The Good Kind Of Bubble

Forget the housing bubble (or at least try to).  Think sparkling wine!  Especially since it is still hotter than hell out there.  I don't think people are aware that good sparkling wines are very easy to find and quite affordable.  Also, they come from all over the world and are made from a variety of grapes, so if you don't like one bottle, try a different region.  For instance, if you are not a fan of true Champagne, check out some cava from Spain, or prosecco from Italy.  We also make some darn good stuff here in the states.  Gruet is one of my favorites and it comes from Albuquerque of all places.  Considering it only costs around $12 at Goodie Goodie, what do you have to lose?

Summertime = Burger time!

Summer's here and the time is right, for grilling in your backyard!  I am not sure whether it is some sort of sick self-torture or what, but there is nothing that can dissuade me from getting out there in the rediculous Texas summer heat and stand over the grill...often.  This summer I started taking burgers more seriously.  I know there are a lot of purists out there who really just want a plain old burger, but I wanted to see what happened if I were to treat it with a bit more respect.  Kinda let it live up to it's potential in a way.  To that end I decided to get some ground beef (85/15) and make some patties with my own spin.  I like burgers that are juicy to the point of ruining clothing.  The good news is that the buns that Central Market and Whole Foods are selling (not the white bread stuff we all grew up with) are more than up to the task.  Especially when you toast them on the grill for a minute.  Another goal of mine was to make a burger that was tasty and moist enough that I would not want or need to put ketchup, mayo or mustard on.  Chef Randall Copeland of Restaurant Ava told me once that he adds wine to ground meats even when making burgers.  This technique comes from sausage making and ensures that the meat does not dry out or get crumbly.  I happened to have some left over Crios rose of Malbec laying around with nothing better to do than be tasty, so I added that to the ground beef along with salt, pepper, ancho powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and some minced chipotles in adobo.  To help it all stay together I cracked in one egg.  Now some people are going to say about my using so many seasonings "you must not be from (insert where you might be from here)".  That's cool.  It's totally cool to like things simple, but only if you have tried other options and decided that it's still best for you.  Otherwise you may be missing out.  For cheese, American is perfect for this, but pepperjack is also great and pumps up the spicey factor even more.  Our friend Stacie brought us some great Wisconsin cheddar and Havarty that worked out great as well.  For toppings I like sliced avocado and a little bacon.  The burger has been juicy enough that additional condiments weren't needed.

Scallops done right at home

I love scallops.  I love their sweetness and when done right, their texture.  However, my first several attempts at cooking them at home ended very nearly in a call to the local pizza delivery.  I gave up.  It just wasn't worth it.  However, in the last year I have rededicated myself to learning how to properly cook scallops at home, and I am happy to say that it has been successful!  The first success came when Kristi and I did tapas at home.  In a couple of small cast iron skillets we cooked some chorizo (Kristi prefers the Mexican style fresh chorizo, though I do like the dry, Spanish style for this) and then turned up the heat for the scallops after taking out the cooked chorizo.  I seared the you-know-what out of the scallops for a couple of minutes resisting the urge to lift them up and see what all was going on.  When I finally did flip them, the surface of the scallops had a beautiful golden brown crust, exactly what I love about restaurant scallops.  Doing the same on the other side of the scallops took only a few more minutes and there they were!  Needless to say I was quite encouraged. 

Here in Dallas there is a restaurant called Smoke next to the Hotel Belmont, and they have a phenominal scallop dish on the menu.  That is possibly one of Kristi's favorite meals.  Last weekend we decided to try and recreate it at home.  After a brief search for the recipe came up fruitless, I went to the Smoke website and checked out the dish's description on the menu.  http://www.smokerestaurant.com/dinner.html

Scallops, pancetta, brussels sprouts, lemon, white beans.  Ok, not overly complicated.  I went to Central Market and picked up the prescribed ingredients and headed home to give it a shot.  Although the menu says that they cook the scallops in a cast iron pan, I have found that I get a better sear from stainless steel, so if you were to try this at home and had one but not the other, I am sure you would be fine.

Smoke's Scallops as interprited by Aaron and Kristi (serves 2 generously)

6 large sea scallops
brussels sprouts (peeled so that you are actually only using the leaves)
3/4 of a can of canellini beans
2 slices 1/4 inch thick pancetta diced
juice of 1 lemon
white wine (sauv blanc in my case)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic minced

Blanch the sprouts leaves and drain.  Dry pan and cook half of the pancetta in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp.  Remove to a paper towel lines plate and set aside.  Add the garlic and the sprouts leaves, salt and pepper to taste and saute just enough to combine the flavors.  Set aside. 

In a second pan, cook the other half of the pancetta in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp.  Remove pancetta and set aside.  Dry the scallops with a paper towel and lighty season with salt and pepper.  Over high heat place the scallops in the pan.  Be careful not to crowd them so that they do not steam instead of sear.  After a couple of minutes, flip the scallops.  If they are hard to move in the pan, they are not quite ready to flip.  Once the second side is seared, remove the scallops and cover to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with a cup of white wine.  Scrape up all the brown bits in the pan.  Add the beans with their liquid and stir.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and stir until smooth.  Combine the sprouts and the pancetta into the beans mixture.  To plate spoon a healthy portion of the beans, sprouts, pancetta and sauce onto a plate.  Place three scallops on top and squeeze lemon juice over it.  Enjoy!

The easiest way to learn about new wines

It is so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to picking wines whether at a restaurant or toting to a social gathering or sipping at home.  We are all creatures of habit and tend to gravitate toward the same old thing.  One of the problems contributing to this is that many of us are intimidated by the seemingly mile long rows of wines from places we don't know, and made from grapes we can't pronounce.  I understand, believe me.

I find it difficult to drop a chunk of change on something I don't even know I am going to enjoy.  However, at some point we have to take chances, and often it is rewarded when it comes to vino!  Everyone has their threshold beyond which they are not willing to venture financially, and a $30, $40, or $50 bottle of wine is just not in the cards for some.  The good news is that there are plenty of wines that are absolutely incredible at every price level.  The way to find them is to ask questions when at the stores, or restaurants, as well as to (shudder to think) do a little research!  Read up on wines.  If you like one wine, find out from what it is made, where, and by whom.  Then look for others in the same region, using the same grapes, etc. 

For those of us who have been blessed with a great group of friends all having a certain propensity for popping corks it could not be easier to learn about wines.  However, it takes a little bravery.  Some people join wine clubs and share what they receive.  Others just take a chance at the liquor store and buy something they have never had before.  These are great ways to learn about wine, as long as you pay attention, and not just take what was handed to you in the glass, throw it back, and move on to the next one.  It really helps to think about it (at least for the first couple, then it gets a bit dicey I must admit) and take note of not only what you like, but what you do not like.  Knowledge is power.
A recent find that has been a great example of branching out is Mas De Maha.  This tempranillo blend from Paso Robles was introduced to Kristi and myself by Greg Bosworth and marks a branching out point for him.  I will let him correct me if I am wrong, but I believe he took a sommellier's word for it on this wine and ended up seeking it out and getting a half case later on.  The important thing for me about this is that Greg generally likes big jammy zinfandel, but learned that he also loves a good spicy tempranillo.

 It is fun to watch someone get into wine from the beginning and see their natural curiosity at work.  Mike "Peach" Dunlap had barely ever touched a glass of wine two years ago.  Since then he has gone from cautious skeptic to enthusiastic sampler of just about anything you might pour.  What's great is that he is extremely honest about whether he likes it or not after a fairly open minded tasting and has been pretty curious to know more about the ones he likes. 

Let's be honest, what could be more fun than having to try a variety of wines?  With proper restraint and responsibility it doesn't hurt at all and in my opinion does make life more interesting and enjoyable, especially with friends and family.

Brisket baby!

Wanted to share with you all something that Monica Sturgeon recently stumbled upon:

Ok, I just died and went to heaven.  But luckily, I’m back.

Someone in my office brought in some Brisket from Pecan Lodge and it is perfect smoke flavor and falling apart as you put the fork in it.  Great crust and the fatty on it is cooked perfectly.  I am not a big brisket fan since I find this cut of beef to be tougher than I prefer.  This is so tender and juicy I had to reach out to you guys and share this with you.

They are located in the Dallas Farmers Market in Shed 2. 

Hours:
Open Thursday-Sunday
Lunch  11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Weekend Breakfast (Sat. & Sun. Only) 9:00 am – Noon

I am still swooning……

http://www.dallasfarmersmarket.org/Shop/vlist.html

Pizza sauce part 2 - the incedible floating pesto

This will have to be a quick one, so here is the recipe for the "floating" pesto pictured in the last blog.  This one is based on spinach, though I would use basil if it were still alive in my frozen garden in the back yard...  Parsley makes a nice pesto as well in the colder months, but it takes so much that I find it to be a little impractical.  I add a little bit of this and that herbwise for a more interesting character, but straight spinach works just fine.  Take this recipe as a starting point and make it yours. 

Aaron's Spinach Pesto

1 bag pre-washed baby spinach, or regular spinach
1 handful pinenuts (maybe 1/3 cup)
2 or 3 cloves garlic chopped roughly (use more or less depending on taste)
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (the amount varies depending on desired consistancy)
fresh parsley, thyme, oregano
grated parmesan cheese (do NOT use the kind in a green plastic shaker, grate a block of it at home for the best taste.  It's more expensive and takes a little time, but the freshness is so worth it)

Toast the pine nuts in a small saute pan over medium heat.  No oil needed here.  Stir or shake every now and then so they do not burn and turn off the heat when the pine nuts become fragrant and golden brown.  Place in a small bowl to cool a bit.
Put all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor or blender.  With the processor running begin to slowly drizzle in the olive oil until everything emulsifies.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and also to taste for seasoning.  If the pesto seems too thick, add more olive oil or water with motor running.  There you have it!

I love pesto.  It's great on pasta (gnocchi, fettucini, penne, linguini), over veggies (especially zucchini and squash with mushrooms), as a sandwich spread, and of course on pizza.  You can make this work as a sauce for pork tenderloin or skirt steak by roasting cherry tomatoes, or red bell peppers and incorporating them into the sauce in the food processor.  If you like a little tanginess, try adding some white wine vinegar, and for a spicy take, add some chipotles in adobo.  If you have a favorite pesto dish, let me know!

Pizza essentials - sauces

Sorry for the long break in blogging, but the holidays sure do take it out of you sometimes.  Today's blog is going to be the first in a series I want to do on what makes a good pizza.  Some of you know that I love to grill pizzas and have been moving toward using as many fresh home made ingredients as possible.  One of the most important aspects of a pizza in my opinion is the sauce.  It can truly make or break a pie and sometimes no sauce at all turns out to be the best choice. 

 I like a red sauce that is slightly thick, not runny, with a balance of salt, acid, sweet, and heat to go with pepperoni, hot italian sausage, meatballs, and the like.  For veggie pies and some fancier ingredients I prefer a spinach pesto augmented with other fresh herbs.  Is it me or does the pesto jar pictured here appear to be floating in thin air?.?.?  I digress.  Below is my recipe for red sauce or at least the most recent incarnation thereof.  I would love for anyone to try making it and let me know how it turned out and if you liked it or not.

Aaron's Red Sauce (also good on pasta)
1 can (28 oz.) San Marzano Tomatos
1/2 small can tomato paste
1/2 yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
olive oil
1 cup red wine divided (1/2 cup reserved for use if consistancy needs to be thinned)
red pepper flakes to taste
oregano, thyme, basil to taste (fresh if possible, though dried work as well)
salt and pepper to taste
sugar to taste

Place a sauce pan over a medium heat.  Coat with oil, saute onions until translucent, but not brown.  Add minced garlic (garlic press comes in handy for this).  Add salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, herbs and stir for 30 seconds.  Add canned tomatoes and mash with a potato masher, or wooden spoon until tomatoes are well broken up.  Add tomato paste and red wine and stir.  When pot comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 20 minutes to a half hour.  Taste sauce and adjust seasoning to your taste.  If it seems too acidic or salty, add sugar.  Let simmer a bit longer stirring occassionally.  If you like your sauce a bit thinner, add more red wine.  If you like it thicker, add more tomato paste, but in small amounts. 

Enjoy!