Flashback Friday - October 5, 2012

This post was originally posted on AllTopChef.com on January 4, 2010.
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What's New at the Bravo Store?

Bravo has been adding tons of new Top Chef-related items to their online store. Currently available are Terlato's Top Chef Quickfire Wines, and bouquets by Teleflora. And let's not forget Top Chef meals by Schwan's Home Service! But there are more interesting items available...let's take a look.

Click images to see larger versions

Wow - who doesn't want to look like the lovely Gail Simmons?

Or head judge and favorite of bears everywhere, Tom Colicchio?

But my favorite items in the Bravo store are these fab bobbleheads!

What would you like to see in the Bravo store?

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Millet

Ages ago, I used to work with a woman whose last name was Millet. One of my managees at the bookstore, she was fun, enthusiastic, and loyal - she quit when I did. We used to mispronounce her name on purpose, but it's been so many years, I can't remember if her name is "mil-LAY" and we called her "MILL-it," or vice versa. In any case, I found her on Facebook and sent her both a message and a friend request. She hasn't responded to either.

Maybe because I used to mispronounce her name on purpose. :(

In any case, the millet that is the real subject of this post is a grain. One of the oldest known to man, and a diet staple for much of the world. And until recently, it had never passed my lips. Millet isn't often found on restaurant menus in the US, which is a shame, because it's both versatile and tasty. It's actually quite reminiscent of couscous, only it takes longer to cook. Plus, it's a whole grain, so its more nutritious than couscous.

For my first millet experiment, I played with another recipe from The New Whole Grain Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains. Basically I used the method and most of the ingredients, but I changed up the seasoning to work better with the chicken molé I was making for dinner that night. The original recipe was for African millet salad with corn and peppers, but instead of using paprika and allspice, I used cumin. I also substituted lime juice for the lemon juice, and instead of adding tomatoes, a teaspoon of tomato paste went into the dressing.

The result was ok. Somewhat bland, albeit lime-y. But much much MUCH tastier than buckwheat. It definitely was like couscous, so the next time I use it, I might leave it fairly plain and serve it hot with a sauce-y main dish.

Any suggestions? Also, anyone know what I should do with the box of freekah I bought at Whole Foods the other day?

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Milk Jam: Not for the Impatient

I may not be the most patient person in the world. This is why I have yet to make short ribs in my SousVide Supreme™. Oh sure, I can put a pot of chili on to cook for several hours while I do something else in another part of the house, no problem. It's the ability to leave the room and go elsewhere that works for me. With milk jam, however, I had to sit vigil over the pan, lest it boil over and bespoil my (granted, already messy) cooktop.

I stumbled upon the recipe whilst perusing the September issue of Bon Appetit at the dentist's office Yes, I let my subscription lapse. :::hangs head::: (I really should rectify that. I get Food & Wine, but prefer Bon Appetit because...a little secret...I don't care to read about wine. Apologies to whomever it was that anonymously gifted me with a subscription to Wine Spectator a few years back.) The simplicity of the recipe struck me, and I committed it to memory.

Not that difficult: 2 cups milk + 1 cup sugar + cook 45 minutes until light reddish-brown and measures a scant cup.

I busted out my fancy All-Clad saucier for the job. (It's the only piece of All-Clad I can lift without my wrists screaming for mercy.) Here he is at the beginning of the cooking process.

And here he is again, after 90 minutes. Yes, after twice the recommended cooking time, the milk jam was medium beige and measured far more than a scant cup. But I was tired of perching on a chair in the kitchen, giving it the evil eye. 

For the most part, the milk behaved itself, burbling contentedly between stirs. But every once in a while, it got too big for its britches and bubbled to the top edge of the pan, at which point I raced to turn the heat down. Despite the mind games, there were no boil-overs. Yet I was not quite victorious.

After refrigeration, the jam thickened up quite a bit, but wasn't as thick as either sweetened condensed milk or caramel. The flavor reminded me of a Japanese candy that I like called Milky. The suggested use for this milk jam is as a topping for chocolate cake when mixed with sour cream or creme fraiche, but I rather like it as a dip for fresh fruit. Strawberries are nice, as are nectarines, bananas, apples, and just about anything else.

Probably chocolate cake, as well, but I might not have enough patience to wait for one to finish baking. In the meantime, I may eat all of the milk jam straight out of the jar with nothing but a spoon for company.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Woody's Taco Island

Woody's Rum Bar, sister restaurant to Kooper's Tavern and Slainte in Fells Point, now has a taco truck cruising the streets of Baltimore.

The world definitely needs more taco trucks, so I was excited. But the first meal I had was a bit disappointing. Tacos come in sets of three, with no mixing and matching. Two of the same tacos in an order is ok, but three is boring. However, the first variety I tried - the pork adobo ones - were not boring. On the contrary, they had entirely too much stuff going on. There was the adobo-braised pork, the pickled onions, the pineapple salsa, and a blood orange chile sauce. It was an unrelenting barrage of vinegary flavors which most definitely did not need the pico de gallo or super tangy slaw on the side. Some creamy cheese would have cut the extreme piquancy, but I didn't want to shell out the additional buck for queso, as I was already spending $9 for lunch.

Adobo braised pork tacos

The jerk chicken tacos weren't any better. Advertised as coming with honey-lime mango salsa, jicama jalapeno slaw, and fried plantains, I thought the sweetness of the salsa and the crunch of the slaw would mesh nicely with the spicy chicken. Unfortunately, the generous portion of chicken breast strips were predictably dry, the mango in the salsa was underripe and undersweet, the texture of the shredded jicama was actually somewhat unpleasant, and there was an overwhelming cinnamon flavor that almost overtook the powerful chile and thyme flavor of the chicken. The combination of cinnamon and thyme is what my mother and grandmother would have referred to as "ostry," (UH-strih, with a rolled r), which means "harsh" in Polish. And I had three of these things to eat.

Jerk chicken tacos

Enough of the tacos. Three other types are offered (steak, fish, and black bean felafel) but I feel I've had more than my fair share. Plus, there are other things on the menu, in the form of a salad and some sides - not that I plan to try any of them. Oddly, the charge for adding meat or beans to a salad is $4 across the board, while a side order of beans is only 3 bucks.

Anyhoo, I've had quibbles about food truck food from time to time. Sometimes it's great, other times it's merely ok. This time, I just plain don't like it. And I'm generally a big fan of the Kooper's/Slainte/Woody's family of restaurants. But don't let my personal tastes dictate yours - as they say, your mileage may vary. (See what I did there? Mileage? It's a food truck? Oh, nevermind.)



Posted on Minxeats.com.