on most any grilled sausage, so I added a bit, and it worked pretty well with the jalapeño. My wife can't stand the kraut, so she went without. The potatoes were predictably good. The star, as I mentioned, was that asparagus. Still just a bit firm, but fully cooked and warm throughout, just enough butter and seasoning - I am just sad that we didn't have more.

On a side note, our daughter has returned to eating fish at mealtimes again. She love smoked salmon, it seems, and ate it with some regularity until just around her second birthday. Now, after some time away, she's back. Maybe this means she will start trying other foods again, and maybe I can get her to eat more of what I cook instead of the usual fare she's settled on...

Nuts

I'm thankful that, as far as we can tell, our daughter is not part of the peanut allergy crowd. If she were, we would be making lots of changes in our house that I am really glad we don't have to make. Working in a school, I'm acutely aware of the sensitivity around the issue, and having friends with such allergies adds to my awareness. My own issues with shellfish heightens my understanding. But I have other reasons to be thankful about peanuts.

I spent several years unable to eat nuts (and seeds, and several other items) due to diverticulitis. Only after surgery about a year and a half ago was I, again, permitted to indulge in nuts that were still in solid form, and not reduced to buttery-slurry. That said, I did make a couple of batches of yummy pistachio butter at one point when I began to really miss the flavor of those particular delights; I was not completely deprived. But, it was a great treat a couple of weeks ago to buy a jar of dry roasted peanuts at the grocery store. I still indulge sparingly when I do indulge, and there was still a good fourth of the jar left Saturday morning as we ate breakfast. I saw the jar, and knew what I needed to make as soon as I was back at the grill this week.

I put together a Thai-inspired peanut sauce tonight that included yogurt, curry power, olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, some Thai chilies (and a bit of cayenne for an extra boost), a healthy dose of Smucker's natural crunch PB, and a bit of diced candied ginger (I wanted that bit of sweet in there as well). I marinated the chicken breasts for a couple of hours before grilling. I reserved some of the sauce and served it over the cooked chicken. I also prepared a simple yellow squash grilled with nothing but olive oil and garlic salt. Our bonus was a perfectly ripe pineapple which I cut into spears and grilled for a short while au naturel.

The verdict

The chicken was fantastic, and perhaps the greatest compliment was when my wife asked for more of the sauce. The chicken itself remained juicy and moist throughout, and the occasional pops of ginger and Thai pepper was spot on.

The squash was quite a let down. It was under ripe, I felt, and did not stand up well at all.

The pineapple made up for this, however. It was just warm enough in the center, was just a tiny bit crispy on the outside, and the result was like a small explosion of sweet goodness in every single bit. The sweetness was the perfect partner for the salty/spicy chicken, and needed no enhancement.

We drank some Ravenswood Chardonnay with this meal, and it held up fairly to the chicken. It went quite well with the pineapple. But mostly, it was cold and refreshing on a really hot day in Chicago.

Bacon cheeseburgers

Continuing my "Costco rocks" thread, I have to give proper thanks to them for the Kirkland (store) brand real-crumbled-bacon-in-a-bag that they sell. I have long agreed with the notion that bacon makes most things better, and having it already cooked and ready to add to a dish is really handy. I also like when it incorporates as easily into a dish as it does when making burgers. If you know everyone will want bacon on the burger, why not put it in the burger?

So I did this past Wednesday when I decided to grill up some burgers and dogs.

I also flashed back to some burgers that I recall from my time living at my Uncle Billy's house many years ago. There was some delivery service that used to bring a variety of freezer items, if memory serves me, and among them were pre-made frozen burgers with cheese already mixed in. I loved the concept (and, frankly the burgers), but always felt like too much cheese melted out of such patties when place on the grill. They work fine in a skillet or on a flattop, but on the grill, the cheesy-goodness just tends to melt away.

For my burgers, I decided to make a nice pocket for a nice half-inch thick slice of cheddar, and sealed the burger, bacon included, around the cheese. I had mixed in a hint of barbecue sauce as well, and with a bit of garlic salt and pepper in hand, I cooked these up alongside a nice packet of Hebrew National hot dogs. (I like the casings on their dogs; they work well on the grill or off, and keep just the right amount of snap when you bite into them).

The verdict

A simple meal - burgers and dogs - but I thought is was a nice little twist. The burgers turned out juicy, and the cheese was just melted enough to let a hint break the surface before I removed them from the grill. They were amazingly tasty, simple, and satisfying, as a good burger should be. I had mine with a nice Goose Island ale. Can't wait to make them again.

The Other Cook

Tonight, I grilled up the other steaks I had on hand from our Costco trip. They were equally good, and the leftover potatoes warmed nicely alongside them on the grill in a foil pouch (with a pinch more cheddar to compensate for what I knew would stick to the foil). The wine was better, and while it was chilly, it was a pleasant night in front of the grill.

But the real treat wasn't the dinner tonight. It was our other cook. When I grilled over the weekend, our daughter lined up an array of mixing bowls to "cook dinner" while I was outside. Tonight, she "cooked" while my wife and I sat down to eat. She used a straw to mix, and had a variety of bowls, cups, and spoons on hand to concoct her imaginary meal. The result was some "coffee" for mommy, served in a plastic jug with a straw.

I was lucky enough to spend most of my childhood living in a home where dinner was cooked most nights, and the norm was for us to gather for our meal together. I don't think I fully appreciated the effort that my various caregivers put into those meals at the time, and I know I didn't always appreciate the end results. (My cousins will all attest to the misery of some of the worst pea soup ever served!) In hindsight, I am deeply grateful for those meals, and for that effort.

I want my daughter to appreciate the love that goes into a home cooked meal, and I think we are on the right track.

Rib-eye and Costco

I enjoy our Costco shopping days. There is something about bulk shopping that is comforting, some sort of security I get from knowing the cupboards will be full a while longer. I have some theories about why this is true for me, but they are deeply personal, and I'm not sure I want to write about them here, at least not at this time. Aside from the philosophical and visceral reasons, there is a simple reason as well; coming home with a bargain on good meats. Sure, I'd prefer some carefully aged beef from Fox & Obel downtown, but it isn't the most convenient place to get to. And while well worth the price, it isn't the sort of indulgence I feel we can afford for an ordinary weekend meal. I was thrilled to see some well-marbled rib eye steaks today at Costco, and in a reasonably-sized 4 pack to boot!

Too often, butchers these days cut away too much of the fat from rib-eyes. To make matters worse (and less tasty), cattle are bred to be leaner for the American market for a variety of reasons. (I will take a pass on writing about food supply chains and large-scale farming for now). The cuts we bought today were good, and I knew they would yield some nice, juicy results.

But I had a bonus surprise waiting for me later in our shopping trip today. The folks from Smoke Daddy were sampling some of their BBQ sauce today, and they were selling the bottles in a buy-one-get-one promotion for today as well. As often as not, I make my own BBQ sauce, and I delight in experimenting with a core formula that has come to serve me well. But I also delight in the results of others' experiments, and this sauce was damn good. I decided to pair it up with our rib-eyes tonight, and it sure was tasty.

On the side - some boiled red-skinned potatoes with a bit of cheddar, chive and bacon along with some corn rounded things out for us. The bacon is another Costco favorite of mine. They sell bags of pre-cooked crumbled bacon, and it is incredibly handy to have on hand for any number of uses. We also popped open a bottle of Malbec (from France; usually we drink Argentinian Malbecs), and it was decent, if uncomplicated.

The verdict

It is almost never a bad night when the grill is involved. We were lucky the rain kept to the mid afternoon. The sauce worked. Solid, tasty, and a nice enhancement for the meat. I kept mine to a perfect medium-rare, and served my wife a less-marbled cut cooked to an equally perfect medium. The fat did its job; the meat was juicy and succulent throughout. The smoky hints from the bacon in the potatoes were a plus as well, but I may have been just the slightest bit overzealous with the chives.

The wine was not a disappointment, but it was not as great a pairing with the beef that our usual suspects from Argentina would have been. Argentines most definitely have great wines for beef, as do the French, but given my choice, at this point in time, I'll stick with the South Americans. If anything, this bottle of wine was too earthy and lacked complexity to really enhance the meal.

Still, it was a great dinner, and the larder is again replete. Thanks, Costco, for the security of bulk buying.

We will probably be enjoying a few nights of leftovers now. I'll write about them if they prove worth the effort.

On the Side

Tonight was a leftover night. Yep, that chicken from yesterday was our fare for the evening. But I had some produce on hand that I'd planned to use for another meal, and didn't want it to go to waste.

So, with our chicken tonight, we had a nice little simple 4 ingredient salad; cucumber, pear, craisins, and a splash of white peach balsamic. I do love the white balsamic vinegars that are so easy to find these days, especially for something like this.

Verdict

Not much to say about this one. It was just simple, refreshing, and the pears were perfectly ripe. It was a bit overpowered by the chicken. I think I'd like to try it again with a simpler dish, perhaps some poached fish.

Playing the weather odds

It turned cold again here in Chicago, and while I am not against grilling in my winter coat, I prefer the indoors on days like today. I knew we would be in for this chill today, and so last night I decided to get some prep work done for tonight's meal. As I considered my options, I realized I would need wine, and lots of it.

On chilly nights, especially those around midweek, the crock pot (slow cooker, if you prefer) is a good thing to have around. It doesn't hurt to have a whole chicken in the fridge, either. When we shopped this past weekend, I hedged my bets. I figured we would either get a nice break from the cold, and I could then butcher and grill the bird, or it would stay lousy and I could just cut it in half and drop it in the crock.

We are fortunate to live near a "convenience" store, which around here often means a place that sells beer, wine, and booze, and might have some cat food or brownie mix if you are lucky. (We are lucky; our neighborhood shop has improved a great deal in the past couple of years, and honestly, they have a pretty decent wine selection). I was able to get a couple of bottles of pinot grigio on the (relative) cheap.

Some onion, basil (still had a little fresh left!), rosemary, carrots, salt, and pepper went in first, then the halved bird followed by the wine. Probably the hardest part of the prep work was clearing out the bottom shelf of the fridge to put the crock in for the night. I really wanted to get some tarragon in the mix, but we were out, unfortunately.

On my way home from work today, I stopped into the Spice House in Old Town and picked up that missing tarragon, and as an added bonus, found they had a nice supply of dried chanterelle mushrooms. Once home, I deboned the now-cooked chicken, returned the meat to the pot, and added the tarragon and (rehydrated) mushrooms to the broth that had been slowly cooking all day. What a treat it was to open that lid. Scientists claim that smell and memory are probably closely linked because of the proximity of our olfactory centers to the limbic system. I'm not sure I care much about the science of it, I am just grateful for moments when the smell of good food transports me to other good meals I've enjoyed in the past (and the memory of the good friends I shared them with).

To finish the sauce a bit more, I added a bit of milk and corn starch to get a bit of glisten, and was hoping for a smoother mouth-feel later on. I was not content, so I put a roux together and managed to get the sauce to my desired thickness. We at this over some egg noodles with a vegetable medley on the side. Full disclosure: on work nights, I sometimes get lazy, and am thankful for frozen veggies! Never (or at least rarely) as good as fresh, but so be it.

The verdict

The texture was spot-on. Exactly what I had wanted. A somewhat velvety sauce that stuck nicely on the noodles. The veggies were (predictably) unremarkable. But the taste was wonderful. The first bites were all about the wine. It dominated the initial flavor, and was just a bit sweet - in a good way. But once the mouthful was swallowed, the marriage of the wine and the herbs lingered. And lingered. And lingered. It was a dinner that was as much fun to eat as most wines are to drink.

Speaking of wine, I opted out on that front tonight. I wanted to really experience where this dish went on its own, and didn't want to complicate things with yet another flavor set. Tomorrow, when we enjoy the leftovers, I will reconsider that choice.

Home Again

My wife does not have the same appetite that I have. Needless to say, this often leads to leftovers. While it is perfectly fine to simply reheat leftovers (we do it often; I prefer to cook larger portions), sometimes the better option is to transform them into something else.

The leftover grilled pork from my previous post was a great candidate for transformation. Having a food grinder attachment for the Kitchen Aid is a real bonus. I decided that this would make a fantastic base for a Bolognese-ish sauce, and I was right. Once the meat was ground, I decided a bit of roasted pepper would be a nice addition. I learned a great technique for stove-top pepper roasting several years ago, one that is a big help on a cold, rainy day (and one I learned from someone I will write about at a future time, I'm sure). Some onion, a bit of carrot, and peas added to tomato-ey goodness, and a meat-thick sauce was underway. A large dose of some fresh basil and a few other herbs and spices completed round one, and I left the sauce on low for a couple of hours.

The finish - heavy cream. Not too much, but just enough to add a bit of velveteen mouth-feel, and all was good with the world. It is amazing how just a little bit of something rich (and let's face it, fattening) can add so much to a meal.

I feel no guilt in using packaged ravioli for a meal like this. If I had more time, I probably would make them from scratch, but I find that life does not leave that kind of time on most weekends any more, especially not after several days away from home.

The Verdict

The end result was wonderful, and the remaining ravioli made for a great lunch the day after as well. There is plenty of sauce in the freezer (and a bit for one more dinner this week - another leftover night coming soon!), and I look forward to enjoying it in a few weeks. We opened a bottle of Ravenswood Lodi old vine Zinfandel (2008), and it went nicely, its mild spiciness and somewhat bold berry flavors melding well with the light heat of the sauce, and both had a bit of near-creaminess in the finish, which made for a great dinner.

It's good to be home. And it's great to cook again, now that I am.

New Grill, New Blog

Maybe the new grill we finally purchased and assembled is part of the reason I decided to start this blog. I'm more inclined to think that the newness of the grill and having access to it now that the weather has finally turned for the better in Chicago has inspired me to think of more inspired dishes for my family to enjoy. There are so many things I've wanted to cook that would have required borrowing grills from neighbors these past few years, and that's always just a little awkward. (There's the fuel - how and when to replace a tank, and differences in how much brushing to do on the grilltop - everyone has a different standard, plus making sure that the grill is not in use when you need it - too much of a hassle; much easier to have one always at the ready).

So on Mothers' Day I cooked up a batch of chicken and pork, knowing that I would be leaving for the week. I chose to make things in bulk that would hold up well enough as leftovers while I was gone to save my wife the time-consuming part of most dinner prep; the protein part.

I cut up some pork loin - we buy large loins at Costco and I cut them into smaller roast-sized pieces for the freezer - taking my usual cuts down to 1-inch thick slabs, and I had them marinade in some olive oil, balsamic, apple cider vinegar, fennel seed, crushed red pepper, garlic, and various herbs. The goal was to create a flavor profile akin to an Italian sausage, but with a nice, lean cut of meat. I would have to be careful not to overcook those puppies, either, or the result would be sausage-flavored shoe leather. When pork is really lean, it is easy to destroy on the grill.

For the chicken, I decided to be more adventurous. I have been playing with different uses for Chinese five spice lately (acquired from a wonderful spice shop near my work), and this seemed like a great way to try something new. I have never grilled anything with this combo before. I opted to use some white peach balsamic I had around for this marinade along with a few other items (olive oil, salt and pepper, some herbs; nothing as unusual as the five spice).

I also decided to try my hand at grilling potatoes. I found inspiration from a couple of online sources, and one included using a mustard-based concoction to add flavor, as well as help keep the potatoes from sticking to the grill. My choice was to use both yellow and spicy brown prepared mustard, some wasabi mayo (thank you, Trader Joe's!), ground mustard, dill, and some roasted mustard seeds (I always roast extra for just such occasions).

The verdict

My wife raved about the pork. This made me particularly happy, since I don't think she had nearly as much pork prior to our marriage, and there are just so many great ways to cook pork. I had had better results in a few similar attempts at this concoction years back, but was satisfied. The flavor was subtle, but it was on the spot. I think a longer soak next time will help.

I was more fond of the chicken. The five spice really came through, and the subtle char really married well with those more exotic flavors. I can way with certainty that I will be using five spice on the grill again. I think the peach balsamic really helped with this one. There was a mild sweetness from the five spice that pulled some of that peach flavor out. It could easily have been lost on the grill (I use that vinegar mostly for salads for a reason).

My wife and I both loved the potatoes. The taste and texture were something entirely different for us. The real surprise: our daughter ate some, too! And she seemed to like them, as she does with most potato dishes I make. (But my daughter and potatoes are a topic for another day).

On the whole, I can say that my first few outings with the grill this year have been successful. Spinach/feta burgers the first time out, London broil the next, and now this meal - all of them good. Partly, I'm sure, it is having weather nice enough to afford me outdoor cooking time. But those first 2 outings really got me thinking more about how to be creative at the grill. I hope I have a few more things to write about before the end of the month from an outdoor session, in part because I'm enjoying this inspiration, but more importantly, because I hope the weather cooperates.

My Intent

While I have not given up on the idea of blogging my gripes, I have opted to start a new thread on a less stressful topic: dinner.

It is my great pleasure to be the primary dinner-maker in my household. My wife does the vast majority of the baking, but I do most of the cooking, and it is a real labor of love. It doesn't hurt to have an appreciative and appropriately adventurous audience for my creations (that would be my wife; our daughter still has a limited appreciation of most foods).

My intent is not to create a recipe blog. I don't generally measure in the kitchen. I trust instinct, experience, and above all else, taste when I cook. That said, I'm sure that this space will afford me the chance to remember some of the better endeavors (as well as those unsuccessful attempts). I hope that others will comment, suggesting other pathways I might take.

My greater desire is to speak about process and outcome, really. And maybe, just maybe, I might inspire someone else to try one of these ideas when they can't think of what to make for dinner. I have had those nights myself, and sometimes it helps to gather new ideas.

My first real entry is forthcoming, and since I am away from home for the week, it is fitting that I will write about food I left behind in my next entry, coming soon...