World Cup Party ...

The people that know me, know that I have a big mouth. This time my big mouth had me cooking for about 30 people for the FIFA World Cup Final game between Spain and the Netherlands. It all started when I was at my friends son's second birthday party. I was discussing international soccer with some friends over a few cocktails....This is always the point when I open up my big mouth and commit myself to something. So I blurt out "I will throw a World Cup Final party, and cook dishes that represent the two teams in the final game". I immediately thought...what if the two teams in the final are Algeria and Ghana? I never tried to cook anything that resembles authentic cuisine from either country. So for the next three weeks that followed I struggled with what was I going to cook and what teams were going to be in the final. As much as I wanted Argentina to win it all(I cook a lot of Argentine dishes), it came down to Spain and the Netherlands. Spain was easy, there are so many dishes to choose from, The Netherlands on the other hand was a bit harder. Now I start doing research, and thinking about who I am cooking for, I realize that many of the traditional dishes from The Netherlands would not go over well until I discovered Slavinken (Bacon Wrapped Pork Parcels). I thought that this might work but I wanted to tailor it for my guests as well as put my own flair into it. I altered the recipe a bit by adding ground beef to the pork, also using a simple chimmichurri dressing to help bind the meats together. I choose to grill the parcels almost like a hamburger as opposed to cooking them in a pan. The grill allowed me to cook more at once and add a nice smokey flavor to it. I also put a cast iron skillet on the grill to cook the bacon, It added a real nice edge to the already smokey flavor of the bacon. To complete the dish I steamed white and green asparagus and baked (on the grill, in a roasting pan)red "new" potatoes and purple potatoes. A funny little side note...While my guests are watching the game and eating...(and I'm running around like a madman), one of my friends asks "Why are the potatoes purple?" The only answer I could come up with was "I don't know". Yes I admit it...I do not know everything, but now I do. They have the same antioxidant makeup of a blueberry, albeit taste and look like a potato. They were originally cultivated in Peru, but can be found all over the world. Finally with the help of a friend (Thanks Dan), we made a Hollandaise sauce for the asparagus.

Now on to Spain.

There are so many different things one could cook that are indigenous to Spain, and my first thought was Seafood. Now I wanted to cook a lot of food for a lot of people, but didn't want it to be to generic. My first choice was to use Cod fillets, but when dealing with fresh fish, you have to go with whats available. So I went with theses really nice Whiting fillets that I baked on the grill in an oval terracotta casserole that was given to me by a friend. Terracotta bake-ware is a traditional vessel for Spanish and Portuguese cooking. I used a simple dressing of olive oil, the juice of two lemons, 1 cup of "Vinho Verde" (A very dry Portuguese white wine), and 1, 11 oz jar of capers. I let the fish slightly cook in the marinade for a few minutes, then took out the fillets and placed them on the grill for a quick sear and returned them to the casserole. Simultaneously I had two large stock pots with 50 giant Northern Cherrystone Clams steaming in 3 cans of beer, 4 tbsp of butter and some fresh Thyme. Over the years I have come to realize that not everyone is willing to experiment with food or be willing to try something different, so I also threw on some chicken breast marinated in the same chimmichurri dressing on the grill, as well a some traditional Bratwurst. So I unfortunately did not get a picture of the Whiting with the clams,(there was too much traffic around the table to try to plate at that time). Everything was served family style due to the fact that there were too many people to seat, and everyone was focused on eating and watching the game at the same time. Now just to keep up with the theme of this blog... Everything I cooked is all natural whole foods, I only used organic fats (extra virgin olive oil, and organic butter), all the seafood, meat, and poultry as well as the produce was fresh. Some of our guests asked if they could bring something such as an appetizer or snack...I said sure as long as its a healthy non processed dish such a fresh cheeses, artisan breads, and a vegetable platter. Yes this was a long day of cooking, but anyone of these meals can be prepared in less than an hour individually. Actually the amount of time I spent cooking, with some help was about two and a half hours, for all that food that's not too bad. Of course the clean up is the worst part.
If you're anything like me, and let your big mouth get you into situations like this one...Don't stress, keep your focus and go cook something!!!!


Dan

Directions for Slavinken.

4 lb ground pork (preferably 80%/20% lean)
4 lb ground beef (preferably 80%/20% lean)
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1 tbsp dried)
2 tbsp fresh marjoram (or 1 tbsp dried)
1 cup of Chimmichurri Dressing

Directions for an authentic Argentine Chimichurri Sauce.

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup freshly chopped Oregano
1/2 cup freshly chopped Parsley
4 Garlic Cloves very finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

3 16 oz packages of bacon or prosciutto
(you can never have enough bacon !!!)


Mix the ground pork, beef and herbs. Add salt and pepper (don't add too much salt, because the bacon is salty).
Wet your hands and form small sausages with the ground pork and beef mix.
Brush grill grates with olive oil and place parcels evenly. Cook over a medium flame for about 5 minutes per side, remove from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes. Wrap bacon strips around each one .

Directions for Hollandaise Sauce.

3 lbs butter (clarified)
6 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in the top of a double boiler. Stir in butter and beaten egg yolks. Whisk together. Add salt and lemon juice. Cook over boiling water in a double boiler until mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and beat with a whisk until light. Stir freshly chopped parsley, if desired.

Directions for Whiting in white wine and lemon sauce

6 lbs of fresh Whiting fillets (boneless and skinless)
1 cup of white wine (Vinho Verde)
1 11 oz jar of Capers in water
4 tbsp of freshly minced parsley
The juice of two Lemons
4 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper

Cook the fish in a oval terracotta casserole (if you don't have one, use any other type of high heat bake-ware) for a few minutes. Remove the fish from the sauce and place on the grill for a quick sear. Return the fish to the casserole for a few more minutes and serve. You can add some more fresh parsley, or lemon zest at this point.

All the recipes are for making large amounts of food, you can adjust the ingredients based on how much of the main ingredient you are using.

This is a quick and easy recipe that has interchangeable parts that compliment the main ingredient. So this weeks main ingredient is Yellowfin Tuna . I used 6oz. tuna steaks that are about 3 to 4 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick . As with any recipe, you can substitute most of the side ingredients, for example you can replace the asparagus for broccoli . The mushrooms and onions can be replaced with a potato or rice of some sort . The list goes on and on, but all the ingredients in this dish seems to work quite nicely together. The sides are steamed asparagus , saute baby bella mushrooms and vidalia onions, and my favorite side...Kumato tomatoes. The Kumato is a brownish green like tomato that has an exceptional flavor and can be found in most supermarkets . If your sick and tired of generic tomatoes that taste like cardboard, give Kumato a try its a nice change from the ordinary. So with three pans on the stove you can cook this meal in twenty minutes from prep to table. You need a steamer of some sorts, I use a rather inexpensive bamboo steamer with two levels. place it in 12 to 14 inch pan and fill the pan up half way with water. Set on high flame, cover and let steam, takes about 5 minutes. Next add a little olive oil in a saute pan with some garlic and add your sliced up vidalia onions and baby bella mushrooms. Cook them on a medium flame until the onions clarify . Now you start your fish. Remember, Prior to cooking the tuna you should wash it gently with cold water a pat it dry with a towel.(make sure its dry before putting it in your pan with hot oil, or else it will splatter and could be dangerous). I feel the mixing two different fats in preparing a meal is perfectly OK. I used olive oil to cook the fish but then added a pat of butter at the end to give it a silkiness and round out the flavor of the garlic and herbs.

Directions for cooking the Yellowfin Tuna Steaks .

4. 6oz Yellowfin Tuna steaks. (boneless and skinless)
4. Garlic cloves
1. Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2. Tbsp of butter (2 pats)

Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat up a non stick pan add the olive oil and finely diced garlic . Place the tuna steaks evenly around the pan and cook at a medium heat for about 1 minute and a half to two minutes per side. (you will see the steak change color up the side to a lighter gray). Add the butter close to finishing the second side, pour the melted butter with garlic over the top of the steaks. Garnish with diced parsley and a shot of fresh lemon juice .


Don't be afraid of cooking fresh fish, it's is fast and easy and worth every penny when done right .
Now go cook something ...

Dan

OK, let me start this entry off by summarizing the past eight days. We had our annual "Dance Recital". last week of music classes, student appreciation day and various other time consuming responsibilities ... And I still found time to cook some great meals that are restaurant worthy.

First we'll start with Friday morning. I had a late night and got up way to early. Realizing that there wasn't much in the way of breakfast food available to cook, I decided to cook the last three eggs in the carton. Now there are a million different ways to cook an egg,but my preferred technique is "basted". The "basted"technique is just a fried egg, or also known as "sunny side up". The difference with a basted egg is that you use steam to cook the vein or top of the egg as if it was cooked "once over". So I start my pan off with 1 teaspoon of butter and thin little slivers of garlic. Add the eggs....(A side note. Crack your eggs on a flat surface as opposed to the edge of your pan or mixing bowl,so you avoid getting bits of shell or as I like to call it "shrapnel" in what you are cooking). I lowered the heat to medium and I started collecting the rest of my ingredients. I finely chopped fresh Basil and threw in a sprinkle of Ground Coriander. A little salt and pepper and I am ready to baste. Using 1/2 an ounce of chicken stock ...(if you don't have a way to measure 1/2 an ounce , use a standard shot glass and fill it half way!), cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat off . The eggs will be perfectly cooked and you won't have to turn them over . Shave some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the top , add some sliced tomatoes and avocado and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top. Garnish with some finely diced parsley and basil and serve with a fresh cup of coffee.
I cooked this dish in less time than it took for the coffee to brew . And this is how I started the beginning of the "eight days of insanity" .....





Now onto Sunday nights dinner. The menu was what I would consider a typical Sunday meal in the winter months but I felt like making pasta sauce albeit the middle of June. Now I know making sauce is not as easy as 123. It does take a while to cook, but if you've already committed your self to spending that much time in the kitchen, then you can cook some other things that are also time consuming... So I had a bit of a mishap that I am sure has happened to some of you. I was adding salt to my tomato sauce and the rotating selector cap on the top of the container fell off and a small mountain of sea salt is now on top of the sauce itself. This is a perfect opportunity to freak out considering how much time was invested into the sauce already. Luckily I was in the company of some friends that were willing to run to the store and grab me a couple of cans of crushed tomatoes. I tried to skim off as much salt as I could and then split the contents of the sauce into two pots . I added the fresh cans of tomatoes and about the equivalent of eight ounces of parsley. After some reducing I added a cup of red wine 2 pats of butter and let it slowly do its thing, this allowed me to start a garlic and herb risotto that was what the sauce is for. If you never cooked risotto, it is a labor intensive process. You have to stay on top of it or it will get away from you. Once your "In The Weeds" with your risotto, there really is no way out. Once the sauce and the risotto were near completion, I threw some sirloin steaks on the grill that where marinating in an authentic Argentine Chimichurri sauce and placed a whole peeled Vidalia onion on the top rack. Once the steaks were almost medium rare, I took them off the grill and let them rest, this gave me the opportunity to finish the risotto and cut up the onion. When it was all said and done, The entire meal from prep to table took about an hour and forty five minutes. Yes you can cook tomato sauce in a short time, it just comes down to manipulating the heat and neutralizing the acidity with a generous amount of parsley . I have made it a personal mission as a an "amateur chef" to dispel the myth that you need to cook tomatoes for hours on end to make them less acidic and edible . I listed everything you need to make this dish below, please post if you have any questions.

Now go cook something !!!!!

Dan

Directions for Tomato Sauce
4-28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
2-28oz cans of tomato sauce
4 cloves of garlic
8 ounces of finely diced parsley
8 ounces of finely diced basil
1 cup of red wine

Add one table spoon of extra virgin olive oil in sauce pot and add thinly sliced slivers of garlic . Once the garlic becomes aromatic add the tomatoes and stir in half the parsley and basil let simmer for about a half an hour, then add the cup of red wine. Add the rest of the herbs, and with an immersion blender liquefy everything in the pot . Lower the heat and let reduce .

Directions for Garlic and Herb Risotto
15 ounces of high quality Risotto
1/2 Vidalia onion
34 Ounces of chicken stock
1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of shallots

In a large saucepan, saute 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots in 2 tablespoon of olive oil until softened, but not brown. Stir in 1 cup rice. Stir in 1/2 cup white wine until absorbed. Add 5 cups of hot broth, in 1/2 cup additions; stirring at a brisk simmer until rice is creamy and tender. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 tablespoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions for an authentic Argentine Chimichurri Sauce.

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup freshly chopped Oregano
1/2 cup freshly chopped Parsley
4 Garlic Cloves very finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

P.S.
Since Saturday was the Recital, There truly was no time to cook...So we kept up the annual tradition of pizza. At least it was from a reputable and authentic pizza joint, not any of those fast food frozen pizza places that I can't stand. When you have eat out, try to eat smart and eat fresh.

Weeknight Madness ...

OK, just so everyone understands this entry, let give you some insight on myself. I am a career musician, I have spent most of my adult life playing, performing and recording music which eventually lead me to teaching music on a professional level. Soon after meeting my wife who is a professional dance teacher, we decided to open our own music and dance school and work for ourselves doing what we love. Fast forward ten years and that brings me to today's topic. Its the end of our school year and things are hectic with last minute recital preparations and so on, so I get a phone call that one of our dance teachers needs me to edit one of her songs tonight. The recital is this weekend ...... Oh well it will have wait until after dinner. Now in my household there is no set dinner time, due to our crazy schedules and being business owners, were lucky if we eat before 8:00 PM.
So I invite our dance instructor to join us for dinner and then we will proceed with editing her music. As we are eating, she complements me on dinner and proceeds to tell me that she wishes that her family cooked. Her mom is a good baker, but no one in her family cooks which started the discussion about fast food,and how so many people in our society depend on the "Quick Fix" for sustenance as opposed to cooking something yourself and feeling good about creating a healthy meal. For example ... The meal that I prepared for four people took me less than 45 minutes from prep to table, most people spend more than an hour diddling around on a social networking site and neglect the fact that you should eat a well rounded meal. So I encourage all of you to get in your kitchen and try to be creative or follow a recipe to the letter, but most importantly cook something.




Dan