The recent reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

No, I haven't been subsisting on canned soup and frozen waffles for the last six months...believe it or not, I HAVE cooked stuff. I've even been taking photos to document various dishes, in all of their steaming glory. I've just been a little preoccupied with trying to apply to graduate school. But I digress.

I thought I'd take a few minutes this evening to share a simple and delicious dish with you. Macy introduced this meal to me about three years ago. One day, while we were exploring Boston, she took me to one of her favorite restaurants, a Vietnamese spot called "Pho Pasteur." One of their signature dishes is a simple soup, called Pho Ga.

Pho Ga is basically Vietnam's take on chicken noodle soup, and let me tell you...it is DELICIOUS. Like its American counterpart, it is a basic comfort food that is both warm and nourishing. However, unlike most American soups, it represents a mixture of savory, slowly simmered flavors with a big splash of fresh herbs and raw vegetables. The result is a meal that incorporates a great variety of textures, flavors, and aromas - nothing like the homogeneous culinary experience of the Campbell's Soup variety.

If you search for Pho recipes online, you'll find that everyone prepares their dishes a little differently. Pho Pasteur uses cilantro and chopped scallion to garnish their pho, whereas my preferred recipe incorporates red onion instead of scallions. It really doesn't matter. Use what tastes good to you. Here's the recipe I followed, courtesy of Jaden Hair of steamykitchen.com.

The Main Ingredients
1 whole organic chicken (4-5lbs)
1 whole onion, unpeeled and cut in half
3-inch chunk of ginger, unpeeled
Large pack of rice noodles (16 oz), dry.

Seasoning for the Broth
2 tbl whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves (not critical, in my opinion)
2 whole star anise (not critical either)
2 tbl sugar (or rock sugar)
2 tbl fish sauce
small bunch of cilantro stems only, tied in bunch with twine
I also added 4 whole garlic cloves, just because I like garlic.
Also, don't forget salt and pepper. She doesn't mention this.

Garnish
2 cups bean sprouts, washed & tails pinched off
cilantro tops – leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup shaved red onions
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges

What you do


I feel lazy tonight, so I'm just going to paste the text directly from Jaden. Here's a link to her site.

Place ginger and onion on a small baking sheet. The top of the onion should be about 4″ from the oven’s heating element. Set to broil on high for 15 minutes. Turn the onion and ginger occasionally, to get an even char. The skin should get dark and the onion/ginger should get soft. After cooling, rub to get the charred skin off the onion and use a butter knife to scrape the skin off the ginger. Slice ginger into thick slices.

In a large stockpot, fill with water and boil. With a sharp cleaver, carve the chicken breast meat off and reserve. With the rest of chicken whacking hard through the bones to get sections about 3″ big. The more bone that is exposed, the more marrow that gets in the broth (translation: rich, flavorful). You can even whack several places along the bone just to expose more marrow. When the water boils, add chicken sections (not breast) and boil on high for 5 minutes. You’ll see lots of foam and “stuff’ come up to the surface. Drain, rinse your chicken of the scum and wash your pot thoroughly. Refill with about 4 quarts of clean, cold water.

Add chicken, chicken breast meat, onion, ginger and all of (A) in the pot and cover. Turn heat to high – let it come to boil, then immediately turn heat to low. Prop lid up so that steam can escape. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts, shred with your fingers when cooled and set aside (you’ll serve shredded chicken breast with the finished soup). With a large spoon, skim the surface of any impurities in the broth. Skimming every 20 minutes ensures a clear broth. Simmer a total of 1-1/2 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce and or sugar.

Strain the broth, discard solids. Prepare noodles as per directions on package. Ladle broth, add shredded chicken breast and soft noodles in each bowl.

Garnish liberally with herbs, sprouts, and lime juice, and enjoy!

My Take on Pork and Beans

This meal basically builds on the neo - tuscan steak recipe I posted a while back. The only difference is that the centerpiece is a big, juicy pork chop.

Bascially, all you do is coat the pork chops lightly with olive oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, and rub dried rosemary all over both sides. Grill the meat over a hot fire until meat is firm to the touch (about 12 minutes total, depending on thickness).

I serve the pork with my faux tuscan cannellini beans. You can find the recipe here.

Serve with a nice green salad to add a fresh, fibrous touch.

I just finished eating everything on this plate. Damn good.

Tender is the Loin...

Yes, I stole the title from Alton Brown. Sue me.

One of my favorite cuts of meat is the pork tenderloin. On one hand, it's a wonderfully primal cut of meat. It's big, bulky, and it's 100 percent pure, unadulterated meaty goodness. Whenever I toss one on the grill, I almost feel obligated to let out a low pitched grunt. I try to keep it at a low volume, so as not to attract the neighbors.

Tenderloins are also great because they are wonderfully versatile. You can marinate them in almost any flavor and they will turn out good. It can be Asian, Caribbean, or Mediterranean...it really doesn't matter.

There are two keys to a successful pork tenderloin experience. First, the meat needs to be cooked carefully. It needs to be grilled long enough to develop a nicely seared crust on the outside, while being fully cooked, hot, and juicy. Second, the meat needs to be paired with sides that enhance the meat's flavor without filling you up too much. I tend to shy away from pairing tenderloins with potatoes, for example, because the starchy potatoes fill me up, and hamper my ability to gobble away at the entree.

Below, you'll find a recipe from "Cooking Light" magazine. I just tried it out tonight, and it tasted great.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Green Mango

THE PORK

1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
4 big garlic cloves, minced
1 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Basically, all you do is prep these ingredients and combine them in a large, resealable plastic bag. Put the tenderloin in the fridge and let it marinate for an hour or two. As it marinates, you can prepare the rest of the meal. Make sure you turn it over every now and then, so the marinate permeates the whole tenderloin.

THE MANGO SALAD

1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 or a whole (depending on how much heat you like) jalapeno, minced with seeds removed
1 large green (unripe) mango, peeled and chopped fine
1 - 1.5 cups bean sprouts
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
Several large Boston (or Romaine) lettuce leaves

Combine the carrot, mint, basil, cilantro, salt, red pepper flakes, jalapeno, mango, and bean sprouts in a big bowl. Mix well, and refrigerate. Rinse the lettuce leaves thoroughly. Pat dry, and set in fridge until dinner time.

When you're ready to cook, fire up the grill. You want to allow 20 minutes or so to cook the tenderloin, plus a few minutes to let it rest afterwards. A medium - hot fire is good for this.

Grease the grill with some Pam. When grill is hot, throw the tenderloin on. Dispose of the remaining marinate.

Turn the meat occasionally with thongs, so it develops a nice, seared crust all over the outside. Don't worry about burning it - there will be plenty of juices inside if you watch the temperature carefully.

Periodically insert an instant - read thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin. You're aiming for a temperature of about 160 degrees, or just a shade under. As soon as it reaches that point, pull it off the grill! Set it on a plate and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

Get some plates (however many you're serving). Put 2 lettuce leaves on each one. Add several generous spoon fulls of salad on top of each leaf.

Slice the pork on a diagonal. Arrange the slices on top of the salads. Let sit for a minute or two. The juices from the meat combined with the juice from the mango will actually "self dress" the salad for you. No need for oil or vinegar here!

Bring the plates to the table and enjoy this wonderfully hearty, flavorful, and light dish!

Mario's Take on Ragu Bolognese

There's so much more to making pasta than heating up some sauce from a jar. I'm experimenting with a variation of this dish tonight. Every time I watch this video, it makes me salivate. Enjoy.

Adventures with Leeks

My mother never prepared leeks for our family, at least not that I can remember. I'm sure mom & dad enjoy their taste, but I can think of a few reasons why they would be off the family menu:

1) They're really only good in the spring - not a year - round staple.

2) Only a small portion of them is good to eat. You end up throwing a lot away. A family on a budget can't afford much waste.

3) It takes more than the average amount of time to clean and prep them because the insides are quite sandy.

However, recently, as I have started cooking more for myself, I have found ways to incorporate leeks into my diet. They're not an everyday vegetable by any means, but once in a while, they're very enjoyable. They have a wonderfully sweet, mild, onion / scallion - like flavor. Additionally, they have a wonderfully vibrant green and white coloring, which makes them very pretty on a plate. When prepared and presented correctly, they will always impress your guests (or significant other, for that matter).

I recently discovered a preparation called leeks vinaigrette. It's a deliciously simple, french inspired dish, perfect for a leisurely lunch, or light supper. While recipes for this dish vary widely, they typically incorporate the following four elements:

1) Leeks, which have a mild, slightly sweet taste.

2) A vinaigrette dressing, which adds tangy acidity.

3) A salty element, be it bacon bits, kalamata olives, prosciutto, etc.

4) Egg (usually hard boiled and sliced or diced) - this offers another splash of color and texture. I've also seen variations that incorporate a fried egg, although I have not yet tried them.

The recipe below is authored by Sarah Moulton, who hosts "Sarah's Secrets" on the food network. I like her choice of grilling the leeks, because I think the light charring adds another layer of flavor that steaming fails to achieve. I made some slight modifications to the dish, which are noted in italics. Also, please note that did a half recipe, as I was only serving two people. We had more than enough to eat.

Ingredients
-12 medium leeks (about 4 1/2 pounds), tough outer leaves discarded
-Vegetable oil, for grilling
-1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper, plus more for garnish
-1/4 cup kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and diced fine
- 3 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped / crumbled
-4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
-3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
-Diced hard-boiled egg, for garnish (I used two eggs, sliced)


Cooking Instructions
Trim the leeks to about 7 inches long. Split them lengthwise to within 1 1/2 inches of the root end, leaving the root end intact. Submerge the leeks in a large bowl of water, let them soak to release any dirt or sand, for several minutes. Lift the leeks out of the water and discard the water.

Pour about 1-inch of water into a large saucepan, and set up a collapsible steamer inside. Bring the water to boil and steam the leeks, covered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Shock the leeks in a bowl of ice water and drain. Cut the leeks apart at the root ends and drain them on paper towels. Transfer the leeks to a shallow dish.

Brush the leeks with the vegetable oil and, working in batches, grill them over medium heat until charred and soft, about 4 minutes per side. (The leeks may be prepared up to the is point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.)

In a bowl whisk together the herbs, bell pepper, olives, mustard, and vinegar. While whisking, add the oil in a stream until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the leeks and turn them to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When ready to serve, arrange the leeks on a platter and pour any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Garnish with red pepper, parsley, and egg.

Serve with a nice white wine of your choice (something on the mild side so it doesn't cover up the flavor of the leeks), and crusty garlic bread.

This took a little over an hour to prepare. Try them out some time. I think you'll enjoy them.

Faux - Tuscan Steak

For as long as I can remember, I've loved eating steak. As is often the case with comforting foods, I can't quite put my finger on why this is true. Perhaps it's the wonderful sizzling sound it makes on the grill outside, or the intoxicating smoke that fills the air that somehow makes a cold beer on a summer evening taste that much better.

No, it can't be that.

See, steak has always been a go-to meal for my birthday, and I was not a summer baby. I arrived in the midst of a March blizzard. After I showed up, my father spent nearly an entire day shoveling snow. Later on, there were occasional birthdays when we had to shovel out a pit in the snow for the old Weber to sit in. So although the smell and sound of a steak sizzling on the grill reminds me of summer's warmth, I think the root of my interest in it lies somewhere else.

Perhaps it lies in the fact that I've experienced it in so many ways. For years, my favorite way to eat it was with a heaping side of mashed potatoes and a big green salad. It's still a wonderful combination. I've enjoyed it in quesadillas, calzones, tacos, and on sandwiches. However, particularly during the last year or so, I have found a new way to prepare and serve steak that is so incredibly delicious, that it has allowed this sacred cow (er...steer) to soar to new found heights.

Some time ago, my girlfriend bought me a copy of a book called Heat, written by Bill Buford. I'm thinking of writing another post about the book itself, so I won't go into too much detail here. However, I will say that Buford's book served as a springboard for my growing interest in Italian cooking. As part of his desire to immerse himself in all things culinary, Buford traveled to Italy with the intention of living and working there. Among the places he visited was a small village nestled in the Chianti region of Tuscany, called Panzano.

The Chianti region is renowned for its beef. It is home to a famous type of cow, referred to as the Chianina. Nourished by a diet of local grasses, grains, and beans, the meat of the Chianina is said to be some of the finest beef in the world.

As Buford discusses in Heat, The Chianti region is also home to one of the most famous butchers in the world, Dario Cecchini. Dario is a fierce defender of Tuscan culinary traditions, a "food cop" of sorts, and his butcher shop is a repository for old culinary traditions. Although he loves all things Tuscan and all things meaty, he has a particular fondness for beef, and Bisteca (steak). One of his favorite sayings, uttered in his heavily accented English, is

To beef, or not to beef. That is the question.

Through Buford's detailed descriptions of Dario's bisteca preparations, I have shaped my own interpretation of steak that is at least a step above A - 1.

To be sure, producing a steak that is truly Tuscan is a feat beyond the resources of most people. For one, a typical bisteca is 3 to 5 inches thick, and it is grass - fed (which is hard to find in most markets). Additionally, it is cooked over a wood fire on a metal grate, which is a bit more demanding than lighting up a pile of kingsford (or heaven forbid, propane).

However, I don't believe that a faux - Tuscan (perhaps, toscannamericana) experience is out of most people's reach. Below, you'll find a recipe that allows you to explore steak in what could possibly be a new way, without requiring a trip to Italy. Although a nice cut of steak might cost you $10 - $15 bucks, I believe the flavor makes it worth the cost, especially if you're sharing it with friends.


Faux Tuscan Steak with Cannellini Beans, and Arugula Salad

Meat
1 thick, well - marbled cut of steak (porterhouse is good if you can get it), preferably organic and grass -fed.
2 tablespoons of good olive oil
Several hefty pinches of salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (use dried if needed)
Fresh thyme (use dried if needed)

Beans
2 14.5 oz cans cannellini beans
2 shallots, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat - leaf parsley
1 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

(Serves 4)

Arugula Salad
Fresh, washed arugula greans
2 small bell peppers or one big one (red, orange, or yellow), sliced thinly
5 scallions, chopped.
1 white onion, sliced crosswise and grilled.
2 tomatoes, sliced crosswise and grilled.
Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing.

(Serves 4)

To start, remove the steak from the refrigerator 2 hours before grilling. Remove from packaging and set on a plate. Coat it lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each side. Then cover it with fresh rosemary, thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. Massage the ingredients all over the steak's surface. Then, give each side a very generous sprinkling of sea salt.

The salt coating is a Tuscan tradition. They feel it helps the meat develop a nice crust on the outside as it grills. Often, they will throw fresh herbs (like rosemary) directly into the flames to flavor the smoke and infuse the meat with a smoky, herby taste. The method with the herbs employed here is easier to do, and will result in less waste (important since fresh herbs are pricey).

Let the steak rest, undisturbed, on the counter top for an hour or two. Your goal is to bring it up to room temperature. This allows it to cook more evenly.

You can also prepare the arugula salad ahead of time. Combine the arugula, pepper, and scallion in a bowl, and set in the fridge. Keep chilled until serving time. Now, you can get the rest of your prep work done, and stage your ingredients, as I've done here. Note - the tomato has not been grilled yet. Also, since I have a small gas grill that heats quickly, I've elected to grill the onions ahead of time. The cup contains olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, left over from another meal.


45 minutes to serving time

Light the grill, if you're using charcoal. If you're using gas, the timing depends on how big your grill is. The bigger the grill, the longer it will take to come up to temperature. Plan it this way - the steak will take between 10 and 14 minutes to cook. You need a pretty hot grill to sear the meat. So, estimate the time your grill needs to heat up, and add this to the cooking time. Then you'll know when to light 'er up.

10 minutes before you put the steak on the grill

Get a nonstick saucepan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom. Place over medium - high heat. When oil is hot, add shallot and cook until it starts to soften (3 - 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook one minute, until fragrant. Add the beans, liquid and all, to the pot. Add water and herbs. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium low.

Put the steak on the grill. Place thick onion slices on the grill as well. You want the onions to have nice, dark grill marks on both sides - this will soften them and help bring out the natural sugars.

After about 7 minutes, flip the steak. At this point, add the tomatoes, cut - side down, on the grill.

Add Parmesan cheese to the beans. Some of the water should have boiled off, and you will be left with a nice, thick, sauce - like consistency. Cover and turn the heat to low.

The tomatoes will be cooked in five minutes, remove from the fire and set aside.

The onions will take roughly as long as the steak to cook, depending on how thick you've cut them. When they're nicely browned and feel softened, remove them from the grill too.

When the steak has reached its desired doneness (rare, for me, or, as the Tuscan say, asangre, meaning bloody), remove it from the fire.

Now plate it up!

Dress the salad with oil and vinegar, put it on the plate. Top with grilled onion slices and tomato slice, grill marks facing up.

Spoon the beans onto the plate.

Slice a portion from the steak and place it on top of the beans. The flavors will mingle and they're absolutely delicious.

Enjoy with a beverage of your choice. I recommend wine - preferably red, from the Chianti region if you can get it.