cheddar

Sup! Loves Cookbooks: Off The Eaten Path

29 Apr 2011
Off The Eaten Path

I am a sucker for regionalism. It’s nearly dead in this country, so it’s often hard to distinguish one city from the next. Chain stores. Chain restaurants. Same stuff. Same food.

I am old enough to remember when there was more diversity of choice when it came to dining out; certain restaurants in certain towns where you could get the best this or the best that. In fact sometimes these were the only places to get those particular or regional this & thats!

It used to be if you really wanted to understand a place and the people who lived there; you sat down and ate with them– maybe not at the same table, but at least sharing the same food. Food that was completely unique to that place and those people. Because food like that gets passed down through generations. It comes from a time when people tended to stay put. This is how regional cuisine developed, through heritage, tradition and pride.

It’s a different world today for all sorts of complicated reasons. It’s much harder to define a place through its food traditions, because so many of those traditions have become homogenized.

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The Caitlin, a Pimiento Sandwich

The Caitlin, a Pimiento Sandwich
By jgreghenry Published April 28, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz pepper jack cheese
  • 4 oz cheddar cheese
  • 4 oz swiss cheese
  • 4 oz havarti cheese
  • 0.25 c pickled jalepeno pepper brine
  • 0.25 c mayonnaise
  • 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 2 (4-oz) jars pimientos, drained
  • 16 sli sourdough bread, toasted
  • 0.5 c packed baby spinach leaves
  • 1.5 c cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 c onion, thinly sliced
  • 0.5 c alfalfa sprouts
  • 8 sli cooked bacon

Directions

Position shredding disc in food processor bowl; shred first four ingredients, and place in a large bowl. Add pepper juice and the next three ingredients; stir well. Spread one half cup pimiento cheese filling on each of eight toast slices. Top pimiento cheese evenly with spinach leaves, cucumber slices, onion slices, alfalfa sprouts, bacon slices, and remaining toast slices.

Notes:

Serves 8 Source: Off the Eaten Path

'Fat Tire' Ale-Braised Short Rib Sandwich with Cheddar, Horseradish & Pickled Veggies

22 Apr 2011
short rib sandwich

Foodbuzz and New Belgium Brewing Company invited me to create a recipe using 'Fat Tire' Amber Ale. Okay. Okay. They paid me me to do it (yes I am that easy). But my vice could be your virtue. So read on.

I immediately knew I was going to braise something. Because I have braised meats before in New Belgium products and knew it would be perfect with short ribs.

But I have to give further credit for this recipe to Tom Colicchio and his sandwich shop and cook book, both known as 'wichcraft. Tom and his crew have made me very aware of sandwiches lately. Suddenly where ever I go I see sandwiches. Sandwiches on blogs, in restaurants and right in front of me on my own plate.

Of course sandwiches have always been all around me, but it's funny how once you are attuned to something (anything really) you start to become hyper-sensitive to its presence. It's not that there are any more of them than ever before, but suddenly you are more aware of them.

Which is no surprise when it comes to sandwiches. If you stop and think about how many sandwiches have you had in your life, you might be shocked to see what a dominant presence the humble grinder, dagwood, club, submarine, hero, hoagie really is. You probably had at least one a day from age 6 to 18. Because sandwiches reign supreme in grade school lunch pails.

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Ale-Braised Short Rib Sandwich with Horseradish & Pickled Vegetables

Ale-Braised Short Rib Sandwich with Horseradish & Pickled Vegetable Relish
By jgreghenry Published April 21, 2011
Prep time: 180
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 c white wine vinegar
  • 1 c water
  • 0.25 c sugar
  • 1 t fennel seeds
  • 1 T coriander seeds
  • 1 t black peppercorns
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 1 t kosher salt
  • 1 c fennel bulb, cored and sliced into thin slivers
  • 1 c carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 c daikon radish peeled cut into matchsticks
  • 1 T canola oil
  • 6 3-inch short ribs
  • 0.5 carrot, roughly chopped
  • 0.5 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 clv garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 c brown ale
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 t sea salt
  • 0.5 t freshly crushed black pepper
  • 3 T prepared horseradish
  • 1 baguette
  • 4 pieces cheddar cheese thickly sliced, as needed

Directions

In a sauce pan combine vinegar, water, sugar, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, star anise, and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour the liquid into a heat proof bowl. Add the fennel bulb, carrots and daikon radish. Stir to combine, let cool uncovered, about 2 hours. Once cool it may be refrigerated and kept in the refrigerator about 2 weeks. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add the oil to a large cast iron or oven proof skillet set over medium heat. Add the short ribs, meaty side down and sear them well. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside. Add the chopped carrot, onion and garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring often until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the ale to the pan to deglaze. Place the meat back into the skillet and add the rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and transfer to the oven to braise, about 2 1/2 hours until fork tender and falling off the bone. Move the meat to a cutting board to cool slightly. Leave the oven on. Skim the fat from the braising liquid then strain about 1 cup into a small bowl, discarding solids. If there is less than 1 cup add a bit a water. Add the horseradish to the bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Cut the baguette crosswise into 4 equal pieces, and then slice each in half lengthwise to create tops and bottoms for the sandwiches. Remove some of the bread from the top half "canoe style" if it seems like there is too much bread. Place the tops and bottoms onto a baking sheet cut side up. Brush the bottom halves generously with the horseradish mixture. Pull the meat from the bones and tear it into big chunks, discarding any connective tissue. Distribute the meat evenly over the four bottoms of the baguette. Place the cheese on top of the meat on all 4 sandwiches. Transfer the tray with the baguette bottoms and tops to the still hot oven. Remove the tray when the cheese begins to melt and the bread get a bit toasted. Brush more horseradish sauce on the tops of the baguettes. Top with the pickled vegetables. Close the sandwich and cut into halves. Serve warm.

Notes:

makes 4 sandwiches. I used New Belgian 'Fat Tire' Brown Ale Source: Adapted from 'wichcraft

A Mighty Special Mac with Mascarpone, Fontina and Lobster

26 Jan 2011
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Ok. It’s time to take a culinary exhale. Because after the frenzy of holiday cooking we have all been through I feel it’s time to get back to basics. Something comforting and familiar. Something that just makes you want to cuddle up with the one you love. Something like Mac & Cheese!

In fact a simple dish like Macaroni and Cheese is exactly what I am craving. But simple can be elegant and it can be creative. So I have decided to take old-fashioned Macaroni and Cheese, and rev it up a notch. First I plan to use the very best cheese I can get from Wisconsin. And while yummy yellow cheddar makes a great Mac & Cheese, I have another idea in mind.

I think I’ll add chunks of lobster, as well as creamy mascarpone. It's more seafood friendly than cheddar. Besides, this combination really helps this familiar, everyday food assume the comfort and luxury of cashmere!

To put my plan in motion I turned to my cookbooks for guidance. But none of the recipes came close to my fantasy of what the dish should be. I wanted chewy pasta suspended in molten cheese, with a chewy, golden-brown cheesy crust on top. And plenty of perfectly cooked lobster tail. I guess I'll need to develop my own recipe.

One of the best recipes I have ever used for Mac & Cheese comes from Martha Stewart. She starts with a flour-based roux and adds cheese. She calls it Macaroni and Cheese 101. And I gotta admit it’s pretty close to perfection. Except one thing. It relies on cheddar. Now I love cheddar, but feel it may be a bit strong with the delicate flavor and texture of lobster.

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