As anyone who knows me can attest, I love kitchen things. I love to cook well, and I like to have tools that help my cook. A few Christmases ago, my husband was lovely enough to get me a three-piece Global knife set. They are super sharp and I very much enjoy using them. I would love to expand my knife set at some point, and I would love to do so with some of these lovely Shun knives from Sur La Table. I just adore the wooden handles!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Pork Spare Ribs - Venetian Style
The other day I happened to catch a show on PBS called "Gourmet's Adventures with Ruth", wherein Ruth Riechl of Gourmet Mag fame visited Venice with Dianne Wiest to take some cooking classes with Enrica Rocca. Apparently I am late to the game since this was an episode from Season 1, and I think they are now in Season 3...
BUT ANYWAY!
Being a glutton for Venice since our trip there, I decided to give a try to the spare ribs they made. Here is my adventure, with a few pictures. The link to the actual recipe, HERE.
You need:
2lbs of pork spare ribs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2 tbs of fresh rosemary (I used dried, and only had 1 tbs, so I added one tbs of dried Herbes de Provence, which was equally delicious)
3/4 cup of dry white wine (I never use anything I won't drink so I actually used a great Idaho Riesling)
3/4 cup of water
Normally, you are supposed to hack the ribs in half crosswise, but I don't have cleaver so I made them whole.
First you want to heat a large skillet (I used my 12" Le Creuset pot) on medium-high, adding in 1-2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil until the oil shimmers. Brown your ribs as follows in batches (so you don't cool your pan too much, and get an even cooking). After each batch cooks, set it aside on a plate.
After you are done cooking all of your ribs, add them all back to the pot, along with your Rosemary and Garlic.
Add your wine and water, and then stir to coat.
Put the lid on your pot/skillet, reduce your heat to medium low and cook for 1-1.25 hours. Mine did well in just over an hour. When it is done you will have a nice flavorful sauce to serve over the ribs.
I made a batch of gluten-free cornbread from Bob's Red Mill when I made chicken soup the other night which, served with the ribs, made this a very simple but exceptionally delicious meal.
BUT ANYWAY!
Being a glutton for Venice since our trip there, I decided to give a try to the spare ribs they made. Here is my adventure, with a few pictures. The link to the actual recipe, HERE.
You need:
2lbs of pork spare ribs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2 tbs of fresh rosemary (I used dried, and only had 1 tbs, so I added one tbs of dried Herbes de Provence, which was equally delicious)
3/4 cup of dry white wine (I never use anything I won't drink so I actually used a great Idaho Riesling)
3/4 cup of water
Normally, you are supposed to hack the ribs in half crosswise, but I don't have cleaver so I made them whole.
First you want to heat a large skillet (I used my 12" Le Creuset pot) on medium-high, adding in 1-2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil until the oil shimmers. Brown your ribs as follows in batches (so you don't cool your pan too much, and get an even cooking). After each batch cooks, set it aside on a plate.
After you are done cooking all of your ribs, add them all back to the pot, along with your Rosemary and Garlic.
Add your wine and water, and then stir to coat.
Put the lid on your pot/skillet, reduce your heat to medium low and cook for 1-1.25 hours. Mine did well in just over an hour. When it is done you will have a nice flavorful sauce to serve over the ribs.I made a batch of gluten-free cornbread from Bob's Red Mill when I made chicken soup the other night which, served with the ribs, made this a very simple but exceptionally delicious meal.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Poultry Soup Recipe
I only say "Poultry" soup because typically I make this with whatever bird carcasses (Carcii?) that I have laying around.
Yes, I have bird carcasses stashed in my freezer. Every time I make a chicken, or duck, combined with the turkey carcasses I abscond from my in-laws after Thanksgiving (or Christmas) I wrap them in foil and shove them in the freezer for *just* the right moment. Everyone thinks I am a little strange, but I am the one who winds up with a delicious pot of soup at the end. :-D It's a great way to get even more out of that holiday bird.
Now, I will mention that you can always purchase a few whole chickens at the store to make this if you don't have any frozen birds. Sometimes if I don't have enough carcasses I will get a split chicken or chicken parts at the store to add to the pot. Heresy I know! Also? Don't clean the bird if there are any herbs and spices/onions/etc in the bird since it just adds to the flavor.
Anyway, it's so easy, and the results are so delicious. If you are going to use a turkey carcass, you will either need a pot large enough to accommodate the leftover bird, or you will need to use a cleaver to cut it into pieces large enough to fit into your pot. I use a 16 Qt stock pot that I got cheap at Bed Bath and Beyond. It's sole uses are for making soup of this nature OR for making end-of-summer tomato sauce to put up.
Put your bird in the pot, and then cover the carcass as much as possible with tap water (obviously if your bird exceeds the pot size you will not be able to cover it all the way). And by this I mean if your whole bird fits in the pot, then just cover the bird with water. If your bird sticks out of the pot, just add water up to about an inch and a half from the top of the pot. This makes the soup so flexible. You can do it in a small pot or a large pot. As much or as little as you want.
I usually start this the night before because I make such a large pot of it, and because my birds are generally frozen. I find that the longer I cook this, the more likely it is that the bones will begin to disintegrate, letting the marrow into the broth, and thus adding WAY more flavor.
Bring your pot to a boil, and then as soon as it boils, bring it to a low simmer. Put your lid on as soon as it simmers, and then leave it to simmer. Like I said, because I make such a big pot, and because I like the bones to disintegrate, I will let it simmer overnight, but you do not necessarily need to do so - it just depends on how much you are making. Check on it every so often to make sure that your water is not evaporating or boiling too hard (add more water or chicken broth if you want/need to).
There is no specific time frame for letting it cook. If you are doing a big pot like me, I will generally let it go for almost 24 hours. Depending on how much bird you are using will determine how long it will take you to strain the bird. That is the no fun part. I generally use a spider to just pull out the bones and the meat. You can discard what is left of the bones, making sure to remove all of the useful meat into a separate bowl. After you have strained out your bones and meat, add into the pot as much celery, carrots and chopped onion as you want. This adds more flavor to the pot. They will need to cook through, so make sure you give it enough time.
At this time you will also want to make a pot of pasta (if you want to add any kind of noodles with your soup), but do NOT add it to your soup. Make it on the side, otherwise if you are storing any, the pasta gets nasty and mushy.
Once you have separated out your meat, add it back to the pot, and then as soon as the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness AND your pasta is done, you are ready to eat!
This freezes well, and is great for all winter long!
Yes, I have bird carcasses stashed in my freezer. Every time I make a chicken, or duck, combined with the turkey carcasses I abscond from my in-laws after Thanksgiving (or Christmas) I wrap them in foil and shove them in the freezer for *just* the right moment. Everyone thinks I am a little strange, but I am the one who winds up with a delicious pot of soup at the end. :-D It's a great way to get even more out of that holiday bird.
Now, I will mention that you can always purchase a few whole chickens at the store to make this if you don't have any frozen birds. Sometimes if I don't have enough carcasses I will get a split chicken or chicken parts at the store to add to the pot. Heresy I know! Also? Don't clean the bird if there are any herbs and spices/onions/etc in the bird since it just adds to the flavor.
Anyway, it's so easy, and the results are so delicious. If you are going to use a turkey carcass, you will either need a pot large enough to accommodate the leftover bird, or you will need to use a cleaver to cut it into pieces large enough to fit into your pot. I use a 16 Qt stock pot that I got cheap at Bed Bath and Beyond. It's sole uses are for making soup of this nature OR for making end-of-summer tomato sauce to put up.
Put your bird in the pot, and then cover the carcass as much as possible with tap water (obviously if your bird exceeds the pot size you will not be able to cover it all the way). And by this I mean if your whole bird fits in the pot, then just cover the bird with water. If your bird sticks out of the pot, just add water up to about an inch and a half from the top of the pot. This makes the soup so flexible. You can do it in a small pot or a large pot. As much or as little as you want.
I usually start this the night before because I make such a large pot of it, and because my birds are generally frozen. I find that the longer I cook this, the more likely it is that the bones will begin to disintegrate, letting the marrow into the broth, and thus adding WAY more flavor.
Bring your pot to a boil, and then as soon as it boils, bring it to a low simmer. Put your lid on as soon as it simmers, and then leave it to simmer. Like I said, because I make such a big pot, and because I like the bones to disintegrate, I will let it simmer overnight, but you do not necessarily need to do so - it just depends on how much you are making. Check on it every so often to make sure that your water is not evaporating or boiling too hard (add more water or chicken broth if you want/need to).
There is no specific time frame for letting it cook. If you are doing a big pot like me, I will generally let it go for almost 24 hours. Depending on how much bird you are using will determine how long it will take you to strain the bird. That is the no fun part. I generally use a spider to just pull out the bones and the meat. You can discard what is left of the bones, making sure to remove all of the useful meat into a separate bowl. After you have strained out your bones and meat, add into the pot as much celery, carrots and chopped onion as you want. This adds more flavor to the pot. They will need to cook through, so make sure you give it enough time.
At this time you will also want to make a pot of pasta (if you want to add any kind of noodles with your soup), but do NOT add it to your soup. Make it on the side, otherwise if you are storing any, the pasta gets nasty and mushy.
Once you have separated out your meat, add it back to the pot, and then as soon as the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness AND your pasta is done, you are ready to eat!
This freezes well, and is great for all winter long!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
An overview of the same-sex marrage debate... hilarious!
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/upload/2009/12/the_same-sex_marriage_debate_g/samesexmarriage.php
Friday, November 27, 2009
Part One - Castles in the Air
23 parts to go! This is a freebie mystery sampler by Papillon Creations. Actually, it's $1 for the first part, and then you receive all subsequent parts of the pattern for free. You are given certain colors to work with, and then you choose the remaining colors. The beading is not complete in this section - I will add those at the very end.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Art for Thought
I've been fortunate enough to grow up in the Art capitol of the country. I've seen the Masters, and I've seen Modern Art. There are a few pieces that I can think of that really left a mark, and I thought I would share them with you. Keep in mind that both of these installations I saw at very young ages. Under 10.
The first one I always think of is "The State Hospital" by Edward Kienholz.
I don't remember where this was installed - I'm thinking the Whitney Museum? A few things to note about this piece were that there are goldfish swimming in the glass bowls of these heads, and there is a heady, strong smell of disinfectant spray. I remember seeing this on a class trip, and I've never ever forgotten it. I have always thought it to be a disturbing piece, but so thought provoking. Ironically enough, there is a state mental hospital near where I grew up which was opened in the 30's and was well know for its lobotomy procedures (first in the nation, I believe) until the practiced was outlawed. I always equated that place with this sculpture. I wonder if Mr. Kienholz ever anticipated such a young individual being so effected by it. It is at once completely horrifying and yet intriguing at the same time.
The other piece I always think of is "The Figure 5 in Gold" by Charles Demuth.
I believe this is in the permanent collection at the Metroplitan Museum of Art. Whoever installed this at the time did it quite cleverly. The walls were painted a very dark color, and the track lighting was low. This piece sat by itself at the end of the hallway. The gold 5s just jumped out at me, and I felt the movement of the entire piece rushing towards me. Of course this is what the artist intended, since it was based on the poem "The Great Figure" by William Carlos Williams.
So what art has inspired you? What art have you seen and never forgotten?
The first one I always think of is "The State Hospital" by Edward Kienholz.
I don't remember where this was installed - I'm thinking the Whitney Museum? A few things to note about this piece were that there are goldfish swimming in the glass bowls of these heads, and there is a heady, strong smell of disinfectant spray. I remember seeing this on a class trip, and I've never ever forgotten it. I have always thought it to be a disturbing piece, but so thought provoking. Ironically enough, there is a state mental hospital near where I grew up which was opened in the 30's and was well know for its lobotomy procedures (first in the nation, I believe) until the practiced was outlawed. I always equated that place with this sculpture. I wonder if Mr. Kienholz ever anticipated such a young individual being so effected by it. It is at once completely horrifying and yet intriguing at the same time.
The other piece I always think of is "The Figure 5 in Gold" by Charles Demuth.
I believe this is in the permanent collection at the Metroplitan Museum of Art. Whoever installed this at the time did it quite cleverly. The walls were painted a very dark color, and the track lighting was low. This piece sat by itself at the end of the hallway. The gold 5s just jumped out at me, and I felt the movement of the entire piece rushing towards me. Of course this is what the artist intended, since it was based on the poem "The Great Figure" by William Carlos Williams.
So what art has inspired you? What art have you seen and never forgotten?
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