tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23302566395337898752024-03-13T18:16:36.052-07:00Indirect HeatIndirect HeatIndirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-35275048525791896942020-04-05T15:23:00.001-07:002020-04-05T15:23:23.086-07:00Seed bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC1NgykgXTPanxoI1MBQjlcuy0hR5SVM_v-oxztDzdDqwVrFFlMtO2KX8b35SJYKGkQemqzCoJ3967Z3MKpzPJ2xvqJEJcNsDOm2MAD6rhAVOjBIUjuFmRhyphenhyphengXgCIR1XFJkc2S-CGYfk/s1600/IMG_20200405_173716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1247" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC1NgykgXTPanxoI1MBQjlcuy0hR5SVM_v-oxztDzdDqwVrFFlMtO2KX8b35SJYKGkQemqzCoJ3967Z3MKpzPJ2xvqJEJcNsDOm2MAD6rhAVOjBIUjuFmRhyphenhyphengXgCIR1XFJkc2S-CGYfk/s320/IMG_20200405_173716.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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What with all the time at home, we have time to experiment.</div>
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I present a new seed bread, adapted from the <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2010/03/no-knead-bread.html">no-knead bread</a> that I make weekly. For the dough:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
300 g bread flour<br />100 g spelt flour<br />8 g salt<br />1/4 tsp yeast<br />30 g pumpkin seeds<br />30 g sunflower seeds<br />300 g water</blockquote>
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Prepare as described <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2010/03/no-knead-bread.html">here</a>. When shaping the loaf, instead of using flour to dust the parchment paper use a mixture of:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
white sesame seeds<br />black sesame seeds<br />pumpkin seeds<br />sunflower seeds</blockquote>
Bake <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2010/03/no-knead-bread.html">as described</a> at 475<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">°</b>F. 30 minutes lid on, 7 minutes lid off. The crackling the seeds make while the loaf cools is quite heavenly.<br />
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</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span><br />
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Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-26312679249988767662014-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:002014-01-21T07:00:00.046-08:00Dill picklesBbq Jr. is big into the pickles. Whenever we're out at a restaurant, he asks if he can have a pickle with his dinner. So, to attract him to cooking, we've been making pickles together. We started with an old standard - dill pickles. <br />
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There are two reasons to pickle. One is long-term preservation. That's harder. You need to sterilize jars. Probably should hot pickle your veggies. The other reason is deliciousness. There, you need clean jars. And you need to keep your pickles in the fridge when you're done. They're good for a couple of months in the fridge. I pickle for deliciousness. If you need to learn how to store your pickles at room temperature, look to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607741008/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607741008&linkCode=as2&tag=bbqdude0f-20">The Preservation Kitchen</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bbqdude0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607741008" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, or other pickling references. If you pickle for deliciousness, read on.<br />
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I used the recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607741008/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607741008&linkCode=as2&tag=bbqdude0f-20">The Preservation Kitchen</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bbqdude0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607741008" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, although most dill pickle recipes are about the same. Add a tiny bit of sugar to make it sweeter. Add a tiny bit of crushed peppers to make it hotter. But, basically the same:<br />
<blockquote>5 ½ cups water<br />
3 ½ cups champagne vinegar<br />
2 tbsp kosher salt<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
5 tsp dill seeds<br />
10 dill sprigs<br />
10 garlic cloves<br />
4 ½ lb pickling cucumbers</blockquote><br />
We picked a couple types of cucumbers, and chopped them together.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12060322523/player/babd6971e1" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Knife skills are important to develop at a young age.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12060341993/player/6634905787" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Pack the dill, dill seeds, garlic and chopped cucumbers into your pickle jars.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="362" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12060979856/player/59ec2d8557" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Boil the water, vinegar, salt and sugar, until the sugar and salt are dissolved and the liquid is boiling. Pour the hot brine over the packed veggies.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="387" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12061021906/player/7d101c3f1d" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Allow to cool to room temperature. Cap, and place them in the fridge. Strictly speaking, they're pickles now.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12061042086/player/fc0a0b8fbc" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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But they improve with age. They peak at about 3 weeks. Eat as a condiment, or as a snack. Tasty.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/12060179115/player/b90a572ba7" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span><br />
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</noscript>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-69483027689820962572014-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:002014-01-07T07:00:02.531-08:00Mashed potato soupI'm not generally a fan of the starches (except homemade bread - I love homemade bread). Baked potato. Mashed potato. Rice. I'm not a huge fan. But when I read the recipe for Morimoto's potato soup, I knew I had to try it (adapted from his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756631238/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0756631238&linkCode=as2&tag=bbqdude0f-20">Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bbqdude0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0756631238" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />). This is one of the best things I have ever cooked.<br />
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Morimoto starts out the section with a fairly hilarious quote:<br />
<blockquote>
I must confess I have a weakness for luxurious foods like lobster, caviar and foie gras. But I also respect the humbles of ingredients. Their plainness offers me a different kind of challenge. Here a simple potato is transformed into an elegant soup you could serve at any dinner party.</blockquote>
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Of course, the recipe also includes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caviar">caviar</a>, which certainly helps elevate the humble potato.<br />
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First, the broth. The broth is a simple <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashi">dashi</a>-based broth. The genius who first decided to boil kelp and fish flakes should be honored with the status of a demi-god.<br />
<blockquote>
4 cups water<br />
½ cup loosely packed bonito flakes<br />
1 piece 4x6 inch kombu<br />
1 large baking potato<br />
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter<br />
¾ cup half and half<br />
2 tbsp sake<br />
3 tbsp light-colored soy sauce<br />
salt<br />
1 oz caviar<br />
wasabi<br />
chives</blockquote>
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Kombu and bonito flakes are available at Japanese and Korean grocery stores. At H-Mart in Massachusetts, there is a kelp section of the store, where you find the kombu. The bonito flakes (dried, shaved fish flakes) are in the seasoning section. Kombu:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11780095234/player/5e25302e86" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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And bonito flakes:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11779914703/player/fe20221d26" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Rinse off the kombu. Place into a pot with the 4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes (until it starts to make your kitchen smell like a wharf), and then remove from heat. Add the bonito flakes, and stir. Allow the mixture to cool (20 minutes or so). Strain the liquid into a different pot to remove the kelp and bonito flakes. Don't be alarmed by the smell, the broth will be delicious.<br />
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Meanwhile, take a baking potato, and stab it with a fork a few times. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11780093334/player/59084a6287" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Steam until soft (20-30 minutes). Remove from heat, and remove the skin from the potato. Mash the potato, and then force it through a potato ricer or a fine sieve.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11780437766/player/6f126a493d" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Heat the butter and cream in a pot until melted. Whisk in the sieved potato. At first it will float around in the cream, but as you continually whisk, it will turn into a syrupy goop. Continue whisking until it has the texture of a polenta.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11779661025/player/e46d682f76" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Meanwhile, reheat the broth. Season with sake and soy sauce, and salt to taste.<br />
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When the potatoes come together in a thickened consistency, scoop it into the centre of the bowls you're serving it in (this makes 6 nice appetizers). Pour broth around it. Add a scoop of wasabi, some chives and a scoop of caviar to the potato. Serve.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/11779658335/player/025f8ee301" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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This will be a repeat in our house. Very super delicious.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-80349952101168874302013-09-07T19:35:00.003-07:002013-09-07T19:35:24.892-07:00A lazy Saturday calls for...<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/9695116959/" title="Mojito by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Mojito" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/9695116959_4b2d294c59.jpg" width="462" /></a><br />
<br />
... a mojito! We've been rather quiet of late, here at Indirect Heat, but not due to a lack of food enjoyment. We've had some blogatious IT problems that are starting to resolve themselves.<br />
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In the meantime, we've been enjoying the <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2013/05/this-is-why-i-garden.html">bounty of our garden</a>. The mojito has become Mrs. Dude's favourite summer drink. And we're doing our best to enjoy it as the summer wanes. Our mojito is mintier than most, given the usage of Minty simple syrup. We base our recipe off of the one at <i><a href="http://userealbutter.com/2009/09/04/mojito-recipe/">use real butter</a></i>.<br />
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Minty simple syrup:<br />
<blockquote>8 oz. sugar<br />
8 oz. water<br />
4 large sprigs of fresh mint</blockquote><br />
Mix the sugar and water. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then toss in the mint sprigs, fresh from the garden. Let cool to room temperature, sieve out the mint. Chill. This minty simple syrup is good for weeks in the fridge.<br />
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Now, to the mojito. We use <a href="http://www.privateerrum.com/silver_product.php">Privateer amber rum</a>, a rum that tastes like it's been aged in wood. It has interesting bourbon notes, which makes for a much more sophisticated mojito:<br />
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<blockquote>½ lime, juice of to taste<br />
2 oz minty simple syrup, to taste<br />
bunch of mint leaves<br />
2 oz rum, to taste - <br />
club soda or sparkling water to taste<br />
lime wedge, for garnish<br />
mint leaves, for garnish<br />
ice</blockquote><br />
Mix the ingredients, and garnish with the mint and lime wedge. Most of the mint flavour is coming from the simple syrup, so you can leave out the garnish if you're feeling lazy. Serve.<br />
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A perfect Saturday beverage for a hot evening. Salud.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-62011760433779951302013-06-22T16:56:00.002-07:002013-06-22T16:56:44.060-07:00A lazy Saturday calls for...a cucumber beverage.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/9112608514/" title="Cucumber by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Cucumber" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7459/9112608514_c6f9dd5d59.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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There have been entirely too few lazy Saturdays of late. Working. Painting the house. Working. Gardening. Working. Plumbing. But this weekend, I am inspired to make a beverage we had recently at our dear friends' home. They found it <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2011/07/behind-the-bar-jean-lees-summer-picnic.html">here</a>.<br />
<blockquote>
1–2 pieces of thinly sliced lemons<br />
4–6 pieces of thinly sliced cucumbers<br />
1 tsp of honey<br />
2 oz vodka<br />
4 oz sparkling water<br />
3–4 cubes of ice<br />
mint for garnish</blockquote>
Mix the vodka and honey. Add everything else to the glass. We used chocolate mint and spearmint from the garden. And what a delicious drink for a hot day.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-13913608492195063952013-05-28T10:00:00.000-07:002013-05-29T19:33:26.105-07:00This is why I gardenIn 1997, I moved from Canada to Houston. In Canada, you can grow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb">rhubarb</a>. In Houston, it is only sporadically available in grocery stores. I would carry my limp rhubarb with rotten spots on it to the cash register, and I would be asked "What is that?" and "What do you do with that?". And I would pay $7 a pound for the privilege. I would salvage what I could from this pale shadow of what rhubarb should be.<br />
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At home, all of my family grows rhubarb. And towards the end of the summer, every one of them asks who needs extra, because they have too much to freeze. The idea of paying for rhubarb is ridiculous. Rhubarb is everywhere. In all of my homes since 1997 - Houston, Baltimore and San Diego - rhubarb can't live. Houston is too hot. Baltimore is too humid (the roots rotted out of my attempts). San Diego doesn't have a winter, which rhubarb requires. But now, in Massachusetts, we can grow rhubarb.<br />
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We planted them last spring, and they've flourished.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8861220886/" title="Rhubarb plant by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Rhubarb plant" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/8861220886_9eb0a2dab8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8861221302/" title="Side view - Rhubarb plant by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Side view - Rhubarb plant" height="320" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/8861221302_dfd9dbd24a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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And this weekend we harvested from them for the first time. Following my mother's advice, I harvested only the thickest stalks. Grasp them, and gently twist and pull. They come off at the base. The biggest stalks should be quite large on a healthy, established plant. Mrs. Dude is shown for scale:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8860612787/" title="Rhubarb for scale by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Rhubarb for scale" height="388" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5457/8860612787_9ddb12cf49.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Cut off the leaves (they contain toxic levels of oxalic acid). And chop the rest of the rhubarb into <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>" chunks.<br />
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A simple and worthy dessert of rhubarb is rhubarb crisp. Preheat the oven to 375°F. For the fruit:<br />
<blockquote>3 cups chopped rhubarb<br />
1 to 1 ¼ C sugar<br />
3 tbsp flour</blockquote><br />
Mix the rhubarb, flour and sugar and layer into a large, greased baking dish. Make the topping. If you like your topping crunchy, make 50% more topping than what is below:<br />
<blockquote>½ cup oatmeal<br />
½ cup brown sugar<br />
½ cup flour<br />
¼ cup butter, chopped <br />
<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub> tsp baking soda<br />
<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub> tsp baking powder</blockquote><br />
Mix the topping ingredients, and cut the butter into them. Mix well. When the oven is at temperature, sprinkle the topping evenly over the rhubarb. Place the dish in the oven, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is browned, and the rhubarb is bubbling through.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8861222086/" title="Rhubarb crisp by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7337/8861222086_b579384942.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rhubarb crisp"></a><br />
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While still hot, scoop out crisp into bowls, and serve with vanilla ice cream. Perfect.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8860613509/" title="Rhubarb crisp with ice cream by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/8860613509_50bbff1c4c.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rhubarb crisp with ice cream"></a><br />
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This is an excellent spring dessert to finish any barbecue. And this is why I garden.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-52093349381187744272012-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:002012-10-30T07:00:07.982-07:00Pulled pork fishsticks<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132589830/" title="Pulled pork fishsticks by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pulled pork fishsticks" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8132589830_86e54d4d20.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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We first visited <a href="http://www.joebeef.ca/">Joe Beef</a> in Montréal a few months ago. It's a fun, meat-centric restaurants, with over-the-top, creative dishes and <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/03/lazy-saturday-calls-for.html">cocktails</a>. I purchased their book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607740141/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607740141&linkCode=as2&tag=conspifactor-20">The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=conspifactor-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607740141" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> as soon as it was available, and have been salivating over their dish, pulled pork fishsticks, ever since. But I needed a proper occasion to cook this over-the-top dish.<br />
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Here's how it works. You make <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/pulled-pork-sandwiches.html">pulled pork</a>. You smoke a pork butt for 8 hours and then pull it. Then you mix it with bbq sauce and dissolved gelatin. You form them into a tray and allow them to gelatinize. Then you cut them into sticks, bread them and deep fry them. <br />
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Well, our occasion arrived, in the form of <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/10/foodapalooza-2012.html">Foodapalooza 2012</a>. I'm going to present a slightly modified version from what I made, as I wasn't thrilled with Joe Beef's bbq sauce, but this is inspired by their recipe, and is guaranteed to delight meatlover's everywhere:<br />
<blockquote>
½ of a <a href="http://http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/pulled-pork-sandwiches.html">pulled pork butt</a><br />
¾ cup <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/pulled-pork-sandwiches.html">pulled pork bbq sauce</a><br />
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots<br />
3 sheets gelatin<br />
salt and pepper<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 cups panko bread crumbs<br />
canola oil for deep frying</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/3804952261/" title="Pork butt sauce by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pork butt sauce" height="500" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2639/3804952261_f404a6a25c.jpg" width="427" /></a><br />
<br />
Soak the gelatin sheets in icewater while warming the bbq sauce in a small saucepan. When the sauce starts to boil, remove from heat. Squeeze the icewater out of the gelatin, and add the gelatin to the sauce. Stir until the gelatin dissolves.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/3805773308/" title="Pulled pork by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pulled pork" height="333" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2671/3805773308_2318f09d5a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Mix the sauce, pulled pork and finely chopped shallots. Mix very well, and check the seasoning. Adjust with salt and pepper. Line a small sheet pan with plastic wrap. Press the meat into the pan, making it about ½" thick all throughout the pan. Push the meat together tightly. Chill overnight.<br />
<br />
In the morning, remove the plastic wrap from the pan, and remove the meat from the plastic wrap. Slice into fishstick-sized pieces (I cut these into 21 pieces). Set up a breading station. First bowl has the flour and Old Bay seasoning. Second has the eggs, beaten until foamy. Third has the panko bread crumbs. While you're heating the oil in a pan, bread the sticks. Coat them with flour, then coat them with egg, then coat them with panko bread crumbs.<br />
<br />
When the oil hits 350°F, fry the sticks in small batches until the bread crumbs are a nice brown colour. Fish out of the hot oil, and set on paper towels to drain for a few moments. Serve. <br />
<br />
Deep-fried, smoky, acidic goodness. This is a decadent little meat-bomb, and it's guaranteed to please.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132589830/" title="Pulled pork fishsticks by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pulled pork fishsticks" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8132589830_86e54d4d20.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-40612407142905087002012-10-28T15:11:00.003-07:002012-11-12T13:45:25.678-08:00Foodapalooza 2012October has been a rough month, for various reasons. So, when I e-mailed <a href="http://food.drricky.net/">drricky</a> and told him, "I'm feeling bummed out, want to come up and cook?", he was here less than two weeks later. drricky is the kind of friend that I am truly lucky to have. Friday, we spent some time exploring the Italian bounty that the Greater Boston area has to offer, and on Saturday we cooked up a storm, as we have done <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-new-year.html">together</a> <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/roast-whole-pig.html">in</a> the <a href="http://food.drricky.net/2011/01/1-1-11.html">past</a>.<br />
<br />
Twelve dishes, no repeats (nothing we've done together before). We've gotten better at timing the dishes, and giving ourselves enough prep time to throw everything together. We started making sauces on Friday, and started serving around 6 p.m. on Saturday.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132590646/" title="Menu by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Menu" height="446" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8132590646_6d23cb09f9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Small dishes, small servings, served over 6 hours. More detailed descriptions will follow, over at <a href="http://food.drricky.net/">drricky</a>'s blog and here.<br />
<br />
We started with <a href="http://food.drricky.net/2012/05/modulating-gluten.html">pizza scones</a>, hoping that the word pizza would lull the children.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132587562/" title="Pizza scone by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pizza scone" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8132587562_acd201d04b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Next up, bánh xèo, a coconut milk pancake, wrapped around all kinds of crunchy goodness.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132587806/" title="Bánh_xèo by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Bánh_xèo" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8132587806_5a253a95f4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
An easy-to-prepare course, the ham-tasting: 3 prosciuttos served with drricky's excellent homemade loquat jam. Interesting note, <a href="http://laquercia.us/cuts_ham_prosciutto_americano">La Quercia's prosciutto Americano</a> was the far-away favourite (and the least expensive).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132588082/" title="Prosciuttos with loquat by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Prosciuttos with loquat" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8329/8132588082_1ca53c5e68.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The following dish was the evening's most fascinating dish (and one of the most successful, in my opinion). <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut">Huitlacoche</a>-<a href="http://food.drricky.net/2012/11/tasting-with-eyes.html">monkfish chowder</a>. The grey of the huitlacoche is a challenge to make beautiful, but I think that is accomplished here against the bright yellow of the corn (source of the huitlacoche fungus) and the white of the monkfish.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132588390/" title="Huitlacoche-monkfish chowder by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Huitlacoche-monkfish chowder" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8190/8132588390_20a944f6de.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Next up was the <a href="http://food.drricky.net/2012/11/myanmarian.html">Burmese thoke</a>, a crunchy salad with fried lotus root. Lightened things up before we went heavy again.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132588632/" title="Burmese thoak with lotus root by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Burmese thoak with lotus root" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8132588632_8d1349a287.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Salted, seared duck breast, served with <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2011/08/tougas-farm.html">blueberries</a> we picked in August. Beautiful and delicious on top of home-baked sourdough. I know that several guests are looking forward to drricky's post describing how to make this sauce.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132561355/" title="Seared duck with blueberry sauce by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Seared duck with blueberry sauce" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8132561355_5ec08ba008.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Beef oysters (<a href="http://www.joebeef.ca/">Joe Beef</a>, that is). A mix of soy sauce and salt beans made this a tad too salty for some, may require a bit of refinement for the future.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132589112/" title="Baked beef oysters by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Baked beef oysters" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8132589112_141802fe73.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Another hit of the night, chicken-fried, <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/09/home-cured-home-smoked-bacon.html">home-smoked bacon</a>, served with a <a href="http://food.drricky.net/2012/11/saucy.html">trio of New England sauces</a>. Blueberry, rhubarb and cranberry sauces, this is another one that I eagerly await the details for.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132561815/" title="Chicken-fried bacon with New England sauces by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicken-fried bacon with New England sauces" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8132561815_fb48911334.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
On Friday, I smoked a pork butt, and made <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/pulled-pork-sandwiches.html">pulled pork</a>. We split the pork into the next two dishes. First, <a href="http://food.drricky.net/2012/10/everyone-loves-dumpling.html">bbq pork potstickers</a>, with a mustard-<a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/06/pickled-serranos.html">serrano</a> sauce.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132589600/" title="Bbq pork potstickers with serrano-mustard sauce by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Bbq pork potstickers with serrano-mustard sauce" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8132589600_3d2e12890e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Followed by <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/10/pulled-pork-fishsticks.html">pulled pork fishsticks</a> (I'll be posting about this soon).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132589830/" title="Pulled pork fishsticks by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pulled pork fishsticks" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8132589830_86e54d4d20.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The final two dishes: Scottish sundae, consisting of grilled peaches and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit">jackfruit</a>, served with caramel-oatmeal ice cream and candied oats.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132562521/" title="Scottish sundae by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Scottish sundae" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8132562521_01fe038d2a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And the final dish of the night, <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/09/chokecherry-syrup.html">chokecherry</a> panna cotta with a nutty cookie.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8132562835/" title="Chokecherry panna cotta with nutty cookie by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry panna cotta with nutty cookie" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8132562835_f303e87a02.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
A crazy evening, but everyone went to bed with full and happy bellies. An epic evening, I can't wait to do it again.<br />
<br />
EDIT: Will continue to update with links for individual dishes.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-60214107998552685582012-10-12T09:00:00.001-07:002012-10-12T09:00:24.389-07:00Bacon shortage public service announcement<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mc6PMCx36Qw" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-90601515784561419302012-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:002012-10-02T07:00:06.695-07:00Macaroni & cheeseWhen I left home, I didn't know how to cook. My mom is an excellent cook, and she didn't feel it necessary to teach her kids to cook. But when I left home, she gave me a copy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Joy_of_Cooking">The Joy of Cooking</a> (the old version, not the re-published travesty). I still love that book. How many cookbooks do you own that describe (with drawings) how to skin and cook a squirrel? <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8045437992/" title="The Joy by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="The Joy" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/8045437992_345a5ea45d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The first recipe in that book that I ever cooked by myself comes from page 186, <b>Baked Macaroni</b>. It was a classic when I was a child, and it's a classic for my child. And it's an amazing side dish next to a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/06/indirect-heats-home-smoked-brisket.html">smoked brisket</a>.<br />
<br />
We've modified it over the years, simplifying the seasoning, and dialing up the cheese.<br />
<blockquote>4 cups macaroni<br />
4 cups grated cheese (as many kinds as you have in your fridge, but primarily cheddar)<br />
4 eggs<br />
2 ¾ cup milk<br />
1 ½ tsp salt<br />
butter</blockquote>Throw the macaroni in boiling water and boil until <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_dente">al dente</a>. Butter a large casserole dish and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.<br />
<br />
Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with just enough noodles to make the bottom disappear, then layer on a layer of cheese. I particularly like a mixture of any blue cheese, cheddar and parmesan. Use enough cheese to cover the noodles and make them disappear. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8045430767/" title="Assembling mac and cheese by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Assembling mac and cheese" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/8045430767_09dfc08788.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Repeat, layer after layer, ending with a layer of cheese.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8045437850/" title="Assembling mac and cheese by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Assembling mac and cheese" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/8045437850_8c1e184688.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, beat the eggs until foamy. Mix with milk and salt until the salt dissolves. Pour that mix over top of the macaroni. Cover the casserole and place in the hot oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until cheese is melted, and the egg mixture has firmed up a bit (it won't firm entirely until it cools a fair amount).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8045438158/" title="Assembling mac and cheese by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/8045438158_5b3da12c0c.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Assembling mac and cheese"></a><br />
<br />
Serve, classically with sausage and a veggie, or southernly next to a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/06/indirect-heats-home-smoked-brisket.html">brisket</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8045431335/" title="Macaroni and cheese by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/8045431335_e89084f4d6.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Macaroni and cheese"></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-58918594594362352492012-09-26T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-26T07:00:04.771-07:00Wordless Wednesday: Oysters for bo ssäm<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8025083256/" title="Oysters by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Oysters" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/8025083256_278982ab51.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-71978012697049232512012-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-25T07:00:08.379-07:00EmpanadasBoston isn't the largest city in the U.S. Not by a long shot. But being a college-town on steroids means that it's a cosmopolitan town that attracts scientists from around the world. Despite living the furthest from Latin America in all the years that I've lived in the U.S., there is plenty of Latin cuisine here. And that often means empanadas are served at potlucks.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511981/" title="Grilled empanadas by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Grilled empanadas" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8174/8001511981_8a8e221060.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We've taken the Argentine recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1579653545/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1579653545&linkCode=as2&tag=conspifactor-20">Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=conspifactor-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1579653545" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and cooked them on the grill.<br />
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Here we go. Make the dough and the filling the night before you plan to serve these tasty critters.<br />
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For the dough:<br />
<blockquote>
2 cups water<br />
1 ½ tbsp salt<br />
3 ½ tbsp lard<br />
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour</blockquote>
<br />
Bring the water and salt to boil. Remove from heat, and add the lard. Stir until the lard melts, then transfer to a bowl to cool.<br />
<br />
When it's cooled to room temperature, mix in the flour, a cup at a time, until you've added 6 cups. Flour a surface, and knead the ball of dough, adding flour until you have a stiff, dry dough.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001510600/" title="Working the dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Working the dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/8001510600_a26a38887a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Split the dough in half.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001510185/" title="Working the dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Working the dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/8001510185_03fa23e2f7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Wrap and place in the fridge to chill overnight. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, make the filling:<br />
<blockquote>
1 lb well-marbled sirloin<br />
coarse salt and fresh pepper<br />
10 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
¼ cup lard<br />
3 medium onions<br />
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes<br />
1 tbsp ground cumin<br />
1 tbsp paprika<br />
4 scallions, minced and separating green and white parts<br />
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves<br />
3 hard-boiled large eggs, coarsely chopped<br />
½ cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped</blockquote>
Trim the most egregious pieces of fat off of the beef. Then chop finely. Think ground beef, but not quite that fine. That's why you do it by hand, you want it to still have some texture to it, but you want it pretty fine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001510487/" title="Chopped beef by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chopped beef" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/8001510487_32611ce9cd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Chop the onions. Sauté the onions in the 6 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of lard over low heat. Cook until clear.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001510944/" title="Sauteed onions by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Sauteed onions" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/8001510944_7cd59f07eb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Add the dried spices and the white part of the scallions, sauté for a few more minutes. Your kitchen will smell ridiculous at this point. Remove from heat, and mix in the remaining scallions.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511188/" title="Sauteed seasoned by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Sauteed seasoned" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/8001511188_5274a14538.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Meanwhile, brown the meat in the oil over high heat. Brown a little bit at a time, we're looking to sear the meat, not boil it (and if you liberate a ton of fluid, you'll end up making beef stew).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001510895/" title="Browned meat by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Browned meat" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8169/8001510895_72fe109f61.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
As you finish each batch of meat, set aside to cool. Don't make piles, we're not steaming beef here.<br />
<br />
When everything has cooled, mix the beef, onion mixture, 3 tbsp of lard and the oregano (so glad we planted oregano in the garden this year, yum!).<br />
<br />
Chill the mixture in the fridge overnight.<br />
<br />
On day two, peel and chop the boiled eggs, and chop the olives.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511025/" title="Boiled eg by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Boiled eg" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8030/8001511025_b107d99fdc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Roll out the dough to ⅛" thick. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511748/" title="Emanada dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Emanada dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/8001511748_621e3920e0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Cut out 3 ½" circles in the dough and set aside on a floured tray. Repeat until all dough is gone.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511313/" title="Emanada dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Emanada dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/8001511313_8ed0971612.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Get filling, butter, olives and eggs ready. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in a circle of dough. Add a tiny bit of butter, olives and eggs. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511731/" title="Emanada dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Emanada dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8318/8001511731_691ca690ba.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Wet the outside of the circle of dough. Fold across the mid-line, and pinch shut with a fork.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001511523/" title="Emanada dough by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Emanada dough" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8169/8001511523_4100216bda.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Repeat. A bunch. If you're alone because Mrs. Dude is working late, continue folding for about an hour. Heat up your grill to 350°F. Cook each tray of emapanadas by indirect heat, using a bit of cherry wood for smoke. Cook until the empanadas are nicely browned.<br />
<br />
Remove from heat and cool.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001512416/" title="Grilled empanadas by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Grilled empanadas" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/8001512416_534ca60fb9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Serve. The lard creates a beautifully crunchy crust. And the salty, spicy, fat filling. In the language of the young folk. <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=omgwtfbbq">OMGWTFBBQ</a>. Really. It's that good.<br />
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-53189382657540596452012-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-19T07:00:01.251-07:00Wordless Wednesday: Green zebra caprese<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/8001478344/" title="Green zebra caprese by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Green zebra caprese" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8040/8001478344_5743541204.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-26729789149644828892012-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-18T07:00:05.735-07:00Blueberry sorbetSo we've <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2011/08/tougas-farm.html">become rather large fans</a> of the local you-pick place, <a href="http://www.tougasfarm.com/">Tougas farms</a>. We spent a quiet morning in August picking 9 lb of blueberries. And for less than $25, I call that a win.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998051422/" title="Blueberries by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Blueberries" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/7998051422_7ccabb05a6.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And what do you do with 9 lb of blueberries? Well, we froze a lot of them. But the first thing we made, was blueberry sorbet. I modified a recipe from one of my favourite dessert blogs, <a href="http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2010/08/recipe-blueberry-sorbet-macarons.html">Tartelette</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 cups water<br />
zest and juice of one lemon<br />
1 tbsp <a href="http://www.mainedistilleries.com/cold-river-blueberry-vodka.html">blueberry vodka</a></blockquote>
Bring to boil all ingredients, save vodka.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998045443/" title="Blueberry syrup by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Blueberry syrup" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/7998045443_dc07064e34.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Cool to room temperature. Sieve out the chunks.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998045235/" title="Blueberry froth by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Blueberry froth" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/7998045235_0d500481ec.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And add the vodka. The vodka is in there primarily to keep the sorbet from freezing too solid. And I'm delighted by the texture that this recipe attained.<br />
<br />
Chill overnight, then run through your ice cream maker the way your instructions say. With my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IES80/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002IES80&linkCode=as2&tag=conspifactor-20">KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=conspifactor-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0002IES80" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, you freeze the ice cream maker for 24 hours. Then run the syrup in it for about 25 minutes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998045063/" title="Sorbet making by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Sorbet making" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7998045063_3a88d008c3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Transfer the sorbet to a cold container, and cure in the freezer for at least 12 hours to further firm the sorbet.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998044885/" title="Blueberry sorbet by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Blueberry sorbet" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/7998044885_63ca1cf289.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We found this sorbet rather rich-tasting to serve alone. But holy cow does it taste good with a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2011/12/chocolate-lovers-angel-food-cake.html">chocolate angel-food cake</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7998044739/" title="Cake and sorbet by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake and sorbet" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7998044739_1d69fd8a79.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Not bad, not bad. Enjoy.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-8741649769485558402012-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-13T07:00:00.208-07:00Chokecherry milkshake<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941132898/" title="Chokecherries by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherries" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/7941132898_4840c34508.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
When I was a kid growing up in southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta">Alberta</a>, my mom would convince the neighborhood kids to help her pick <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/09/chokecherry-syrup.html">chokecherries</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_tomentosa">Nanking cherries</a> by offering up rewards. In retrospect, we probably weren't super-helpful. Did she enjoy our company? Was she teaching us a lesson in the value of labour? Probably both.<br />
<br />
But her favorite reward for us was a fresh cherry milkshake.<br />
<br />
Cherry milkshakes are pretty easy to put together. No quantities required. Just:<br />
<blockquote>
ice cream<br />
milk<br />
<a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/09/chokecherry-syrup.html">chokecherry syrup</a></blockquote>
<br />
I loosely fill our blender with ice cream. Then add milk to about half full. And add about ¼ volume syrup.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7978219799/" title="Chokecherry milkshake by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry milkshake" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8319/7978219799_eb00b3d2c3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Yup, this is all very rough. Too much milk, and your milkshake is runny. Too little syrup, and it's not flavourful enough. Practice. Taste. Even your failures will be pretty tasty.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7978221208/" title="Chokecherry milkshake by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry milkshake" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/7978221208_24bd60f410.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Most importantly, serve these to a child in your life. And watch their face light up. This flavour is available nowhere else.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-90430678101330921692012-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-11T07:00:04.194-07:00Chokecherry syrupOn a recent visit to my home in southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta">Alberta</a>, we arrived in the peak of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_virginiana">chokecherry</a> season. I wanted to give my son a taste of home, so we planned an excursion into the river valley to collect chokecherries.<br />
<br />
Even in Alberta, few people my age know what chokecherries are. They are plentiful berries that hang in clusters, and have a very large pit relative to the berry. And they're really not that tasty. They have an astringent quality, similar to rhubarb, that makes your lips and teeth feel unpleasant. But when cooked with lots of sugar, they're quite delicious.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941132898/" title="Chokecherries by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherries" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/7941132898_4840c34508.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We were able to easily find large areas of chokecherries growing in a park in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethbridge">Lethbridge</a>, and they were largely undisturbed. We could have picked there all day, but the kids quickly grew tired, so we returned home with a few buckets of cherries.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941123148/" title="Chokecherries by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherries" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8169/7941123148_bd20cbd5c4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
While picking we talked about food and cooking, and the flavours that I can't get in Massachusetts. And I told my 74-year old mom about foraging, and how terribly hip it is. "Well, I guess I've been hip all my life" she said. "We've always picked chokecherries, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelanchier_alnifolia">saskatoons</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry">gooseberries</a>." <br />
<br />
We spent several hours de-stemming the cherries and chatting with my mom and her sister about the foods of old, and what they ate when they were very poor in the 1940s and 1950s.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941122436/" title="Beautiful chokecherries by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Beautiful chokecherries" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/7941122436_5558fa1e3c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Chokecherries, rhubarb and damson plums were inexpensive (free) and readily available. Today, they're a local luxury that too few people take advantage of.<br />
<br />
Chokecherry syrup:<br />
<br />
Mix equal volume: <br />
<blockquote>
cherries<br />
chopped apple (for thickening)</blockquote>
Cover with water. Boil cherries (low simmer) for approx 1 ½ hours.<br />
<br />
When the chokecherries have bleached, pour them into a colander lined with cheesecloth placed over a pot to catch the juice.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941122048/" title="Chokecherry goop by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry goop" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8311/7941122048_1e243751ae.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
When we got to this step, my mother turned to me and put on a very sombre face. "You have a choice. Most recipes say at this stage not to press the chokecherries, because it releases all kinds of stuff that makes the syrup not be clear. I press the cherries to release all that flavor. What do you want to do?"<br />
<br />
What would you do? I did it Mom's way. We squeezed the cherries, for a turbid syrup that was as delicious as I remembered from my childhood. Measure out the syrup you recover, and mix with an equal volume of:<br />
<blockquote>
sugar</blockquote>
Boil for a few minutes, until sugar is dissolved and syrup thickens.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941121836/" title="Chokecherry mess by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry mess" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8308/7941121836_1df8267b4d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
I was surprised by how simple her canning process is. She uses cleaned old jam, jelly and pickle jars, rinses them with boiling water. She boils the lids for a few minutes, adds the boiling syrup to the jars, and then applies the lids. Take your own canning precautions.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7941121362/" title="Chokecherry syrup by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chokecherry syrup" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/7941121362_aaa08cff57.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We use this syrup for <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/blueberry-buttermilk-pancakes.html">pancakes</a>, <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/07/crepes.html">crêpes</a> and <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/06/bbq-waffles-go-together-like.html">waffles</a>. The flavour is bright, and unique. Unlike anything you can get commercially. Delicious.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-43821105675403796242012-09-04T07:00:00.000-07:002012-09-04T07:00:04.737-07:00OystersWe're settling in and becoming locals in New England. We enjoy the local bounty, and here the local bounty includes oysters (and numerous local places that sell them). At <a href="http://www.newdealfishmarket.com/">New Deal fish market</a> we picked up several different kinds of oysters, including Cape Spears (from New Brunswick - brown oysters below), <a href="http://www.moonshoaloysters.com/">Moon Shoals</a> (green below).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7909358022/" title="Cape Spear & Moon Shoal by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Spear & Moon Shoal" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7909358022_9db5e1bcaf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And our often favourite, Wellfleets.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7909357624/" title="Wellfleet by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Wellfleet" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8455/7909357624_ac389380fb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
For my birthday this year, Mrs. Dude purchased me the means to have oysters in our home. She got me a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DJYFL/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000DJYFL&linkCode=as2&tag=bbqdude0f-20">Wusthof Oyster Knife</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bbqdude0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000DJYFL" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and a bucket of oysters. I can't say enough good things about being able to shuck and eat oysters at home. Oysters are a tad tricky to open, but with the right equipment, it doesn't need to be dangerous. I watched a few videos, and this cheesy 80s video is one of the better ones.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CPJz4pW0uns" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
We did one thing differently. In the interests of saving the tendons in my hand, my lovely wife bought me a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001VQILI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0001VQILI&linkCode=as2&tag=bbqdude0f-20">chain-mail glove</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bbqdude0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0001VQILI" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. In one afternoon, this glove prevented at least 6 trips to the emergency room, so if you don't have the hands of a surgeon, I'd recommend the glove.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7909357310/" title="Opening an oyster by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Opening an oyster" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8443/7909357310_d67629506f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We don't do much with them, merely serving with a touch horseradish and cocktail sauce. What a luxury, to be able to eat these at home.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-12967564097863939772012-08-03T13:16:00.002-07:002012-08-03T13:16:17.230-07:00Vicious kale killers<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><iframe src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:colbertnation.com:417354" width="512" height="288" frameborder="0"></iframe><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/417354/august-02-2012/thought-for-food---usda-meatless-mondays---plant-communication-research">The Colbert Report</a></b><br/>Get More: <a href='http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/'>Colbert Report Full Episodes</a>,<a href='http://www.indecisionforever.com/'>Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href='http://www.colbertnation.com/video'>Video Archive</a></p></div></div>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-63527091329167640392012-07-14T10:00:00.000-07:002012-09-17T18:42:55.317-07:00A lazy Saturday calls for......a Spicy Paloma!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7559299334/" title="Fiery hot tequila margarita by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Fiery hot tequila margarita" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8288/7559299334_81b415bbec.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We <b>really</b> enjoyed our visit to <a href="http://www.mayahuelny.com/home.php">Mayahuel</a> in New York, and were inspired by all of their tequila-based cocktails. Within hours of arriving home from New York we were trying to reproduce their delicious drinks.<br />
<br />
This is our attempt to reproduce their Spicy Paloma. We used a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/05/lazy-saturday-calls-for-margaritas.html">margarita base</a> as the starting point, and the Mayahuel menu as a guide:<br />
<blockquote>
3 oz <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/07/jalapeno-infused-tequila.html">jalapeño-infused tequila</a><br />
2 oz fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice<br />
2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice<br />
¼ oz agave nectar (or simple syrup)<br />
tonic water<br />
kosher salt</blockquote>
<br />
Rim a glass with kosher salt. Mix the other ingredients (save the tonic water). Pour over ice, and add tonic water to taste. Delicious. And with a nice post-margarita burn, this is a really unique turn on a traditional margarita. And Mrs. Dude liked our incarnation even better than the Spicy Paloma. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-15061767332960673222012-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:002012-07-19T13:04:04.526-07:00Jalapeño-infused tequila<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7553253114/" title="Ingredients by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Ingredients" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/7553253114_fc6114c59b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
We recently visited <a href="http://www.mayahuelny.com/home.php">Mayahuel</a> in New York. It's a great little Mexican place. Not fajitas and margaritas Mexican, but more Mexican-inspired American cuisine. The most exciting part was the various cocktails using jalapeño-infused tequila. Fun cocktails that had a slow burn associated with them. Yum! Well, as soon as we got home I started a batch.<br />
<br />
I wasn't sure where to start, so we started with:<br />
<blockquote>5 jalapeños<br />
1 ½ cups tequila (I used <a href="http://www.herradura.com/">Herradura</a> reposado)</blockquote><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7553252962/" title="Preparing by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Preparing" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7553252962_57b4e8133c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
I chopped the jalapeños and soaked them in tequila in the fridge. Three days, stirring each day.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7553252772/" title="Jalapeño-infusion by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Jalapeño-infusion" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7553252772_cf168a05a8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Then run the infusion mess through a sieve. This infusion creates a nice tequila with a slow burn. Amazing on its own, but better in a cocktail. More soon.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7553252554/" title="Jalapeño-infused tequila by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Jalapeño-infused tequila" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7553252554_82485d99cf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-20041016117031572212012-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:002012-07-10T10:00:04.296-07:00Embarrassingly simple grilled portobellosWell, and so here we are in July, and it's definitely barbecue season. Indirect Heat has been getting a lot of traffic, and most of my recent posts have been non-bbq related.<br />
<br />
But we have been barbecuing. Some old recipes and new ones. Here's an old one...<br />
<br />
Nearly 15 years ago, when I was bartending at <a href="http://valhalla.rice.edu/">Valhalla</a> in Houston, we would have a few bartender parties ever year. We were all grad student volunteers, so the biggest benefit to bartending was the parties. Free beer and free food. Well one of the bartenders was a former chef and current martial arts teacher, and he was given a budget to feed us. Most of the grad students at these parties were interested in the free beer, but the food was pretty awesome. At one particular party, I hit up the chef and asked him, "These grilled mushrooms are amazing, what's the recipe?"<br />
<br />
"I'm almost embarrassed to tell you. It's really simple."<br />
<br />
"How so?"<br />
<br />
"No, it's really embarrassingly simple..."<br />
<br />
"Okay..."<br />
<br />
So here it is:<br />
<blockquote>Portobello mushrooms<br />
Italian salad dressing</blockquote>Get the best portobellos you can.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7515030740/" title="Mini portobellos by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7515030740_5b8885606f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Mini portobellos"></a><br />
<br />
Peel the skin and the gills off.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7515030412/" title="Trimming portobello by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7515030412_4c855579c6.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Trimming portobello"></a><br />
<br />
Chop into large chunks. You want them not to fall into the grill slats. And toss the mushrooms with Italian dressing all over.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7515030020/" title="Marinating portobello by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/7515030020_0b7e5b4880.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Marinating portobello"></a><br />
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Heat a grill to screaming hot, however is your favorite method. (I use charcoal grill, started with a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEOQV8/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=conspifactor-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000WEOQV8">chimney starter</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=conspifactor-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000WEOQV8" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
).<br />
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Grill, maybe two minutes a side, just until you have grill marks on the mushrooms.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7515029304/" title="Grilling portobello by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7515029304_1a9d62a9fd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Grilling portobello"></a><br />
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Serve while screaming hot.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7515029058/" title="Grilled portobello by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/7515029058_86ffc6d6b4.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Grilled portobello"></a><br />
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When you bite into them, and the molten hot juices spray into your mouth, well... it's dangerous but embarrassingly delicious. I don't often post "simple" recipes, but this is one. And it's pretty awesome.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-41780332081932753522012-06-27T06:20:00.002-07:002012-06-27T06:20:47.910-07:00Wordless Wednesday: Local Beer<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7454298372/" title="Saison by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Saison" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7257/7454298372_5c53e6f4f2.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.mystic-brewery.com/"><br />
Mystic Brewery</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-66958442148432835242012-06-14T18:28:00.000-07:002012-06-14T18:28:02.713-07:00Pickled serranos<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7188116517/" title="Serrano by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Serrano" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7073/7188116517_8d22d8d443.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I recently discovered how hard it is to do home microbiology when the weather heats up. I wanted to try my hand at pickling a few other items, beyond <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/03/sauerkraut.html">sauerkraut</a>, but sadly the heat led me to grow a lot of fungus. I'll have to wait until fall.<br />
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But dinner does not wait, and acidic condiments are the perfect counterpoint to greasy, smokey meat. Think <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/08/pulled-pork-sandwiches.html">coleslaw with pulled pork</a>, and <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/01/bo-ssam-pork-brulee.html">kimchi with bo ssäm</a>. <br />
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So let's make a bright and spicy condiment, quick pickled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serrano_pepper">serrano peppers</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7373348448/" title="Serrano by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Serrano" height="333" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5345/7373348448_40c3c052c9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I modified <a href="http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2009/07/texas-potato-salad-what-is-it.html">Lisa Fain's recipe, over at Homesick Texan</a>. I substituted the vinegar in her recipe for sherry and rice vinegars. They make an uglier pickle (the vinegar is darker) but in my opinion and tastier one.<br />
<blockquote>½ lb serranos, chopped<br />
½ cup sherry vinegar<br />
½ cup rice vinegar<br />
½ cup sugar<br />
1 tsp mustard seed<br />
½ tsp whole cloves<br />
½ tsp whole allspice<br />
1 cinnamon stick</blockquote>Mix the vinegars and seasoning. Bring to a boil.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7188116957/" title="Pickling juice by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Pickling juice" height="333" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5271/7188116957_c89df1dcfa.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Pack the peppers into the smallest non-reactive container you can fit them in. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7188116759/" title="Chopped serrano by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Chopped serrano" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/7188116759_1d5fd3bdac.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Pour the hot pickle juice over the peppers, and allow to cool on the counter.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7373348710/" title="Pickling serrano by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7087/7373348710_1fd8fd0aa9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Pickling serrano"></a><br />
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Then cover and place in the fridge. Serve as soon as 24 hours later. These quick pickles are bright, sweet and spicy. They are fantastic on sandwiches and on pizza, or next to a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009/06/indirect-heats-home-smoked-brisket.html">smoked brisket</a>. And I'm trading them for some homemade Vietnamese hot oil. Not bad for 15 minutes of work.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7188117063/" title="Pickled serranos by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7232/7188117063_e254a54b56.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Pickled serranos"></a><br />
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Next time I'm throwing in a few spears of asparagus to soak up the pepper juice. Yum.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-19225143756233304432012-06-09T09:16:00.000-07:002012-06-09T09:16:17.587-07:00A perfect gin for a perfect afternoon<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7161528099/" title="Cold River gin by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Cold River gin" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7161528099_110ea8f146.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
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On a recent trip to Maine to visit friends we were fortunate to start the meal with Maine lobster, and end the meal with Maine gin. At a <a href="http://www.mainedistilleries.com/welcome.html">small distillery in Maine</a>, they produce a gin using potatoes sourced from a nearby farm.<br />
<blockquote>
Cold River Gin is produced using alcohol made from Maine potatoes and a secret blend of seven traditional botanicals: juniper berries, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, orris root, angelica root and cardamom. The recipe dates back to the early days of British gin.</blockquote>
The flavor is floral and bright, with a smoothness not found in other gins. Indeed, after a sip of Cold River gin, other gins seem metallic in comparison.<br />
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This gin has replaced all others for me for a <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2010/07/lazy-saturday-calls-for.html">gin and tonic</a>. And on a beautiful day of barbecuing, nothing beats a nice cold beverage.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330256639533789875.post-77577737229238810392012-06-05T10:00:00.000-07:002012-06-12T15:25:05.988-07:00Isa<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7154588483/" title="Isa by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Isa" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7227/7154588483_b3444cfc97.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Sometimes, a plan just doesn't work out. Our <a href="http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2012/05/mast-brothers-chocolate.html">recent trip</a> to Brooklyn was kind of a disaster. In addition to messed up dinner reservations (who knew that Fatty Cue had two locations? and that one of them was closed?), we also had the excitement of a surprise attack of strep throat half way through the trip. All of a sudden, Bbq Jr had a raging fever and was exhausted. (Pro tip for recognizing a fever in a little boy? When the armor section at the <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/">Met</a> is uninteresting to him).<br />
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Right, so after some naps, and a fair amount of tylenol and advil for fever control, we traipsed out for dinner. I'd heard that <a href="http://isa.gg/isa/">Isa</a> was good, and it was empty at 6 o'clock (early for New Yorkers, perfect for the fever family).<br />
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The menu at Isa is quite simple. Bread. Ham. Cheese. Yeah, that ham? It's <a href="http://laquercia.us/">La Quercia</a> shaved prosciutto. No biggie. With a "Rhubix Cuke" (a rhubarb-cucumber-gin cocktail) it made for a promising start. I hadn't planned on blogging this meal, so there aren't many pictures. But by the end of the meal, it was clear that I should have been photographing dinner. Each dish was beautiful.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7154588337/" title="Isa inside by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Isa inside" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7154588337_b0f51d0c34.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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They've also got a fairly unusual wine list. This is the first place I'd ever tried an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_wine">orange wine</a>. Orange wine is when you start out making a white wine, but let the grapes sit on the skins to soak out the color. I found the flavor interesting, if a bit green tasting. Glad I tried it, but quickly switched to red.<br />
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Steak tartare on a sunchoke paste was easily the best tartare I've ever had. But this was the most beautiful dish of the night:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/indirectheat/7154588639/" title="Isa squid by Indirect Heat, on Flickr"><img alt="Isa squid" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/7154588639_a0946b50df.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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A whole roasted squid served with ink and sauce. I wish I had loved this dish, because it is so beautiful. But much like a whole roasted turkey, a whole grilled squid is a pretty silly thing to serve. Parts were beautifully cooked, and parts were overcooked. It was good, but not as good as it looks.<br />
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We ended the meal with a beautiful pork and blood sausage dish that was delicious. Followed by rhubarb with earl grey ice cream, this memorable meal was one of the best parts of our trip.<br />
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UPDATE: Isa just <a href="http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/isa-shuts-after-a-staff-shakeup/">fired their kitchen staff</a>. What a crying shame. This fantastic little restaurant won't be the same.<br />
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<a href="http://isa.gg/isa/">Isa</a><br />
348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, New York<br />
(347) 689-3594<br />
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 11:30 pm<br />
Sun 6 pm - 10 pm<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><span itemprop="author"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Bbq Dude</span></span>Indirect Heathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00126752664799076406noreply@blogger.com0