#10 - If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!

The empty beer bottles are piling up, so it's time to lay up a new batch. I was wanting a to try for a Wee Heavy, but I'm not sure whether this recipe qualifies or not.  We'll see when it's done!

This recipe is based on a Scottish Ale recipe in The Brewmaster's Bible. That recipe called for a darker malt grain, but I had to go with the darkest I could get from my supply store. It still came out with a good color, so I have high hopes for it!

Scottish Ale
10 oz dark crystal malt 90°
3 lb crushed pale ale malt
4.5 lb dry light malt extract
2 oz 4% AA Fuggles hops
Wyeast scottish ale liquid yeast packet

Mash the grains in 1 gallon of 150° water for 45 minutes. Sparge with cold water to get 4 gallons of wort. Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding 1 3/4 oz hops at 60 minutes to end, and the other 1/4 oz at 15 minutes to the end.

Add 1 more gallon of cold water during cooling. Pitch yeast when wort has cooled to 75°.

#9 - Sundried Tomato Hummus

This past Saturday at Whole Foods, the employees had a dip contest, where each department created a dip, had someone giving samples to the customers, and handed out ballots to fill in and vote for your favorite.  There were quite a few good ones, but one of the best was "Pizza Hummus."(1)

Tonight I decided that seemed like a good choice for a light dinner, but I didn't have all the ingredients on hand the recipe called for, so I used it as a springboard to invent my own version. In all modesty(2), I think mine is even better. I have included both recipes for your enjoyment.

Pizza Hummus (courtesy of Whole Foods in Arlington TX)
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
5 tbsp garlic oil
5 tbsp lemon juice
4 oz sundried tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 cup water
1/2 container chevre goat cheese with basil & garlic(3)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Sundried Tomato Chickpea Dip (my version)
6 oz cooked chickpeas(4)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz feta
2 oz sundried tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup warm water

Rehydrate the sundried tomatoes in the water for 5-10 minutes. Place all the ingredients except the water into a food processor and process until well mixed. Add just enough of the water to smooth out the consistency.


In either case, serve with warm pita or naan.

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(1) Many people believe that it can't be called hummus if it lacks tahini.  I have been known to sit on both sides of that fence at various times; for the sake of argument, I'll call mine "chickpea dip", and call the one from Whole Foods by the name they gave it.
(2) Yes, I do in fact have modesty, though I try not to let it get in my way too often.
(3) Sadly, the recipe card they handed out didn't indicate the size of the container, so you'll just have to wing it.
(4) About half a can, if you aren't cooking your own beans. Make sure to drain and rinse them to get rid of whatever liquid they are canned in.

#8 - French Bread for French Onion Soup

The Farmer's Market had a good batch of sweet onions just begging to be made into soup this week, so I loaded up.  My recipe is based on this one from Good Eats, though I use a bit more broth and often can't find apple cider, so I have to substitute apple juice. I've used a number of different kinds of wine in the recipe, so it's never exactly the same twice, though it's always excellent!

Of course, French Onion Soup demands a good French style bread, so I once again consulted James Beard and found an excellent recipe. It came out perfect: a little dense with a slightly hard and chewy crust and a great flavor. Definitely a keeper!

If you're susceptible to onion-tears, chopping nearly a dozen onions may seem daunting, but in the end it's well worth it.

French Onion Soup
10 sweet onions (like Vidalias)
3 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt
2 cups white wine
10 ounces canned beef consume
10 ounces apple cider or juice (unfiltered is best)
12 ounces chicken broth
Bouquet garni(1) of thyme sprigs, bay leaf

1 loaf country style bread, cut into thick slices
grated Gruyere cheese

Slice the onions in half and cut into half-moon shapes. Heat a large(2) soup pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onions in layers, topping each layer with a bit of salt before adding the next. Cover and allow to cook for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.(3)

Once the onions have reduced and started to turn a nice caramel color, add the wine and boil uncovered to reduce for 10-15 minutes. Add the consumme, broth, apple cider, and herbs and simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

To serve, place a bit of cheese in an oven-safe, wide soup bowl and ladle in soup. Leave enough room to top with a slice of the bread, and add more cheese on top of the bread. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese.(4)

The original recipe for the bread calls for an egg wash on the loaves before baking; I usually like doing that to get a crisp crust, but I left it out this time(5) and it came out just fine.


French style bread
3 1/2 oz (1 1/2 packages) dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups warm water (about 100°)
1 tbsp salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in your mixing bowl and allow to proof. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough. Knead additional flour in until it is no longer sticky. Place in a buttered bowl to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough, then divide and shape into two long round loaves. Place the loaves on a baking sheet sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes.
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(1) A traditional bouquet garni is a bundle tied up with a bit of string, but lacking any string, I used a small cheesecloth pouch instead.
(2) Seriously. 10 onions take up a lot of space when you start out.  By the time it all reduces, you'll only be using half the pot, but initially you need the room.
(3) Don't even try to stir until the first 15 minutes are up. Don't worry about burning, the onions release a lot of water when they cook.
(4) I shouldn't have to mention this, but just to be safe: be careful when you take the bowls out of the oven, they are going to be HOT. I put the bowls all onto a baking sheet for stability and to make it easier to get them in and out of the oven. Make sure your guests know to be careful, too.
(5) OK, I forgot it.

#6.5 - Buttermilk Bread, the right way

A week ago, I wrote about a loaf of Buttermilk Whole Wheat bread that I made; it was a happy accident, in that I mistakenly used whole wheat flour instead of "hard wheat".  I tried doing it the "right" way, and while the whole wheat version was good, this version is awesome. Dorothy has even declared it better than the potato bread I bake for the holidays every year.(1)

This bread is a perfect sandwich bread, with  light texture, a good crust, and a nice flavor from the buttermilk. It's also freakishly easy to make; while you have to devote half a day to the two risings and the baking, it only takes about 15 minutes of actual effort, so you can start it before lunch, then get some chores done and have fresh bread for dinner.

I made it the first time on Tuesday, and used it for grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. The loaf was gone by Saturday morning, when Dorothy had the last piece as toast for breakfast.  I made another loaf on Sunday so we have sandwich bread for the week.  This could easily be a new standing weekly ritual, it's that good.

Buttermilk Bread
2 packages (4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
4 cups all purpose flour

Combine yeast, sugar, and water and allow to proof. Mix the remaining ingredients until it comes together into a dough, then add the proofed yeast mixture. If you are using a stand mixer, you will still want to knead by hand for 2-3 minutes at the end to make sure the dough comes together into a smooth ball (the dough is very dry and the stand mixer will leave it in clumps). If the yeast mixture doesn't add enough liquid to bring all of the dough together, add water a tablespoon or so at a time until it just does.

Butter a bowl, and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with butter, then allow to rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk (1-2 hours). Punch down, form into a loaf, and put into a prepared loaf pan to rise again (another 1-2 hours). Bake at 375° for 40 minutes.

#7 - Potato Leek Soup

This is another dinner that came from a request by my wife. She was with me during my grocery shopping and saw some leeks. "Mmmm, potato leek soup!" said she. So into the cart went the leeks and some potatoes.

Later that week, I found myself with half a head of cabbage that needed using, and ended up roasting the potatoes with the cabbage and putting the leeks with some chicken in an Asian-style dish. So this past weekend while shopping, I once again picked up leeks and potatoes, and resolved not to let the soup get missed again.

#6 - Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread

Part of the point of my "Fifty New Things" is to get out of culinary ruts. I love baking, but for most of the last several years, the only loaf breads I have baked have been my Unbelievable Awesome Overnight Potato Bread(1), and my Amazingly Simple Whole Wheat Molasses Bread.This weekend I pulled out my trusty Beard on Bread and started thumbing through it, looking for something to try. I ran across his recipe for "Buttermilk White Bread"(2) and thought it sounded pretty good.

#5: Lamb and Potato Curry

Last Sunday I decided it was time for something Indian. Going through my current favorite Indian cookbook, cookbynumbers indian, I found something that looked very tasty and a change of pace: Aloo Gosht, described as a "lamb and potato curry". I added a little too much broth and ended up with more of a stew than what was pictured in the book, but it was tasty nonetheless. I couldn't find the garam masala, so I had to do without, but I'm leaving it in my version here for future reference, as I think it would have been helpful to the final flavor.

#4: Roast Cabbage? Really? Yes, really.

As I was waiting for scripts to run so I could debug them, I started catching up on several weeks backlog of The Kitchn. A couple of weeks back, as a "Easy Winter Recipe", they posted Roast Cabbage with Bacon. As it happens, I've been trying to figure out something to do with the other half head of cabbage leftover from my pot stickers. I don't happen to have any bacon on hand, but after reading the whole article and following a few links, I decided to try just roasting it with a little olive oil and salt as part of a larger dinner.

I pondered what that dinner might be as I drove home, and realized that if I have my oven hot and a pan only half filled with cabbage, I should really make use of the other half of that pan. Roasted potatoes! And now that I have my starch covered, what for the protein? Mentally walking through my freezer, I remembered some chicken breasts that have been around for a bit and needed to be cooked before they got freezer burn.

So once I got home, I defrosted the chicken, whipped up an asian-style marinade, and put together a pretty darn tasty dinner.

Asian Style Chicken and Leeks
1 full chicken breast
2 leeks
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tsp powdered garlic
1 tsp powdered ginger

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Cut the roots and dark leaves off of the leeks and discard; cut the leeks into thin rings. Mix the remaining ingredients into a marinade and pour over the chicken. Set aside for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1-2 tsp of sesame oil and cook the leeks for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken and marinade and cook until the chicken is done. Serve over roasted cabbage.

Roasted Cabbage
Quarter a head of cabbage and remove the core. cut the quarters into two or three sections each(1), drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast at 450° for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Roasted Potatoes
Cut 2-3 potatoes into pieces 1 to 2 inches across. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and garlic flakes. Roast at 450° for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.


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(1) The more you cut the cabbage, the more "edge" you create, which will burn slightly, giving the cabbage a smoky flavor. If you like that flavor (as Dorothy does), cut it more; if not, cut it somewhat less.

#3 - Black Bean Soup

No interesting story today. It's just been a long time since I made any soup, and I happen to have some black beans on hand. I wanted to go for a spicy style, like a Cuban, but every recipe I found calls for bell peppers, which Dorothy can't eat, and serving with sour cream, which I don't like. So, as I do so often, I improvised a bit. I made the sofrito with just onions and garlic, and I served it with lebne. The sharp flavor of the lebne went very well with the soup, and I highly recommend it.

Black Bean Soup
1 cup dried black beans
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup water

Put the beans and stock in a soup pot and bring to a simmer for two hours.

Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil until the onions turn clear. Add the cumin, chili powder, and oregano and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Put the mixture in a blender with the water and puree. Stir into the beans and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve with a tablespoon of lebne, yogurt or sour cream.

#2 - Pot Stickers

I got the idea and basic recipe from the wonderful blog The Kitchn. I used regular head cabbage instead of napa (primarily because I wasn't really thinking and picked up the wrong one...), and I couldn't find round dumpling wraps so instead I used square won ton wraps. I also chose to use ground pork as my meat, just because I like it. It's a bit of work, but well worth it. The best part is that each dumpling is only about 50 calories!

Pot stickers
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1/2 lb ground pork (91% lean)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 package dumpling/won ton wrappers

Dipping sauce
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar (rice preferred)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Chop the cabbage and mix thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients.(1) Put about a tablespoon of mixture onto each wrapper. Dip your finger in some water and trace the edge of the wrapper to moisten it. Bring the near and far edges of the wrapper together and pinch, then carefully bring the left and right edges up and pinch with the first two. You will now have a nice pouch; pinch the loose edges together to seal it up.

Once the dumplings are all shaped, heat a heavy lidded skillet over high heat. Once the pan is very hot(2), add about 2-3 tsp of sesame oil to the pan and swirl to cover the pan. Arrange dumplings in the pan in a single layer, then carefully(3) pour in 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water. Cover and cook until the water is absorbed. Once you stop seeing steam come out and can hear the dumplings sizzle on the pan, remove the lid and use a spatula to remove the dumplings. They will be stuck to the pan(4), so be careful with the spatula so that you don't leave the bottom of the dumpling behind.

Mix all ingredients for the dipping sauce and set within reach of everyone, or give each person their own small bowl for dipping.
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(1) If you are using a food processor -- and really, you should be, just sayin' -- you can chop it coarsely, as it will get processed down with the rest of the ingredients. If you live a sad life that lacks a food processor, you'll need to chop it more finely.
(2) Seriously. I rarely let the pan get this hot for anything, but if it's not hot enough it doesn't cook right. I figured this out the hard way on the second batch.
(3) It's going to start boiling immediately. Don't pour it in too slowly, or it will just boil off. Be careful as you pour so that the steam doesn't burn you.
(4) That's why they're called "Pot Stickers"!

Not new, but oh so yummy!

Last night I pulled out some pork chops from the freezer to have tonight. I had no idea what I was going to do with them at the time. So tonight I opened the pantry and searched for inspiration.

I found it in the form of two cans: one of green beans and another of diced tomatoes. They whispered to me, reminding me that there were slivered almonds in the cabinet and feta cheese in the fridge ...

You see, back in the day when Dorothy and I were doing Middle Eastern music and dancing, we formed a group with several of our friends. We named ourselves the Aladeen family, and performed as Raqsat Aladeen. During this time, I learned about Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, particularly Lebanese and Greek styles. Green bean dishes are common, mixed with various other ingredients. I experimented, got my family's feedback, and eventually settled on my own dish which we dubbed Green Beans Aladeen.

Having decided that the pork needed to be accompanied by Green Beans Aladeen, I pondered how to cook the meat. Consulting my old mentor(1) Jeff Smith (the Frugal Gourmet), I discovered a simple Greek recipe that looked like it would serve nicely.

Finally, I thought some rice would be a nice finish. I happened to have a lot of rice cooked up from the last batch of spinach wraps, but it's been in the refrigerator long enough to get a bit dry. I plan to use it for fried rice soon, but figured I might be able to revive a bit to go with dinner.

So here's what I ended up with:

Greek Style Pork Chops

3 medium cut pork loin chops

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 stalks celery, chopped, with leaves

2 cloves garlic, diced

1-2 tsp whole cloves

2-3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Preheat a large pan with a lid on high heat. Put a teaspoon of olive oil in the pan and brown both sides of the meat. Carefully pour in the stock (the pan is hot enough to start the liquid boiling immediately, so watch for steam and splatters!) so that it comes up the sides of the meat without completely submerging it. Reduce the heat to low and cover with the chopped vegetables and cloves. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Green Beens Aladeen

1 15oz can green beans

1 15oz can diced tomatoes

2-3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup slivered almonds

Drain the cans of beans and tomatoes(2) and combine in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in the feta and almonds.

Reinvigorated Rice

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups cold cooked rice

Bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and stir the rice into the stock. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes or until the rice is heated through and rehydrated.

There you go. 1 hour from start to finish, one awesome meal. I even remembered to take a picture!

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(1) Not that I've actually met the man, of course, but I credit "the Fruge" as my first cooking teacher. For about six months when I was working part time, I watched his show on PBS over lunch and learned quite a bit.
(2) I'm serious here. Drain them well. When the tomatoes heat up they are going to release more liquid, and if you leave too much of the canning liquid, you're going to have soup once you add the cheese. It'll still taste fine, but you'll need to use a slotted spoon to serve it, and you'll lose some cheese to the soup.

#1 - Ragu alla Antonio

ragu [ra-GOO, rah-GOO]
A staple of northern Italy's Bologna, ragu is a meat sauce that is typically served with pasta. Though different than the French RAGOUT, both are derived from the verb ragoûter , which means "to stimulate the appetite." Ragu usually contains ground beef, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, white wine and seasonings. (1)

Many of the food blogs and recipe books I read have variations on beef with mixed vegetables, sometimes with cheese, sometimes without, usually with tomatoes. Most of them have at least one ingredient that either I or Dorothy won't (or can't) eat(2), so I decided to make my first of Fifty New Things be an exercise in creativity. I went for cheese but no tomatoes to get a less saucy, more gooey texture.

Ragu alla Antonio
1 cup (4 oz) dry elbow macaroni
1 cup diced onion
1-2 cloves diced garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
8 oz can whole kernel corn
4 oz can green chilies
10oz shredded cheddar and jack cheeses
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta to al dente. Preheat oven to 300°. While pasta is cooking, cook the sofritto of onions, garlic and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil until the onions are soft, translucent, and beginning to brown (about 5 minutes).  Add ground beef and cook with chili, cayenne, salt, and pepper until the meat is fully browned. Add corn and mix completely.

Turn off heat and stir in pasta. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, add all but 2oz of the cheese and stir to combine. Top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Makes four servings of approximately 520 calories each.

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(1) © Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbs, as found on Epicurious.com

(2) Like mushrooms. Blech!

Happy New Year!

Had a lovely neighborhood New Year's gathering last night. I have awesome neighbors and we enjoy doing stuff together, but as our kids get older and have activities of their own, it gets harder and harder to get together, so these parties are always great. I made a batch of pumpkin bread, then decided that everyone needed a chance to try the new pretzel recipe. But while the large pretzels make great meals, they aren't so great for party snacks. So I made a double batch, then portioned each batch into a full dozen pieces (instead of just six) and made great mini-pretzels. Since they rolled out to the same diameter, they cooked in the same time, but made perfect little finger foods. Everyone loved them, and they went great with the queso dip!

So here we are in the new year, and resolutions are the big thing at this time of year. I don't usually bother, but this year I have two: The first is pretty standard for people my age: to resume my food logging and exercise as I can to maintain my weight and maybe even lose a bit more. My back trouble makes the exercise part difficult, but I'll do what I'm able.

The other is more personal. I am a creature of habit, and tend to find things I like and stick with them. I read a number of cooking and foodie blogs, and have amassed a collection of bookmarks of things I want to try. So my resolution this year is to try them. My theme for this year is going to be "Fifty New Things". This year I plan to make fifty new recipes. Breads, entrees, soups, sauces ... some big, some small, but all new. I picked the number fifty because that comes out to one new recipe a week, with two weeks off.

Today there's a New Year's Day party, then I'll be going through my bookmarks to pick my first new thing. It's going to be a good year!