tram’s beer dip

So if you’re down on your luck

And you can’t harmonize

Find a girl with far away

And if you’re downright disgusted

And life ain’t worth a dime

Get a girl with far away eyes

“Far Away Eyes” by The Rolling Stones

I’m watching the Canadian hockey team dominate in the Olympics, this makes me happy.  Why? you may ask…because a win would result in a US vs. Canada final match on Sunday.  While I don’t generally care that much about hockey, you bet your sweet bippy that I’ll be watching that game.  This beer dip is a great big game dip, it is rich, cheesy and can hold up to all of the drama of a major sporting event (it did just fine at a recently attended super bowl party).

A big shout out to Tram down in the O.C. for giving me this recipe. I would suggest using a cheap beer for this application, the skunk and funk adds something to the dip.

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 oz. packet of ranch dressing mix
1/2 beer (6 oz.)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:

1. Let cream cheese sit out to soften
2. Add ranch mix and beer, incorporate with a fork until most of the lumps are gone
3. Mix in cheese

rib gate

There were time and you want to be free

My love is growing stronger, as you become a habit to me

Oh I’ve been loving you a little too long

I don’t wanna stop now, oh

With you my life,

Has been so wonderful I can’t stop now

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)” by Otis Redding

These ribs are done in a more controversial way than my previous, straight-up smoked, ribs.  Being the nerd that I am, I have become hooked on a barbecue show called BBQ Pitmasters on TLC. I noticed that many of the competition cooks were wrapping their ribs, brisket and pork shoulder in foil, so I thought that I should give it a try.  My first attempt was so-so, I don’t think I cooked them long enough before I wrapped them.  I am confident that 3 1/2 to 4 hours before wrapping will create the rib texture I am looking for.

Ingredients:

2 racks of baby back ribs
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup apple jelly
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
Dry rub for ribs plus 1 tablespoon reserved
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 apple wood and 1/2 pecan wood

Directions:

For liquid seasoning:

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine: apple cider, butter, apple jelly, 1/4 cup honey, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon dry rub
2. Whisk until combined, reserve

For glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine: barbecue sauce and 1/3 honey
2. Whisk until combined, reserved

For ribs:

1. Remove the membrane and trim excess fat from the back of the ribs
2. Apply the dry rub onto both sides of the ribs
3. Prepare charcoal smoker to a temperature between 230-250 F, fill water pan with water, add smoke wood
4. Place ribs meat-side up in smoker and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours
5. Remove ribs place ribs, meat side down on a double sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap, keeping one side open so you can pour your liquid in
6. Pour half of liquid in each rib foil packet
7. Place ribs back in smoker and cook for 1 hour
8. Unwrap ribs from foil place back in the smoker, brush finishing glaze on both sides of the ribs
9. Cook ribs until sauce caramelizes

peppered flank steak with chanterelle cream sauce

Keep on the sunny side

Always on the sunny side

Keep on the sunny side of life

It will help us every day

It will brighten up our way

If we keep on the sunny side of life

“Keep On The Sunny Side” by The Carter Family

Not really steak au poirve, but definitely au poirve inspired.  Flank steak is great because it can be cooked in just under ten minutes, so this fancy looking meal can be ready in about 20 minutes. This probably wasn’t the best dish to showcase the standalone flavor of my foraged mushrooms, but the flavor still came through.  Use a heavy bottom pot to crack the pepper, you know you have cracked long enough when you no longer hear the peppercorns pop.

Serves Two

Ingredients:

½ of a flank steak (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium shallot, minced
4 oz. chantrelle mushrooms, ½ inch chunks (about 3 large mushrooms)
1 tablespoon brandy
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heavily coat steak with salt and cracked pepper
2. Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat
3. Brown steak on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side
4. Remove steaks, cover with foil, let rest for 10 minutes
5. Add shallots and mushrooms to the pan, cook until tender
6. Add brandy, cook for two minutes (don’t burn the house down!)
7. Add Dijon and heavy cream, lemon juice and salt if necessary
8. Lower heat to a simmer, cook until the sauce thickens slightly
9. Cut steak against the grain and pour mushroom sauce over the top, garnish with parsley

mushroom hunting

And at the airport in Milwaukee

They refused to let us board the plane at all

They said we looked suspicious

But I believe they like to pick on me and Paul

“Me and Paul” by Willie Nelson

Cantharellus cibarius

Arjun the Iconoclast

Banana Slug

Not edible

San Leandro Wooden Tank Company

Not Edible Either…

A new food adventure, mushroom hunting!  Arjun and I spent yesterday afternoon foraging for mushrooms in the Oakland hills. Believe it or not, we were pretty successful. We went home with almost a dozen chanterelles.  Last night we split our mushroom bounty and parted ways.  This morning I received this email from my fellow hunter:

just to let you know:

1: they were delicious
2: i am still alive

-arjun

I knew that it was ok to eat the shrooms, so I cooked them up tonight, recipe will be coming soon…

cheddar, bacon, pepper, and fresh chive biscuits

Pull up at the function and you know I Kojak

To all the party people that are on my bozak

I’ve got more action than my man John Woo

And I’ve got mad hits like I was Rod Carew

“Sure Shot” by The Beastie Boys

It’s Superbowl Sunday morning and I need some breakfast…

I ran across this recipe in this month’s Bon Appetit Magazine. Bacon? cheddar? biscuits? Hell yeah! My last post gave me the opportunity to showcase some of my thick cut bacon, which the recipe called for.  The plan is to bring these to the Superbowl party at Kevin and Dena’s in Emeryville, good thing I made a dozen because I don’t think all these little guys are going to make it to their final destination. I changed the recipe slightly, I added some cracked pepper because I just thought it would be a good addition, I was right. While these were supposed to be a snack, I could see them more appropriately served as a standalone breakfast. Also, while the recipe said this makes a dozen large biscuits, I would say it is more like 14-16, mine turned out bigger than Peyton Manning’s head.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes about 14 biscuits

Ingredients:

6 thick cut bacon slices (hopefully the stuff I inspired you to make)
3 ¾ cups bread flour
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, cracked but not ground (optional)
1 stick chilled butter (cut into ½ inch cubes) plus ½ stick of butter (melted)
2 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar
1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
2 cups buttermilk (or more if the final mixture seems too dry)

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until brown and crispy, cut into ¼ inch chunks
2. Place rack in middle of the oven and preheat to 425° F
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper, mix ingredients thoroughly with a fork
5. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry cutter
6. Stir in bacon, chives, and cheddar, mix until well incorporated
7. Slowly mix in buttermilk, dough should be sticky
8. Drop a half inch mound of dough onto the baking sheet keeping about 2 inch space in between mounds
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until brown and a toothpick comes out clean
10. Brush will melted butter

bacon #2

My mama told me, ever since I was seven,

Hold your head up high

My parents told my ever since I was eleven,

Hold your head up high

They said the answer was to become a dancer,

Hold your head high

Oh, just like I figured, they’re always disfigured

With their heads up high

“Head Held High” by The Velvet Underground

I made more bacon and it was much different than my first attempt.  This ingredient list is much less sweet and I also added a little pecan wood to the apple wood in the smoker. Good stuff…try it.

Ingredients:

3 pound pork belly
2 teaspoons sodium nitrite
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

1.    Mix ingredients and rub over pork belly
2.    Place pork belly in a zip top bag or Tupperware
3.    Flip the pork every day for 7 days
4.    On the last day, rinse the pork belly, place on a wire cooling rack placed in a jellyroll pan
5.    Place uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours
6.    Smoke at 225-250° F in a smoker with apple wood until it reaches an internal temperature of 150° F