Hashtags for trending. SO now.

Last night was a bit of a trip down memory lane.  I decided to indulge myself and just make what I fancied.

To start we had Jerusalem artichoke soup with a Chicken Liver Paté Croute

I decided that I would make Fondue Chinoise for dinner and let my guests do the cooking themselves.  For those who don’t know the difference, Chinoise is cooked with a stock not oil or cheese.

The cooking liquor is easy 1/2 good brown chicken stock and 1/2 sweet wine (reisling, liebfraumilch, gewurztraminer) – you can spice it up with whatever you want, celery, carrots, bay and peppercorns usually work for me. Let is simmer for a while and burn off the alcohol and it is ready for cooking.

Then salads.

Last night I made:

Sweetcorn, Orange pepper, spring onion, flame roasted chilli. Vinagrette

Mixed Bean – Chick pea, borlotti, canellini, spring onion, lemon and olive oil.

Beansprout, Sugar Snap pea, Cherry Toms, Sesame Seeds (toasted) – Chilli Sauce, Sesame oil, Soy Sauce, Mirin Dressing

Then sauces:

Marie Rose – with dill and marsala

Pine nut and Pistachio Relish – a la thai

Caramelised Ginger and Sake

Chilli Sesame

Then the dippers:

Tuna

Prawns

Beef (cryptic clue : this cut is a ‘knighted fruit’)

ChickenThighs

We also had some garlic bread and copious amounts of wine

Traditionally one would have a shot of the cooking liquor when all is over, but as I had made some pudding  we did not partake of the tradition.

Pudding was good.

Made some grape and blueberry pepper jelly with poached cardamom marsala peaches  and greek yoghurt, topped with amaretti crunch. The poaching liquid was reduced to a thick syrup and popped on top.

I love Paté. Always have done, always will do. I like it smooth, rough, chunky, gooey, with port, with brandy, every way possible really.

I have not made it for ages, so I decided to knock a quick batch up and use some of those many ramekins that have found their way onto the topshelf of the cupboard. I forgot how quick it was to make and how much I love it. OK, I only really forgot how quick it was, especially if you have a good food processor, which we just got from our wedding list.

Recipe:

Ingredients

400g Chicken Livers

150g Butter – Few Drops of Olive oil

1 Big clove of garlic

1 Small shallot

1 Small red onion

6 Sage leaves

Brandy, Marsala, Salt and Pepper.

Method:

• Slice – Shallot, Onion, Garlic and soften in 15g butter (add a few drops of oil to stop from burning)just before they are done add 3-4tbs of marsala to the shallot mixture, whack up the heat and let it reduce a little.- Pop in Processor
• De-nasty the kidneys, slice out all the veins and discoloured bits. Try to keep all the pieces the same about half the size they came in the packet.
• Take a quarter of the remaining butter and melt (again add a few drops of oil to stop from burning) – pop in half of the kidneys and three of the sage leaves, season with salt and a generous amount of pepper, on a medium heat fry them for about 2-3 minutes. They will ready when the kidneys are coloured on the outside and slightly pink on the inside and the sage leaves are just crispy. At the end pop in 3-4tbs of Brandy and swill around to coat the kidneys. Pop the contents of the pan in the processor with the shallot mixture
• Repeat with the rest of the kidneys.
• In the pan melt the rest of the butter and keep to one side.
• Process the kidneys and the shallot mixture in short sharp bursts and make sure that everything is incorporated. It should be a little softer than peanut butter. You can add a little more butter
• Taste and adjust seasoning as required. (I always add a little more pepper, and remember that when cold the flavour changes so you will need a little more salt.(
• Spoon into ramekins (should make about 4 little ones) Leave some space on top.
• Take the melted butter in the pan and pour onto the Paté to cover it.
• Pop in the fridge when cool. it will keep for about 3days. You can also freeze it for about 3weeks, just thaw in fridge overnight.

(sound of triangle ringing)

COOOOMMMMMEEEE ‘n GET IT!

For our debut (daboo), we’ve luckily eked out a booth for the now SOLD OUT Greenpoint Food Market happening THIS SATURDAY at the Church of Massiah in Greenpoint, Brooklyn from 12n-5p.  Map here:

We’ll also be giving a workshop on kombucha brewing at 3p.

Should be a rollicking good time.  Bring your appetites and visit the MOMBUCHA table on an empty stomach before you go around gobbling everything in sight!

Flyer by Joann Kim.

Think again.

Footage shot at Palmex Inc – Canada’s second largest producer of foie gras – in Carignan, Quebec, shows the cruelty required to create foie gras. The fatty pate is produced from the diseased livers of force-fed ducks.  These ducks are force-fed to such an extent that their livers become 10-12X their normal size.

(Note: while the Palmex info link posted here is safe, do not visit the actual Palmex site as Google has it listed as possibly being harmful to your computer).

Contrary to popular belief and furthered recently by foodist Dana McCauley, the birds are terrorized and hold their mouths open to pant in an attempt to rid their bodies of the excess heat produced from such an unnatural caloric intake. They are not begging for more food.

The force-feeding, done twice a day, produces a disease state in the birds – hepatic lipidosis – which would be fatal if the birds weren’t killed so young.

Thirteen countries have already banned the production of foie gras recognizing its unnecessary cruelty.

Please, don’t be part of it.

This holiday season, celebrate kindness and life by choosing not to purchase foie gras and tell others of the cruelty involved in it.

Please forward this video to your friends and family:

…from Twyla and the CETFA team.

Downloads:
Foie Gras Action Alert
The_Life_of_a_Foie_Gras_Duck

Related Article:
Roger Moore on why he won’t speak to anyone (even his friends) if they eat foie gras, Daily Mail, Sept. 22, 2009

‘Lombo’ agri-doce com cebola e pimentão, acompanhado de pão chinês rechado de patê. Tudo 100% vegetal, ética e gula andando de mãos dadas. Pense nisso na sua próxima refeição. Não financie a dor alheia.

Last week my mother was visiting from Athens and I promised that we would spend the weekend doing fun things. Despite being born and raised in London, mum had never visited Borough Market. I insisted that this would be a delicious way to start our Saturday and even showed her some lovely pictures in my London guidebook to prove it. Her eyes almost popped out of her head – as she read that ‘over 10,000 Londoners’ flock to Borough Market each Saturday to sample its delights (mummy’s not a big fan of crowds).  I assured her that this Saturday would be an exception – so, off we went at 9am on Saturday, braving the semi-functional weekend services of the London Underground to make our way to London Bridge. Sun was shining, air was crisp and we were hungry. If you, like my mother, are unfamiliar with the sights and tastes of Borough Market, then you are missing out. It can be overwhelming on your first visit so here is a rough guide to set you on your way.

Need to know:
Closest tube is London Bridge
Best to arrive before 10am to avoid the crowds
Pull out cash before you arrive to avoid queuing at an ATM near the market
Great place to go for inspiration and provisions if you’re planning a dinner party.

Borough Market Top Picks:
Monmouth Coffee company
Get there early if you’re a caffeine fiend. The queues do get rather lengthy. It’s a shame you only get the coffee at the end of the queue because we all know standing in line is more pleasant with a warming cup of Kenyan roast.

Best Brownies
Amongst the endless stalls of delicious baked goods you will come across stacks of enormous brownies. Don’t shy away or pretend to be on a diet. Share one with a friend if you must. My favourite brownie purveyor is located just after you go under the Bridge towards the Green Market. For the best brownie money can buy - £2.00

Strange Fruits
I found a rather knowledgeable vegetable vendor in the Jubilee Market (the old car park for those of you in the know). I bought one of his many varieties of pumpkin, but was more intrigued by the logarithmic spirals of the fractal Romanesco broccoli. It would just be a shame to cook one of those. It’s like eating an equation. How can nature calculate something so perfectly?!  Cost of onion squash – £2.45

Saucy sausages
If the free tastings of olives, patés, cheeses and jams aren’t hitting the spot, then you might want to make a beeline for one of the sausage or burger stands in the Middle Market. The meat is always perfectly cooked and flawlessly tasty. Here are my two friends Sophie and Sofia, delighted with their sausages. Cost of sausage bun – £3.00

Paté-Moi 
I have never been to Borough Market and not bought a tub of this amazing wild mushroom paté. It can be eaten with or on almost anything, be it a chicken breast, pork chop, pasta dish or just a loaf of fresh baguette. The stall is always manned by one or two charismatic individuals although once you’ve tasted the mix you won’t need the charming folk to convince you any further. One pot costs £3.80

There’s so much more to see and eat but I’ll stop and let you discover the rest.

Not really my usual daily food, that would be a bit too posh! (Cheap ingredients though!)

This is inspired by Delia’s basic chicken liver pâté, with my own twists and turns! Instead of blending it to smooth with an electric blender (which I don’t have!), I opted a low-tech approach – mash with wooden spoon!  I think it will be nice to be able to still see and taste some bits and pieces of the ingredients.

Again, this is what I called “free-style” recipe, adjust any ingredients as you like. (but I assumed you will at least know and/ or have some basic instincts in cooking!)

Ingredients:

1. 500g chicken liver
2. 100g butter for cooking and 50g for topping at the final stage
3. 2 onions
4. 1 tbsp Mustard paste
5. Salt and pepper
6. 4 Garlic cloves
7. 1 tsp Dried thyme

Soften the onion and garlic  in hot melted butter, and then add the liver and cook for 5 mins. Season with salt, pepper , mustard paste and thyme. Then mashed the liver as smooth as you can. Press the cook chicken liver to a container (preferably some earthenware pot) and top with melted butter. Let it cool and keep in the fridge for 1 or 2 days before serving.

Serve with toasts and garnish with shoots. Perfect for sunday posh brunch I reckon!

Hamburger Rotlicht-Szene Prügel für Albaner-Toni

Tatort Hamburg-Pöseldorf: Vor dem Lokal „Hännchenkeller” ging es Sadri L. an den Kragen 03. November 2009 Das Blut auf dem Asphalt ist weg, es hat viel geregnet in den vergangenen Tagen. Die schmale weiße Tür des „Hähnchenkellers“ liegt neun Stufen hinunter, sie ist verriegelt. Der Wirt Franz Schubert will nichts gesehen haben und auch nicht darüber sprechen. Im „Hähnchenkeller“ treffen sich „Künstler, Promis, Individualisten“, sagt der Siebzigjährige. Öffnungszeiten normalerweise: Mittwoch bis Samstag, 22 Uhr bis „open end“. Es hat geknallt am vergangenen Wochenende in der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg. Eine Schlägerei am Sonntagmorgen um 7.20 Uhr. Der Streit begann unten im Lokal. Die beiden Kontrahenten gingen raus, hoch auf die Straße. Ein Messer, vier Fäuste und ungezählte Fußtritte. Bis einer blutend liegen blieb. Die Polizei spricht von einem „unglücklichen Zusammentreffen“. Doch es war nicht irgendjemand, der dort lag – das wissen sie, die Polizei und auch der Wirt Schubert. Deshalb sind sie jetzt so nervös und wortkarg. Finden Sie Ihren Stromtarif Mit dem FAZ.NET-Stromrechner können Sie sich Ihren persönlichen Stromtarif kostenlos errechnen. Hier klicken. „Albaner-Toni“, ein König vom Kiez Das Opfer heißt Sadri L., besser bekannt als „Albaner-Toni“, ein König vom Kiez. Jener Mann, der Mitte November das größte Bordell Hamburgs eröffnen will, ein Sechs-Millionen-Euro-Investment von sechs Rotlichtgrößen. 10.000 Quadratmeter mit Saunen, Pool und mehr als hundert Frauen. Die Tageskarte soll siebzig Euro kosten, Snacks, Buffet, Softdrinks, Sauna- und Poolbenutzung inklusive; Sex kostet extra. Der Pate vom Straßenstrich an der Süderstraße will etwas Seriöses machen. „Babylon“ ist offiziell ein „Hotel- und Wellnesscenter mit bordellartigem Betrieb“. Jetzt liegt Sadri L. mit einer schweren Kopfverletzung und Gehirnblutung im Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf. Sein Kontrahent war nach der Schlägerei mit einer Handverletzung im Krankenhaus erschienen, möglicherweise die Folge eines Messerstichs. Nach der Erstversorgung schickte ihn der Arzt in ein anderes Krankenhaus, dort warten sie heute noch auf ihn. Mittlerweile ist man vorsichtiger

Explosion in Kassel vermutlich Milieu-Tat: Zwei Leichtverletzte Rotlicht unterm Scheffel Das Landeskriminalamt ermittelt – und meinte zunächst, dass die Tat mit dem Milieu nichts zu tun habe. Ein Ermittler der Abteilung „Organisierte Kriminalität“ sagte Anfang der Woche der „Hamburger Morgenpost“: „Albaner-Toni hat 25 Jahre im bleihaltigen Hamburger Milieu überlebt. Dass er nun beinahe bei einer simplen Kneipen-Prügelei umkommt – das hat schon fast etwas Tragisches.“ Mittlerweile ist man vorsichtiger. Eine Sprecherin sagt den Standardsatz „von jeglichen Richtungen“, in die ermittelt werde, fügt aber hinzu: „Das gilt in dem Fall besonders.“ Es sieht aus nach einem neuen Akt im Drama um „Albaner-Toni“. Ein Drama um Prostitution und Schießereien, um Menschen, die sich „Kölner Klaus“, „Türken-Musa“, „Muffel“ T. oder „Bimbo“ nennen. Letzterer ist offizieller Geschäftsführer des „Babylon“. Der Einundsechzigjährige heißt eigentlich Manfred N., den Spitznamen verdankt er angeblich seiner Schwäche für dunkelhäutige Frauen. „Ich wollte ihm eine Lektion erteilen“ „Albaner-Toni“ ist heute fünfzig Jahre alt. Vor 25 Jahren stieg er ins Hamburger Milieu ein und später zu einer Größe auf – als einer der ersten Ausländer der Szene. 1990 schoss ihm Klaus K., genannt „Kölner Klaus“, im Bordell „Sabrina“ mit einem Revolver in den Bauch. „Ich wollte ihm eine Lektion erteilen“, sagte Klaus K. vor Gericht. Sadri L. hatte ihn zuvor niedergeschlagen. Klaus K. bekam zwei Jahre und neun Monate Freiheitsstrafe. Danach soll „Albaner-Toni“ einen hohen fünfstelligen Betrag an Schmerzensgeld gezahlt haben, um seinen Geschäften unbeschadet nachgehen zu können. Und während der Rivale Klaus K. 1994 an Aids starb, wurde Sadri L. immer ehrgeiziger: Er beteiligte sich am „Dollhouse“, an der „Großen Freiheit“ und am „Laufhaus“ an der Reeperbahn. Zudem beherrschte er in den neunziger Jahren den Straßenstrich an der Süderstraße. Sadri L. war gefürchtet für seine Skrupellosigkeit. Doch die Geschäfte im Milieu laufen heute längst nicht mehr so gut. Viele potentielle Kunden bleiben wegen des Sex-Angebots im Internet zu Hause. In Hamburg schaffen zurzeit rund 2400 Frauen in Laufhäusern, Clubs, an Straßenstrichs und in den etwa 350 „Modellwohnungen“ an. Sie machten 2008 einen Umsatz von rund 87 Millionen Euro. Vor zehn Jahren lag die Zahl der Prostituierten und der Umsätze noch doppelt so hoch. Es gibt Menschen, für die sind das keine guten Nachrichten. Die Dornenhecke wuchert über den Zaun Sadri L. hat jetzt wieder investiert, in die Süderstraße, dort, wo er immer der Chef war. Und wo Hamburg noch ein bisschen grauer ist als sonst – neben Baustoffhandel, Reifendiensten, Speditionen und TÜV Hanse. Die Straße endet in einer kleinen Siedlung, kleine eckige Häuser, ein Mehrgenerationenhaus mit Seniorentreff und Mutterfrühstück. Ans Schwarze Brett hat der Stadtteilpolizist seine Durchwahl geschrieben. Und am Ende der Sackgasse steht „Mandy’s Nagelstudio“. Ein paar hundert Meter entfernt soll das „Babylon“ eröffnen, Hausnummer 236. Der lachsfarbene, zweigeschossige Gewerbehof sieht noch nicht so aus, als würde er bald mehr als hundert Prostituierten Platz bieten. Die „VBH Vereinigter Baubeschlag Handel Nord GmbH“ hat immer noch nicht ihr Schild abmontiert, und auf der anderen Seite des Hofs ist der „Segro Elektrofachgroßhandel“ verwaist. Die Dornenhecke wuchert über den Zaun. Drinnen sollen die drei Saunen, zwei Massagesalons und der Pool bereits startklar sein, die Zimmer eingerichtet im antiken Stil. Die Investition ist ein Wagnis. Seit Jahren gibt es einen Kampf um den kleiner werdenden Markt: Albaner, Türken und die Rocker von den „Hells Angels“, die um das Jahr 2000 den Kiez eroberten. „Albaner-Toni“ verbündete sich mit den „Hells Angels“. Doch es bleibt ein Gegenspieler, der ihm das Geschäft streitig machen will und vielleicht auch sein Leben. Die haben kein Herz, kein Hirn und keine Eier Musa A. hatte sich Mitte der neunziger Jahre mit großer Brutalität im Rotlicht-Milieu einen Namen gemacht, hieß fortan „Türken-Musa“. Seine Bande nannte sich „Gangster GmbH“, wohl in Anlehnung an das erste große Zuhälterkartell auf der Reeperbahn, das vor mehr als dreißig Jahren bis zu 120 Zuhälter kontrollierte. GMBH – dieses Kürzel stand damals für Gerd, Mischa, Beatle und Harry. In den Neunzigern verkaufte „Türken-Musa“ seine Bordellanteile an „Albaner-Toni“. Sie handelten eine Gewinnbeteiligung aus. Musa A. kümmerte sich lieber um Warenterminbetrug. Dafür wurde er verhaftet und 2003 in die Türkei abgeschoben. Als er vor zwei Jahren für eine Operation wiederkam, verlangte er sein Geld. „Ich will 1,5 Millionen von diesen Ziegenhirten. Die haben kein Herz, kein Hirn und keine Eier. Ihre Zeit ist abgelaufen“, sagte er damals. Doch Sadri L. hatte in der Zeit längst die Macht übernommen und wurde immer selbstbewusster. So heiratete er 2005 in den berüchtigten Osmani-Clan ein. Die Hochzeitsgesellschaft hatte immerhin den Ballsaal des „Hotel Atlantic“ gemietet. Es folgten mehrere Schießereien, unter anderem mit Maschinengewehren an der Tankstelle an der Süderstraße. Zuletzt schoss ein Unbekannter auf einen Türsteher, der von Musas Lager zu Sadri L. gewechselt sein soll. Die Betreiber denken schon an Expansion Musa A. sitzt seit Sommer dieses Jahres wieder im Gefängnis, verurteilt zu zwei Jahren wegen Menschenhandels und Verstoßes gegen das Waffengesetz. Doch Ruhe ist noch lange nicht in Sicht. Noch weiß niemand, ob die Schlägerei vom Wochenende der Anfang vom Ende war, der Beginn eines neuen Kriegs. Oder ob der Täter gar nicht wusste, wen er da niederschlug. Der „Hähnchenkeller“ ist bei der Polizei „schon lange nicht mehr auffällig“ gewesen. 2001 noch nahm die Polizei den damaligen Wirt fest, weil er die Gäste in rauhen Mengen mit Kokain versorgt haben soll. Manfred N., Rufname „Bimbo“, hat jedenfalls der „Hamburger Morgenpost“ gesagt, dass man das „Babylon“ Mitte November eröffnen werde – „definitiv“. Die Betreiber denken schon an Expansion. Im kommenden Jahr wollen sie nebenan ein Fitness- und Beautystudio eröffnen, wo jetzt noch die drei Rolltore der Firma „Segro“ heruntergelassen sind und eine schmutzige weiße Fahne weht. Fürs Erste herrscht gespenstische Ruhe im Milieu. Im Nordosten Hamburgs, am Bruno-Georges-Platz, ermittelt die Polizei. Im Südosten an der Süderstraße steht eine einzige Prostituierte am Bordstein. Mit Regenschirm und Minirock wartet sie auf Autofahrer und Trucker und fürchtet die neue Konkurrenz in ihrem Rücken. Und im schicken Pöseldorf an der Außenalster möchte Franz Schubert in seinem „Hähnchenkeller“ seine Ruhe. Im Internet schreibt ein Gast, der mit „seinen Mädels“ nach einer Party dort „gerne bis in die Morgenstunden“ feiert: „Franz ist wie ein Papa, der uns sofort beschützt, wenn jemand mal zu zudringlich wird!“

“What’s love got to do with what, Doris?” you may ask.

“Pâté,” is my answer.

Tina Turner probably didn’t have pâté in mind when she belted out this song from her 1984 breakthrough album Private Dancer.

“So what’s the connection?” I hear you saying.

“My ex-husband’s fists,” is my answer.

Intrigued? Let me explain.

I used to consider my husband, Joe, a bit of a rough diamond. Now of course I can see him for what he was, which was a rough lump of coal. My Joe had a penchant for tattoos, when they were fashionable the first time around. In those days (and I’m going back to the fifties here) it was not unknown for men, especially those with high pain thresholds and low I.Q.s, to tattoo themselves. Joe was one such man; armed with a needle and a bottle of black India ink, one Saturday afternoon, he set to work on his knuckles.

LOVE. He started work on the left hand, using his steadier right hand to do the deed. I wasn’t happy about it but he seem pleased by the results and, give him his dues, Joe had nice handwriting and I’d say the finished result was close to a Garamond script.

Next came the right hand and, undeterred, Joe set about the task with considerable gusto… with his shakier left hand. It went wrong from the off. Joe made a real hash of the letter H but ploughed on with the A, T and E, resolving to return and make good the H as if these were pencil strokes he was dealing with. Return he did, only to make even more of a pig’s ear of it. The letter grew, and grew,  in size as he attempted to cover over his initial mistake. Eventually Joe decided to cut and run. Making the best of a bad job, trying to salvage something from this dreadful situation, Joe wrought the H into a passable P.

And so it was, LOVE AND PATE

If only I had a pound for every person who asked Joe for the story behind the tattoos on his hands! At times his efforts to justify his apparent tribute to this meat-based paste, were laughable. Too proud to admit the truth, he preferred to extol the virtues of this continental spread. Ironically Joe was always a meat and two potatoes man; he couldn’t abide foreign food and yet, he would have defended pâté to his dying breath.

Chicken liver Pate, port-fig crostini, pickled red onions.

Artichoke salad with Parmesan.

Sweet potato falafel.  Glass Half Full, Carrboro

Ingredientes:

• 250 g de queijo roquefort
• ½ xícara (chá) de Azeite Extra Virgem Gallo
• 1 colher (sopa) de conhaque
• 4 ramos de salsa
• Pimenta-do-reino recém moída

Modo de Preparar:

• Amasse o queijo com um garfo.
• Acrescente o azeite, o conhaque e a salsa.
• Tempere com a pimenta e leve à geladeira por 1 hora para adquirir consistência.
• Sirva com torradas.

Fonte: http://www.cargillfoods.com.br

Pate Sibiu

Salam de Sibiu

Bread

Cheese

Yummy!

I asked and you answered. Thanks to everyone for your ideas with the 21 Foods List! Here it is, revamped; these are all the foods that I plan on making over the next year before my 22nd birthday, all of them from scratch and without the aid of bread makers/pasta machines etc:

1. Perogies

2. Pasta

3. Cinnamon buns

4. Jam

5. Marshmallows

6. Gnocchi

7. Baked donuts

8. Graham crackers

9. Cheesecake

10. Bagels

11. Pickles

12. English Muffins

13. Paella

14. Roasting a turkey

15. Nut butter

16. Yogurt

17. Pesto

18. Pate

19. Vegetable stock

20. Pita bread

21. Baklava

A couple others which I want to try but might not get accomplished this year, from your suggestions, are to make coffee, duck (I’m not sure how I’d prepare this- but the idea of tackling Peking duck is so intriguing and would be such a great challenge!), and lavender soup. At the beginning of October, as I was happily indulging in a square of layer cake that my awesome new roommate’s mum made, it crossed my mind that to make a layer cake would be another good one to add to this list. Therefore, I’m adding layer cake as a “bonus” bullet point to my 21 Foods List.

I have already crossed two off my list: roasting a turkey and making vegetable stock. They both turned out amazingly well! I roasted the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner with my mum looking on (following her directions- no one would trust me to bring along my own recipe because I’d likely try to “healthify” it and thus ruin it ), and I used a recipe from The Veganomicon for the vegetable stock. Both were simple and easy to do. There’s hardly anything to roasting a turkey! I was pleasantly surprised at the glorious simplicity of such a delicious dish (and, as my mum noted, if you’re using a butterball turkey like we do every holiday, it’s really just the combination of fat and salt that makes it. David Kessler, anyone?).

With the vegetable stock, the key is to use the “leftovers” from veggies. I threw in all of the ends of carrots and stumps of celery that are inedible (I saved them over the course of about a week), and besides that, the recipe just calls for one chopped onion, less than 1 tbsp of olive oil, and a pile of garlic. Delicious. It worked perfectly in my favourite split pea soup recipe. I’ve seen a lot of recipes to make vegetable stock which call for using a ton of vegetables, and I think it took me this long to make my own broth because I didn’t want to waste so many vegetables. But if you use the stumps, cores, peels etc that you wouldn’t eat anyways, vegetable stock becomes an incredibly economical and healthy dish. The best part about it, too, is that it only needs to simmer for a couple hours (throwing the veggies in with the water takes all of about 3 minutes), and it’s not overflowing with sodium! Even vegetable stocks that say “reduced salt” on them at the grocery store tend to have oodles of salt in them, so it’s nice to have that kind of control to ensure that there is either no salt, or very little, added to the homemade variety.

If you have any recipes for the above items on my 21 Foods List, please do send them my way. I’d love to try them out!

Also, for those of you who have been asking, here is my delicious bean ball recipe (click on link for more ideas for the best ways to eat them and for substitutions if you don’t have some of the ingredients readily available):

Energizing Protein-packed Bean Balls

Ingredients
1 can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained to remove any excess sodium)
2 heaping tbsp homemade ketchup (recipe below)
1 tbsp water
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
A few squirts of lemon juice
5 tbsp wheat germ
4 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl so that there are still some chunks of beans. Add the rest of the ingredients and use a spoon to mix everything together until it is well combined.

3. Roll the bean mixture into small balls. You should get between about 20 and 30 balls.

4. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the balls on the sheet and spray them with some olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the ketchup: Combine 1 can tomato paste, 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp agave nectar (or honey), 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp whole grain mustard, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves and 2 tbsp cider vinegar. Refrigerate until use.

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for Taza Chocolate!

It’s not too often that I have reason to hang out in a professional kitchen… so when offered the opportunity, I usually jump at the chance. There’s something about the coordinated chaos there that I love, a sense of awe that all these seemingly separate parts can unite to create something, and do it the same way every time.

So I was delighted when the folks at Petit Robert agreed to have me come in a couple weeks ago to learn how to make their vegetable paté. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to make paté at home for the past few months, and I figured what better way to get over my fears then to learn from the professionals?

My visit happened to fall upon one of those rainy fall days that makes you long to cook. I was greeted by Chef Jacky Robert, who brought me back to the kitchen, a small, but well-organized space. A huge pan of onions sat on one burner, slowly caramelizing for onion soup. Behind them, a pot of pork rillettes simmered quietly; they would eventually become paté. Chef Jacky introduced me to Juan, one of his chefs. The two have worked together for 13 years and get on remarkably well, considering that Chef Jacky’s Spanish is so-so and Juan’s English is so-so. A couple times a week, Juan makes giant batches of patés. Today, he was planning to fill three giant loaf pans with vegetable paté.

Juan was already stirring a pot of sliced onions coated in olive oil. “Suave,” he said. “Que no se queme.” Slowly, so they don’t burn. When the onions were just starting to turn translucent, he added a 6 lb. can of diced tomatoes, with all their juice (the restaurant uses fresh tomatoes when they’re in season), along with a tablespoon each of salt and sugar, a heaping handful of garlic and a touch of red pepper flakes. While that simmered, he set a large pot of salted water to boil.

Chef Jacky stopped by and explained that vegetables should always be cooked the French way- in salt water.

Jacky’s commitment to maintaining Petit Robert as a traditional French bistro is remarkable, and something that’s noted not just on the restaurant’s web site, but in the recent “Bistro Authentique” award bestowed upon it by Stuff Magazine recently.

“American restaurants shamelessly slap the term bistro on everything from awful chain outlets to places with $55 entrees,” the magazine wrote. “The French reserve the term for modest neighborhood spots like Petit Robert Bistro that unpretentiously serve delicious, relatively simple meals at working man’s prices.”

“This is what we try to do,” Jacky said, handing me the magazine.

Back at the stove, Juan was adding a large bunch of broccoli florets to the now boiling pot of water. He let them cook for precisely three minutes, then removed them with a slotted spoon and plunged them into and ice bath. Asparagus, cut into two-inch pieces with any white removed, was added. While that cooked, Juan worked on taking the broccoli from the ice, shaking each piece vigorously and putting it into a towel lined dish to remove as much water as possible.

The asparagus was tasted and tasted again. When it had reached the perfect point of tenderness (just very slightly crunchy and still bright green) it was removed from the pot and plunged into ice water, which keeps the vegetables from cooking any more. Green beans were added to the pot, which Juan stirred on occasion to ensure that everything cooked evenly.

While the green beans cooked, Juan got to work on the tomato mixture, which had been cooking continuously. First, the mixture was liquefied in a blender, then it was poured through a sieve. This ensured a smooth coulis, which would bind the paté.

Juan took six cups of the coulis and added 30 sheets of softened gelatin, which he returned to the stove to dissolve. While that heated, he whisked three cups of heavy cream (btw, forget fancy measuring cups, he used a standard Petit Robert coffee mug, the same ones diners sip coffee from after their meals) until it was foamy and retuned it to a refrigerator until later.

By that time, the gelatin had dissolved into the tomato mixture. Juan removed it from the stove and poured it into a bowl set over ice. He occasionally stirred the mixture with a whisk to keep everything smooth.

While the mixture cooled, Juan set to work on the molds, greasing them and packing the bottoms with broccoli florets set upside down. He packed them pretty tightly, getting as many florets as possible into the pans.

Juan then returned to the tomato mixture, which by this time was the consistency of a hearty tomato sauce. The cream was added, and the mixture took on the look of a vegetable mousse. Some of this was spooned into the loaf pans, pushed into the bottom of the pan until it just reached the top of the broccoli stems. (See below)

The asparagus and green beans were folded into the remaining tomato mixture and then added to the loaf pans. Juan pushed firmly with a spatula to remove any air bubbles and to ensure as much of the mixture got into the pan as humanly possible. The molds were then covered with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to set for three to four hours.

Petit Robert offers the “green and red vegetable paté” as an appetizer, serving it with herbed oil and topped with tomato concassé. At $5.50, it’s a substantial portion, suitable for a light meal on its own, or a good substitute for a salad.

I remember when my grandparents were preparing goods for the winter. They used to transform the tomatoes into juice, boil the bottle in water and store it for use over the winter. They also put oil on top to prevent air entering in contact with juice and also used aspirin as preservative. They also put pickles in plain vinegar.

We all know that these days when buying a product means more than just pick it up from the shelf. One of globalization benefits is that you can enjoy exotic products made at the other end of the world, that doesn’t grow on your backyard, or continent. But for this, producers need a way to safely store products for longer periods of time. On the other hand some companies just add stuff into products that make it more tasteful, colorful etc. These are called additives and we all know them as Es.

The main problem with Es is that there are good Es and most of them bad Es. Bad because they are a hazard to health (usually in large quantities). Some of them are even banned in few countries.

Almost any person that has a minimum interest in what eats is interested in what additives their food contains. So if you are interested, follow this topic, because I will start a list of articles on this topic where I will write about products that I encounter with my personal opinions. Why? Well, few year ago I used to read a newspaper that had a review on food products commonly found on the bookshelf. Why I love about that article was that the product was taken to the food institute and reviewed by someone from there. Since I cannot consider myself an food specialist I will only try to put in forefront the hidden things behind the scenes. You’ll be the final judge if you would eat or not this product.

Let’s start with the first patient.

Vegetable paté Hora

Manufacturer: S.C. Glina S.A.
Address: Intrarea Abatorului nr. 5, Comuna Glina, Judet Ilfov
Phone: 021 492 00 05
Personal conclusion: I wouldn’t eat it

This is vegetable paté, has no less than 12 additives. Contains vegetable oil, vegetable protein, water, starch, salt, dehydrated tomatoes, onion, garlic. Condiments and condiment extract, glucose syrup, paprika extract, sugar.

Pros:

1. I do not see any reason to eat this product

Cons:

1. No nutritional information on the label
2. Contains a lot of additives, although none are carcinogen
3. Contains sugar and starch – In unspecified quantities
4. Probably high in calories due to sugar and vegetable oil content

Additives:

• E407 – Carrageenan – None known in the concentrations used, although high concentrations bring about flatulence and bloating, due to fermentation by the intestinal microflora
• E450 – Potassium and sodium di-phosphates, E451 – Potassium and sodium tri-phosphates, E452 – Polyphosphates – None known when used in foods. High concentrations of phosphates may disturb several metabolic processes as phosphate plays an important role in general metabolism.
• E412 – Guar Gum – None known in the concentrations used, although high concentrations bring about flatulence and bloating, due to fermentation by the intestinal microflora (in the same way as all indigestible polysaccharides).
• E481 – Sodium stearoyl lactate – None, both lactic acid and stearic acid are normal products in human metabolism.
• E150 – Caramel – Side effects are manifested from the use of E150c and E150d, where intestinal problems may occur after ingestion of large amounts. Due to the complex nature of the mixtures, toxicology tests are still being carried out.
• E120 – Cochineal, Carmine, Carminic acid – Cochineal is one of the few natural and water-soluble colorants that resist degradation with time. It is the most light- and heat-stable and oxidation-resistant of all the natural colorants and is even more stable than some synthetic food colours. Cochineal it is neither toxic nor known to be carcinogenic. However, the dye can induce an anaphylactic-shock reaction in a small number of people, due to impurities in the preparation, not due to the carminic acid.
• E621 – Monosodiumglutamate – “It can thus be concluded that the intake of glutamate is safe for the general population. However, proper labelling offers persons who prefer not to consume foods with added MSG the possibility to avoid those products.”
• E635 – Sodium ribonucleotides – Asthmatic people should avoid guanylates and inosinates. As guanylates and inosinates are metabolised to purines, they should be avoided by people suffering from gout. However, the concentrations used are generally so low that no effects are to be expected.
• E301 – Ascorbic acid sodium salt – No side effects known in the concentrations used.
• E330 – Citric acid – Citric acid is a normal component of body cells and will be degraded and used by the body without side effects. Pseudo-allergic reactions (intolerance) have been reported, but these are very rare. People with such intolerance should also avoid all soft fruits and berries and products made thereof. It does not cause cancer.
• E296 – Malic acid – Reference.
]]> http://ospatariaiancului.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/pateul/ Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:06:53 +0000 Dan Iancu http://ospatariaiancului.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/pateul/

- Ce-i acolo?
- Păi oarece ficăţei de pui proaspeţi…
- De puici merge?
- Nu, că ele ne mîn’că ficăţelu’, iar nu noi de pe la domniile lor, mangositele!
- Aferim, jupîn Iancule.
- Deci aseară, cînd venii de la piaţă cu o juma de kil de ficăţei, îî slobozii pre dînşii în oarece vin roş dulce altoit cu un păhărel de jamaică, asta numa în caz că nu ai maderă prin casă cum sună la reţiptul franţuzesc de la mama lui.
- De unde, bre, maderă, că nici busuioaca nu mai e ce-o fost mai veac.
- Mde, jupîne Ioaniţascule, dacă nu ai matale gălbiori destui… Mai bine ia aici o bărdacă de gălbior cu sifon proaspăt de la conu’ Borsec, cît am eu treabă, că bătu de amiaz’ şi vreau să gat masa pîn’ diseară.
- Da’ să zici ce faci, ca să scriu reţiptul pentru madama mea, să nu ma duc cu mîna goală acasă.
- Iaca zic. Iei nişte costiţă afumată crudă, merge şi oarece kaiser, da’ nu-i tot aia. Cît ficat atîta costiţă. Le treci pe toate prin tocător de cîte ori ai poftă. Dacă vrei si iasă fin musai e măcar de două ori. Toci şi o ceapă roşie. Bună ar fi o eşalotă, dar nu se găsesc p-acilea. Amesteci totul într-n castron, pui sare, piper, razi nucşoară şi adaugi oarece alte arome dacă ai chef. Eu nu. Cel mult puţin busuioc bine mărunţit. Lăsăm preţ de o badacă de şpriţ după care pregătim baia marină cum îi zic franţujii cei jmecheri. Iaca după cum vezi. Pun în vasul ăsta de sticlă, vasul îl atîrn pe toarte în cratiţa asta să stea numai în apă şi dăm totul al cuptor cu foc potrivit preţ de trei ceasuri.
- Păi eu nu aştept atîta.
- Nici nu te-am invitat să aştepţi. Ia mai bine nişte icre proaspăt bătute, cam sărate e drept.
- De unde-s?
- Şi ele şi măslinele de la Tanti Cora, că de aia-s potroace. Mde.
- Şi după ce scoţi din cuptor?
- A, mai nimic. Răstorni, laşi la rece şi serveşti apoi cu un vin roş aprig şi felioare subţiri de castraveţi muraţi cronţănitori. Asta-i.
- Fug acasă.

]]> http://greenwichvillagegreen.com/2009/10/26/even-old-new-york-was-once-new-amsterdam/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:11:59 +0000 greenwichvillagegreen http://greenwichvillagegreen.com/2009/10/26/even-old-new-york-was-once-new-amsterdam/

The New Amsterdam Market yesterday was a success!  Let me tell you about just a few of the wonderful goodies I picked up…

1. Liver Pâtè from The Piggery.  I like to think this is a pâtè for people who claim not to like pâtè. Made in Trumansburg, NY from pastured pigs’ liver, this mild and tasty spread makes for a lovely snack on crackers or veg. (But I won’t judge you if you decide to just nibble at a spoonful of it straight from the jar.)  The spices added like coriander (that’s cilantro seeds!), nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and paprika can’t hurt, either.  None of these is overpowering in the least.  At $5 a pop (for a 4 oz. jar) it’s a steal.  Oink Oink.

2.  I also picked up the Lake’s Edge Cheese by Blue Ledge Farm in Salisbury, VT from Saxelby Cheeses. This pasteurized goats’ milk is a very well balanced goat cheese- not crumbly, not too creamy, either.  A little tang, as is to be expected.   Melts in your mouth.  Yum.

3. Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas from Hot Bread Kitchen. I’m so excited about this company and their mission, I think they deserve their own post all together.  Soon to follow…

]]> http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/chicken-liver-parfait/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:09:03 +0000 gourmettraveller http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/chicken-liver-parfait/ http://petraschuseil.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/pate-werden-plan-china/ Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:41:19 +0000 petraschuseil http://petraschuseil.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/pate-werden-plan-china/

Kennen Sie Plan International Deutschland e.V.? Ich unterstütze als Patin ein Mädchen in China …Yingxue Song heißt sie. Das Geld, das monatlich überwiesen wird, geht nicht direkt an die Familie aber an das Dorf. Ich unterstütze somit eine Gemeinde in der Provinz Shaanxi auf dem Land nahe der größten Stadt der Welt Chongqing (30 Mio Einwohner). Die Gemeinde bestreitet ihren Lebensunterhalt vor allem aus dem Apfelanbau.

Das Foto stammt von der Homepage www.plan-deutschland.de.

Mit dem Geld wird “Plan China” unterstützt folgende Ziele zu realisieren: eine bessere Gesundheitssituation, sauberes Wasser und Hygiene, Bildung und Betreuung, Einkommen der Familien und noch mehr. Informieren Sie sich hier:

Auch Sie können helfen und unterstützen. Informieren Sie sich hier:

Plan International Deutschland e.V.
Bramfelder Str. 70
22305 Hamburg
Tel. (0 40) 611 40-0
Fax (0 40) 611 40-140
info@plan-deutschland.de

Sie sind längst Patin oder Pate?

]]> http://radicchiodiparigi.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/corso-di-cucina-terrine-e-pate/ Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:06:55 +0000 Lucia http://radicchiodiparigi.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/corso-di-cucina-terrine-e-pate/ http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/homemade-flatbreads-and-smoked-mackerel-pate/ Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:14:45 +0000 gourmettraveller http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/homemade-flatbreads-and-smoked-mackerel-pate/ http://rabidfood.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/gulerodspate/ Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:16:34 +0000 rabidfood http://rabidfood.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/gulerodspate/



Disse små patéer er baseret på Kirsten Skaarups opskrift på gulerodspaté fra den fantastiske kogebog “Det kærlige køkken”. Patéerne er lavet på ingredienser man næsten altid har i huset og passer sammen med det meste tilbehør. 

Ingredienser:

150 g hakket løg/porre

2 fed finthakket hvidløg

Olie

500 g revet gulerod

2 dl Rasp

2 dl mælk

2 dl hakket persille

1 tsk Timian (Helst frisk)

2 æg

Salt og peber

Sådan gør du:

Svits løg og hvidløg i lidt olie. Tilsæt de revne gulerødder og lad dem svitse med et par minutter´, til de har skiftet farve. Tag panden af varmen. I en skål mixes: Rasp, mælk, persille, timian, æg, salt og peber. Når gulerodsmassen har kølet lidt af, æltes de to masser sammen til en fars.

Farsen kan enten kommes i en smurt  kageform eller fordeles  i 12 muffinforme.

Bag patén ved 200° C i ca. 1/2 time alt efter om du bruger store eller små forme. Lad pateen sætte sig et par minutter inden den vendes ud af formen. 

Tip: Det ser festligt ud hvis du blanchere et par hele poreblade eller gulerodsstrimler (Brug ostehøvl) til at fore formen med¨, inden du kommer fyldet i. Husk at smøre formen, hvis ikke du bruger silikoneforme.

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