Sunday, October 31, 2004
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Another Bang for the Buck Appetizer
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Bang for the Buck
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
OWF mentioned in the SF Chronicle (sort of)
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
IMBB 9: Make that 35 Participants
Elise sent me her entry a mere hour after I posted the big wrap-up, so she almost squeaked in. But now she gets this post almost to herself. The layers in her terrine look thick and flavorful in the bottom picture. A big chunk of Brie adds a nice richness to her final dish, which she enrobed in a velvety tomato sauce. Ginger's Vegetable and Cheese Terrine
I'm honored that Ginger, a friend and co-worker (also my manager, as it happens) and a world-class triathlete, decided to participate in this edition of Is My Blog Burning? Her terrine also features roasted eggplant and peppers in a surprising bit of synchronicity, though she adds zucchini and uses the more tangy goat cheese to create a terrine that probably tastes quite different from Elise's. I'm hoping some leftovers find their way into work. (edit: Ginger's pictures are up now, and well worth checking out)
Monday, October 25, 2004
IMBB 9: Layers and layers of great terrines
What an entry to start with! Lisa's chock-full-o-chocolate IMBB entry will make you all hungry. She's on vacation now, but she wrote her post a couple weeks ago and set typepad to post it on the 24th, earning bonus points as the first person to tell me about her entry. Imagine how hard it was when she told me she was making this amazing-sounding terrine but I couldn't get a sneak peek! She put a lot of work (and some fantastic ingredients) into her terrine, and it sounds like it paid off. Jeff's Martha Stewart Tribute Terrine
Readers of this site are sure to appreciate my co-worker Jeff's terrine. The pictures don't do justice to the face that shows up in each slice, but do make sure you carefully look at his ingredients in the first picture. Melissa and I laughed out loud when we saw his entry. Yes, the link does work, even if it doesn't seem to at first. Maybe Jeff should quit programming and take up satire. My Little Kitchen's Individual Potato and Garlic Terrines with Roasted Pepper
Cathy's little individual terrines charmed Melissa and me. I loved her idea for a garnish of little cutouts on top of each terrine. With half a head of roasted garlic per person, the terrines must give off a heady aroma as they're being cooked. FoodNerd's Stuffed Bread
I get to be the first IMBB host to welcome FoodNerd. Her first IMBB entry (boy, what a theme to have when doing this for the first time!) recreates a (close enough) terrine from her childhood. Her entry fuses American ingenuity and classical cuisine, with a nice garnish on top Chocolate & Zucchini's Pounti Auvergnat
I blushed mightily while reading the intro to Clotilde the Charming's post. I had forgotten about her earlier pounti post, so I didn't know what a pounti was at first. I was delighted to re-learn about this interesting terrine. As usual, Clotilde's rendition is better-looking than the inspiration. Petra's Layered Fish Terrine
I really liked the delicate colors on Petra's terrine. It's like looking at a palate of pastels. And the layers sounded good as well; each one is an elegant fish preparation. This is one of the many in the list that I bookmarked for future reference. The Oslo Foodie's Salmon Terrine
One of my favorite things about IMBB is the chance to learn about interesting ingredients from other cultures. The Oslo Foodie's post featured lefse, which I had never heard of. My Adventures in the Breadbox's Mixed Vegetable Pâté
The colors in Alice's terrine stand in stark contrast to Petra's (see above). Instead of delicate pastels, these layers are painted in bold colors. It's a dramatic sight. It sounds just as delicious as it looks. Nosh's Eggplant and Zucchini Timbales
Mia managed her entry despite being in an ill-equipped kitchen on vacation. I laughed when I read that she packed timbale molds in her luggage. Talk about being prepared! Cheat Eat's Romance of the Three Eggs
ST's terrine featured ingredients that I found unusual. Western cuisine doesn't do much with preserved duck eggs. I'd say it's our loss. Cooking with Amy's Persimmon Dream Terrine
Amy's miniature terrine combines vanilla ice cream and the persimmons that are in all the Bay Area markets right now. It's a simple and elegant preparation. She points out that making a terrine for just two people is tough, but her mini version is a great solution. Becks & Posh's Spicy Tuna Sushi Terrine
Sam's terrine is the ultimate sushi roll. Its seaweed wrapping hides an interior that showcases beautiful layering of traditional sushi roll ingredients. An ugly duckling terrine, indeed! World on a Plate's Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Terrine
Jeanne's chocolate mousse terrine was inspired by a recipe from Godiva Chocolatiers, but uses the higher-quality Vahlrona. Count the number of good words in that last sentence. This seems like a decadent, euphoria-inducing dish. I love the stylized plating in her picture. thepassionatecook's Prune and Almond Chocolate Terrine
Johanna's combination of chocolate, prunes and almonds makes me want to make it just so that I can try it with a Banyuls, France's answer to Port. The slices look pretty, but my favorite shot is of the whole terrine, dusted with ground almonds and garnished with physalis. Incidentally, prunes were like a mini-IMBB for this event; a few terrines feature them and a few participants thought of doing something with them. Food and Thoughts' Foie Gras Terrine Burger
Zarah took some time from her busy schedule to post about a dish she made a while back, which she argues is a cheat, but, hey, I'm flexible. Besides, her dish is gorgeously plated, so who could resist? (plus, as I told her, a "cheat" post or two seems to be part of the IMBB? tradition). Good luck with biochem! Tomatilla's Rustic Country Terrine
I think Owen is too hard on his terrine attempt. It sounds like it tasted great, and if it didn't hold together during the slicing, c'est la vie. I told him that I only got one good slice out of my bread pudding terrine. LoveSicily's Millefoglie di peperoni con gamberi
"All that is required is about a dozen peppers, basil, olive oil, pepper, garlic, white wine, shrimps, salt and pepper." Ronald's post starts off well and finishes even better. I can just imagine how this looks with its different-colored peppers and basil pesto forming multi-colored layers (and hopefully soon he'll have pics) . Il Forno's Halibut Mousseline with Salmon
The IMBB founder echoed the sentiments of many when he said that this IMBB theme stretched him a bit. I'm surprised terrines aren't more commonplace in Italian cuisine; I'd imagine some sort of crossover from France. I like the combination of colors in this dish, and you already know from the name that it sounds good. Love and Cooking presents Susan Hattie's Goat Cheese Torta
Charlotte came out of a bit of a blogging hibernation (perhaps estivation, since it's still summerish here?) to share a recipe with a lot of personal meaning for her. I appreciate any recipe that uses the verb "moosh." There's a Chef in My Kitchen's Potato and Butternut Squash Terrine with Gruyère
Donna, the next most recent IMBB host, took advantage of the strikethrough HTML tag to turn a gratin recipe into a terrine. In her email to me, she described it as a " terrine... sort of....". I'm happy to be flexible, especially for such a yummy-sounding dish. The Domestic Goddess's Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Torta
Jennifer gives us a sneak peek at her wedding menu as she taste tests this lovely little appetizer. I think she's crazy to cook her own food for her wedding, but one does have to envy her wedding guests! Too Many Chefs' Feta Spinach & Veg Terrine
Barrett tells us he's never made a terrine before, and then proceeds to concoct a great example of one. Seems suspicious, doesn't it? His classic combination of ingredients come together into a loose set of colorful layers. The Food Section's Black Bean, Chorizo, and Goat Cheese Terrine
Josh recreates a dish from his past working as a busboy. I love the swooshy plating of the sauce (what can I say, I'm a sucker for that), and the eye-catching goat cheese in the middle of the terrine. His improvised recipe seems very straightforward. Spiceblog's Beef, Guinness and Lamb Terrine
With a name like that, how can you go wrong? Anthony humorously describes his first terrine. I note that though he says he's always thought them too fussy, he considers piping a Celtic design with potatoes onto the top. a la cuisine's Coconut Panna Cotta and Pineapple Gelée Terrine
Clement's shimmery terrine grabs you right away with its crisp gold and white layers. He even managed to get pineapple into a gelée, which can be tricky. I'm not a big coconut fan, but his post makes me want to convert. tinyfork's Terrine Kallisti
I feel pretty safe saying that Fae's delicious terrine was the only entry inspired by Greek mythology. I love her honest reaction to my choice: "What kind of theme is that?" I'm sure many of the participants thought the same thing. Her dessert terrine combines apricots and apples in a dish that seems perfect for the warm days of late summer and early fall. Frost Street's Scallop and Scallop Roe Terrine
I can't summarize Jeremy's entry better than his title: The Best Thing I Ever Made. He brings us back in time for a lovely dish that uses an unusual ingredient. He also provides a primer on terrine assembly that would have been useful when I announced the theme. Cook sister!'s Soft Cheese and Mediterranean Vegetable Terrine
Jeanne did a huge amount of research and ended up with a terrine made from roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and various cheeses. I liked the looks of the alternating bands of red and yellow. Seattle Bon Vivant presents Larry's Market Duck and Foie Gras Mousse with Sauternes and Meinhardt's 5-Game Terrine with Pork and Cranberries
The Seattle Bon Vivant chooses a lovely concert and a trip to beautiful Vancouver over slaving away in the kitchen for hours on end, but she does offer us two terrines she picked up along the way. The terrine on the train ride sounds like the perfect lunch to eat as the miles ticked by. What a great way to end a nice trip, and how nice of her to share with the people in the train compartment. chez pim's Thai Curry Terrine
Pim's Thai dishes always intrigue my Western palate. It's frustrating knowing that there are whole cuisines out there I know nothing about. This Thai curry terrine might be a nice way to start learning. jinjurly's 3 Mushroom Terrine
Allison's layers of mushrooms came out beautifully, silicone loaf pan or no. The portabello mushroom caps on top make a nice little roof for the skyline of smaller mushrooms down below. And with all those mushroooms, I'm sure it tastes delicious. feeding dexygus seconds' Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Butterscotch Banana Terrine
Dexygus's first IMBB entry combines all sorts of great ingredients for a knockout fudgy terrine. I thought the glaze gilded the lily on an already amazing dessert. Derrick's Two Terrines
Unable to contain my exuberance for the theme, I made two different terrines, a bread pudding and raisin butter terrine and a terrine of jellied tripe. Despite this, Melissa has not left me, but I think the next terrine I make has to be chocolate.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
IMBB 9: A Tale of Two Terrines
- 4 pig's trotters
- 2 heads of garlic, skin on, plus 6 cloves, peeled and finely chopped.
- bay leaves
- a bundle of fresh thyme tied together
- 2 quarts good dry cider
- 1 cup Calvados (optional)
- 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 lbs. tripe
- 1 scoop of duck fat
- 8 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4 canned whole plum tomatoes (I recommend Muir Glen)
- sea salt (I used kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
- Place trotters, whole heads of garlic, bay leaves, thyme, cider and Calvados in a pot, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 hours, skimming frequently. Add the tripe and cook for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You should be able to use your fingers to pinch through the tripe and trotter meat. Remove the tripe and trotters, herbs, and garlic from the liquor, which you should continue to cook until reduced by half. Pull the flesh off the trotters while still warm and add to the tripe, discarding the bones.
- Meanwhile sweat [DFS: sautée briefly and then cover and keep at low heat until veggies release their liquid] the shallots, carrots, leeks, and chopped garlic in the duck fat until softened, but not a pulp. Add the tomatoes, crushing them in your hand as you do so [DFS: either wear an apron or do this far down in the pot], and let this mixture cook for a further 20 minutes, sweetening the tomatoes (you are not looking to make a tomato dish, just bring the faintest blush). Now add the tripe and trotter flesh to the pot with a few ladles of the liquor and season with salt and pepperremember that this will be served cold, so slightly overcompensate. Let this cook gently together for another 30 minutes.
- Line a terrine or loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spoon in the tripe, trotter, and vegetables with a slotted spoon, topping up at the end with liquid so they're just covered. Make sure, by banging the mold on the counter, your are not left with any gaps or air holes. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to set.
- Serve slices with chicory salad dressed with Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and capers.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Man, Airplane Food Sucks
Friday, October 15, 2004
Cook's Country
We're cooking up a storm . . . to find the best ways to cook the foods you and your family love best. And we're "serving up" all the tasty secrets to you in a new kind of magazine called Cook's Country. Cook's Country is not about fancy cooking or expensive restaurants or foods with names you can't pronounce. The recipes are honest country fare. Your free trial issue features recipes for Extra-Crunchy Fried Chicken, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Ice Cream Cupcakes, S'mores Brownies, and Country-Style Pot Roast (made in a slow cooker). Each issue of Cook's Country also includes equipment round-ups, kitchen shortcuts, and recipe contests (with the winning reader recipes published in the magazine). In addition, the magazine welcomes interaction with readers and even includes a section where readers tell Cook's Country what?s cooking in their communities.Okay, here's some food for thought: HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED? Sure there's this community feature, but everything but the last couple sentences could be a press release for Cook's Illustrated as well! (And does Cook's Illustrated not welcome interaction with readers? That's what I'd infer.) CI has never been shy about repackaging their recipes, as I've mentioned before, but this seems brazen even for them.
Anyway, I think I'll pass and keep my CI subscription.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Bye All
Saturday, October 09, 2004
The Complete Book of Pork
1 lb. pork fat from the Boston butt or belly
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 fresh sage leaves
2 shallots, chopped
3 whole garlic cloves
6 coriander seeds
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Cut the pork and fat or belly meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Put the meat and fat in a large saucepan and add water to cover.
- Add thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sage leaves, shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, and salt.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is extremely tender, the water is evaporated, and only melted fat remains. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove and discard the bay and sage leaves and let the mixture cool for 20 minutes. Using a fork or potato masher, mash and break up the mixture. Add the pepper and stir to combine. Taste for salt.
- Pack the mixture into a 1-quart terrine or soufflé. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the rillettes for at least 12 hours or preferably 2 to 3 days before serving. The rillettes will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
WBW 2: Spanish Reds
Certainly it dominated my entry to this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, a spin-off from the popular Is My Blog Burning? event. In WBW as in IMBB, the host suggests a theme and a date and participants post vinous finds relevant to the theme on that date. This month's theme is Spanish reds, suggested by host Alder of vinography.com. The 2004 Valcantara is 95% garnacha and a mere 5% tempranillo, though the latter is Spain's more well-known grape. The Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant staff recommended the wine. As much as I like the staff, I don't often ask them for wine recs because we're in their wine club and generally like those wines, so we usually visit to buy more of that month's shipment. But they came through in suggesting a pleasant wine from an area I know little about.
Tasting note: A pink edge with elusive hints of lavender darkens to a clear center richly dyed the color of ripe pomegranate skin. Unabashed but somehow still delicate cherries and berries dominate the nose and the taste, though the medium-long finish also offers clear butterscotch notes garnished by hints of vanilla and cream. Modest acidity and tannins are easy on the mouth but offer little backbone. This wine makes up in charm what it lacks in complexity. General thoughts: Melissa enjoyed this wine quite a bit. I found it pleasant and enjoyable. It's a lightweight wine, and Melissa suggested it might be a good winter aperitif, though it lacks the acidity I prefer for such wines. Its price ($8) certainly makes it attractive for parties, where it would no doubt be well-received by those few who have escaped the cult of Napa.Friday, October 01, 2004
IMBB 9: Layers and layers
So what's the theme for IMBB 9? Terrines. I love terrines, simple assemblies with beautiful interiors made from a seemingly infinite variety of possible ingredients. I was thinking about that variety one day and thought, hey, that'd be a fun IMBB! Alberto reminded me that most people don't make terrines regularly. It's a good point, so I've added a "terrine primer" to the end of this post, with some thoughts and links to inspire you. It's unfortunate that they've gotten this reputation as being hard, since they're quite easy and they look stunning.
First the rules: on October 24, post an entry about a terrine you made and email me or leave a comment on this post (or mine for that day). I know your efforts will look stunning, so a picture would be fantastic. And since everyone will want to try and reproduce your great dish in their own kitchens, a recipe would be useful as well. You don't have to be a food blogger to participate. You don't even have to be a blogger: you can send me your post via e-mail and I'll put it on my site. So no excuses!
Terrine Primer
Okay. What's a terrine? It's really just a bunch of ingredients packed into a terrine mold, held together somehow and then removed from the mold in a block of yumminess. Or as Hillel once said, "it's like making lasagna with anything." Don't have a terrine mold? Don't sweat it. I use bread loaf pans all the time, and they work fine (some adventurous souls manage to make round ones, but I'd guess if you're going to do that then you're not reading this part). As a general rule you'll assemble the terrine the night before or that morning and eat it the following evening, but below I mention some that don't take that long.
There are lots of things you can use to glue the ingredients together. I often use aspic , but anything that will hold the ingredients together and be sliceable will work. Custard is another option. Sometimes the ingredients themselves provide the glue. Ice cream terrines and cooked meat terrines usually hold themselves together. It's occasionally useful to weight down the terrine (and you should definitely do this with meat terrines, as it smushes out the air that might allow bacteria to grow): cut a piece of wood or thick cardboard to fit your terrine mold, wrap it in saran wrap, put on top of the terrine and load up with cans from your cupboards.
Now go forth and layer!
If you're stuck on what to do, here are some ideas to get your juices flowing:
- terrine recipes from epicurious
- First one and then another from Clotilde.
- from Art Culinaire, issue 66: a brioche terrine stuffed with spinach and feta cheese (layer of brioche, layer of spinach/feta, layer of brioche, layer of spinach/feta, layer of brioche. Hold together with a custard, cool and serve). The full recipe is long, and probably not reliable given the magazine, so I'm only including a description.
- Also from Art Culinaire recently, a smoked salmon and mascarpone terrine (line a small mold with plastic wrap, put one layer of smoked salmon down and have it go up the sides and over the edge, layer smoked salmon and mascarpone over and over, fold first layer of salmon over the whole assembly, wrap and weight and refrigerate until ready to cut).
- the caprese terrine (pictured above) I made recently
- Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking or probably anything by Richard Olney for some classic terrines
- Fergus Henderson's The Whole Beast for some more unusual ones, but let me warn you I'll be very jealous if you make a lamb's brain terrine, since I can't get them in the U.S.
- And when my cake idea failed for IMBB 3, well, I made a terrine
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's creations!