Easy BBQ Ribs

I'm not an expert at BBQ sauce. I haven't "mastered the sauce" or "mastered the rub" so to speak. Although I like to think I am good at foot rubs. One day I am sure I will rise to the challenge of creating a custom sauce and bbq rub, balancing the perfect amount tomato, vinegar, sugar, spice and everything nice. BUT for now, I will leave that to the pit masters.

All things said, there is one thing that I know how to do really well and that is making succulent, fall off the bone, roasted cavewoman meat...and in my opinion, that is most important. Anyway, who wants to bite into a bone dry piece of rib OR WORSE an undercooked piece of rib? Maybe the dogs and ravenous wolves drooling on your porch smelling your home cooking.... but not me or my guests.

SO, when it comes to the rub down of your ribs or the dousing of your sauce, just stick to what you like. Maybe you make your own, which is great! But if you prefer, just pick something good in the store. I decided to go with a Sonny's BBQ rub and sauce (awesome chain located in the "bbq" states like Florida, Alabama, North & South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee). I also added McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning, because that stuff is delicious and basically like crack...in the best way possible of course. 

So let's get down to business with the recipe. 

* NOTE: This takes time. Approx 3 hours total. 

Low and Slow BBQ Ribs

The Ingredients:

1 rack of pork spareribs

Very generous amount of BBQ dry rub

1 good bottle of BBQ sauce  (or your own)

Montreal Steak Seasoning

The Procedure:

Note: Allow your rack of ribs to sit out for about 30 mins to 1 hour. You dont' want them straight out of the fridge COLD. Just slightly cool or room temperature. For some reason, extremely cold meat gets tougher if it is super cold going to a super hot temperature immediately.

1)Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F

2) Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil

3) Place ribs on baking sheet and generously sprinkle dry rub on both sides of the ribs. Don't be stingy! 

4) Take Montreal Steak Seasoning and sprinkle over both sides again, but just enough to season the ribs to your liking. This seasoning contains salt and pepper in addition to other spices.

5) Take additional foil and completely wrap the ribs into a package. Wrap tightly!

6) Place ribs in the oven on the baking sheet and roast LOW and SLOW for 2 hours.

7) After 2 hours check on the ribs, and increase the heat to 325 degrees F and roast for an additional 30-45 minutes.

8) Prep your grill and line it with more foil. This is a good tip for ALL grilling.

9) After the ribs have roasted in the oven, take them out carefully and brush generously with your BBQ sauce.

10. With tongs, very carefully transfer the ribs to the foil lined grill. 

11. BBQ on grill until ribs are a little caramelized on both sides, continuously adding more bbq sauce as you grill and flipping the ribs a few times. 

12. Enjoy those ribs and enjoy them good. The crunchy caramelized bits are the best.

Caramelization = Best part of cooking

Dumplings

I was cooking with a close girlfriend the other night and we both came to a very interesting conclusion about international food.  It can seem at times that certain cultures just won't agree on anything and never will. War is war, culture is culture, and there is no middle ground. But that notion is so wrong, especially when it comes to our food. There is a middle ground indeed. The dumpling. Also known as ravioli, the klobb, fufu, the pierogi, the empanada, the kreplach, potsticker, gyoza, mandu, pasteles,the samosa, the Chinese dumpling. Call it what you will, but these little things are what bring familes together. Can you imagine a table of these served up at a meeting of the United Nations. I am positive they would be gone! Want to end a war? Share a dumpling with your greatest enemy.

My friend and I decided to go along with some Chinese style steamed dumplings. Yum. Using store bought wonton wrappers and filling from scratch, we created some pretty amazing pillows of goodness. A pork dumpling and a chicken dumpling, steamed in an aromatic bamboo steamer and dipped in glorious sauce. Sounding good? You bet. Lets take a look some recipes:

For whichever filling you decide to make- 

*Get 1 packet of wonton wrappers

*Get 1 bamboo steamer basket

*Prepare a small bowl of water on the side

*Get some wax paper

*Get some cooking spray

Pork dumpling 

1 lb ground pork

1/3 cup chicken stock

2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp fresh ginger, ground

1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili paste

some chopped scallions or chives
(some sesame seeds, optional)

Chicken dumpling 

1 lb ground chicken

1 1/2 tsp fresh ground ginger
3-4cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1- 1 1/2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

some chopped chive or scallion (be generous)

some chopped spinach
(sprinkle of sesame seeds optional)

The procedure:

1) Pick a dumpling filling recipe above and mix ingredients thoroughly  in a bowl

2) On a cutting board or flat surface place one wonton wrapper down flat

3) Place about 1- 1 1/2 tsp dumpling filling in the middle of the wrapper

4) Dunk your finger in the bowl of water you have set a side, and run them along the edges of the wonton. This will allow the edges to stick when you fold them.

5) Take one edge of the wonton and fold in half over the filling. Press the edges down. Crimp them, fold into the shape you like. 

6) You now have your dumpling.

7) Time to prepare the steamer basket. Take your wax paper and tear a sheet into small squares

8) On each tier of the bamboo basket, place 4-5 small squares of wax paper

9) Spray each paper with cooking spray

10) Place a dumpling on each piece of paper

11) In a large frying pan or wok, put a good amount of water in the bottom, but don't let the water touch the bottom tier of the bamboo steamer when placed inside. 

12) Heat the water to high heat until boiling.

13) Place the steamer basket in the pan, and steam for 7 minutes or until dumplings are cooked through

OHHH You didn't think I'd forgot the dipping sauce, did you?

For dipping sauce, mix together

1/4 water

1/4 soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp chili paste

2 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, ground

( similar to PF Changs)

Enjoy friends!

Roasted Bone Marrow with Sea Salt and Rosemary

Watching countless travel shows  has made me notice something very particular about trending restaurants- the serving of beef marrow bone as an appetizer. Are you serious? Let's explore this.

This is the gelatinous inside cavity of the bones where white an red blood cells are created. It is high in protein and fat. Sounds like it is supposed to be reserved for medical practice! BUT ALAS. One chef being showcased on one of the travel shows I was completely drawn into, was Chef Chris Cosentino. Among his many cooking talents is serving delicious plates of unusual cuts of meat and animal parts. Tongues, intestines, snouts, you name it. One of the unusual delicacies he cooked was beef bone marrow, seasoned with sea salt and pepper on a bed of herbs. It is hard to believe that something as simple as this could be so delicious. I haven't had the pleasure of visiting his restaurant on my last trip to San Fransisco (as I hear it is now closed), but I wanted to try a version for myself. Bone marrow is such an interesting thought as a morsel because it was once seen as a part of the animal to be discarded or used for soup or...dog treats... and is now being used as a showstopping small plate. How can I describe it? It is meat heaven. Meat butter! A soft, gelatinous delicacy that WILL melt in your mouth. I am not just saying that and using flowery words.

SO as a mission, I decided that I ought to try and make it myself since many restaurants are trending this dish. In Gainesville, I drove over to one of the town's small markets, specializing in local products (something I try to always encourage). This place tends to be overrun by hipsters sometimes, but whatever. There, I approached the butcher and asked for 2 beef bone marrows, cut in half. After researching the dish, I saw that it is the easiest to roast them in halves. The butcher came back with the marrow bones, which were very large and bloody. My eyes widened with disgust and excitement. The butcher said finally, I hope your dogs like these! Of course I knew dogs loved bone marrow, but this man had no idea I was about the roast them up and eat them. I replied " Actually, they are for me, I am gonna eat them!" He gave a very strange look and went about his way. Oooo...burned.

At home, I followed some instructions that I found online and started roasting. In 15 minutes I had a delicious snack and I served it with some toast and a tall glass of raspberry Fromboise beer. 

PERFECT.

Intimidating to try at first trust me. The smell is questionable and the texture is literally jelly, but BE BRAVE! And try it.

I actually threw a GAME OF THRONES premiere party not too long ago and served this up. How appropriate! All attendees were college students who were luckily brave enough to try it. Surprisingly, everyone approved. So try this at home to serve as a lovely little tapa or appetizer!

The ingredients:

Beef marrow bones, cut in half 

Extra Virgin olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

Fresh rosemary, thyme or parsley

The recipe. 

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 degrees F

1) On a baking sheet, place the bones an inch or two apart with the wider sides facing down.

2) Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the tops of each bone.

3) Sprinkle tops of bones with salt, pepper and chopped fresh rosemary

4) Before baking, prep a warm loaf of french bread and slice into disks. Set aside and keep warm.

5) Bake marrow bones for 15-18 minutes

6) Remove from oven and serve immediately

7) To retrieve the marrow, take a small spoon or knife and spread on bread like butter

Enjoy this. It is pure heaven and drooling status.

Crabs from the Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco

Each day at Fisherman's Warf, these babies wind up in a boiling pot and are served with a side of drawn butter. I know it's kind of known as the touristy area of San Francisco, but damnit...the flavor is still in my memory. Don't pretend like you don't want this!

Greek lemon soup: Avgolemono

Opa!!! We are headed to Greece today!...well...in our mouths...and in our crockpots...

I love soups, and who doesn't? I always get a sort of rustic feeling when I am tending to a big pot full of vegetables and meat bubbling away. This soup has been a tradition in Greek culture for MANY years, and it is called Avgolemono. I never had the opportunity to cook it before, so this is exciting. The inspiration came because I caught a terrible drawn out flu just a couple of weeks ago. It started with a sore throat, then losing my voice, then coughing my brains out for a couple weeks. Thank goodness it's gone now, but during that time I had Greek lemon soup from a little hole in the wall restaurant down the street. One bite and my throat instantly started to feel better. Grandmothers everywhere have established that chicken broth and citrus are good for the flu! SO whether you are sick or you just want to try something a little Greek today, I recommend this recipe.

After scouring the internet for variations of this recipe, I personally prefer this method. It creates a creamy, thick soup...without using cream!

The ingredients:

1 small size whole chicken
3-4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 carrots chopped into small chunks
2 celery stalks, chopped in small chunks
1 small yellow onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 TBSP peppercorns
salt
3 eggs
2 big lemons
1- 1 1/4 cup orzo pasta (whatever you like)
fresh cracked pepper
parsley ( dried flakes or fresh)

The procedure:

1. Place whole chicken into a crockpot, breast-side up
2. Pour in chicken broth and water. The liquid should not cover the chicken entirely.
3. Add carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns, bay leaves, and a little salt to the pot.
4. Put on high for about 4 hours until the chicken is completely cooked through. I turn the chicken once to make sure everything cooks thoroughly. After approx: 4 hours, you have a delicious stock.
5. Take orzo, and boil in a pot of salty water over the stove until AL DENTE ( a little chewy). Strain and set aside
6. Remove the chicken carefully and place on a cutting board. Shred meat and set aside..
7. Pour the contents of crockpot through a strainer into a another wide bottom pot. (Discard the veggies and such). You should be left with just stock.
8. Bring your pot of stock to a simmer over the stove
9. In a medium bowl, crack the eggs in and squeeze the lemons. Whisk together thoroughly
10. When the stock on the stove is hot BUT NOT BOILING, take a ladle of the stock and put it into the bowl with the lemon and eggs. You DON'T want scrambled eggs. Whisk together. Add one more ladle and whisk again.
11. Now, add the entire lemon/egg/stock mixture to the pot of stock and stir together. Season with salt and cracked pepper as well as the parsley (fresh or dried).
12. Finally, add cooked orzo and some of the shredded chicken
13. Opa!!! Eat and enjoy. Tastes fantastic the day after as well.

*Note: You can leave out shredded chicken from soup if you wish and just use the shredded meat for other dishes later.

The Yummy House

I know that some of you readers probably don't live in Gainesville, FL, but this is my time to get on my soap box about Chinese restaurants. We all have our Chinese restaurants and Chinese takeout restaurants. What's funny is that no matter how bad they are, we keep ordering from there... don't we? Why? We all want to experience that delicious far east taste but for some of us, that means ordering spaghetti lomein and questionable fried chicken balls. And yet, we stick them like we are married to them because we love it. For those living in the Gainesville area, I suggest taking a trip to a real Chinese restaurant...sit down style...with a menu that reflects authenticity mixed with "new york style" Chinese. This is Yummy House. It is so simple and yet everything works so well. The sauces are scrumptious. Laced with crack? Could be. But I think it's just amazing recipes passed down through the restaurant's family for generations. I have gone there a few times since they opened, and every single time is like eating cake for the first time and I act like I am an overly excited 6 year old. I have had a few of their dishes which are as follows:

•  Mongolian Beef - so tender and in a sweet, sticky and slightly spicy brown sauce tossed with golden onions, chili peppers for look and crunchy scallions
•  Black Bean Chicken- NOT SPANISH TASTING by any means, but a shiny brown sauce sprinkled with black beans and a tinge of far east curry flavor mixed with red peppers, onions, and celery slices.
• Egg Rolls- more like spring rolls with savory egg roll filling, crispy and hot with sweet chili dipping sauce
•  Spicy Yummy Chicken- fried, spicy, yummy, what more can I say?
•  Sesame Chicken- fried white meat chicken in a honey sesame brown sauce
• Honey Walnut shrimp- an absolute MOUTHGASM that will stop you in mid-chew. Jumbo shrimp, lightly fried and covered in creamy sauce, tossed with candied walnuts coated in honey and sesame seeds. To die for. 
•  Hot and Sour Soup- if you order the soup for one here, you get soup for six. Delicious. 
•  Schezuan Chicken- a work of art with a spicy kick, but again, has that sweet spicy brown sauce mixed with vegetables. 
• Lomein- not in anyway spaghetti noodles. Delicious and lightly flavored so you can mix the noodles in with those tempting sauces from other meat dishes. 
• Hot oolong tea- they bring you a whole pot so you can keep drinking all night. 

 AND...its BYOB.  Can more restaurants adopt this trend please? 

Granted the parking is very limited and there may be a wait because..well...people call it the Yummy House for a reason. But you won't wait long and you will be treated with the utmost kindness and respect as one of their guests. 

In your town, find your own Yummy House, whether it is a new place you were scared to try, or something else on the menu at your good ol' takeout place around the corner. Expand expand expand....and long live Yummy House!

Poached Pears in Mulled Red Wine

Poached Pears...how classic. So this is a boozy, yet delicious dessert that reaches back to MEDIEVAL TIMES. As people drank wine constantly for the lack of clean water and pears were a sign of fertility and nobility, this was eaten often at large banquets. I can also imagine feeding this blood-red dessert to the king's soldiers before a battle, getting them into the mindset to fight and slaughter! For those of you spending the night watching Game of Thrones, or you just want to try something different for dessert, then this one is for you!

How do you make it? Read the recipe as follows.

POACHED PEARS IN MULLED RED WINE (serves 3-4)

The Ingredients
3-4 pears (I like red pears) peeled with stems still intact
2 1/2 cups dry red wine, preferably Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon mulling spices ( cinnamon stick pieces, cloves, all spice)
zest of a small orange


The recipe
1. After peeling the pears, cut a small slice off the bottom of each so that they can sit flat on the cutting board.
2. Add wine, sugar and mulling spices to a pot with a large wide bottom.
3. Bring the wine mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer. As Anne Burrell says in her shows, BTB and RTS.
4. Place pears in the wine mixture so that they sit up.
5. Simmer the pears for 45 minutes or until very tender, turning every 15 minutes or so.
6. After 45 minutes or so, take the pears out.
7. Bring the simmered wine mixture to a low boil and let reduce until thick and syrupy. What you are left with is a blood-red deliciously dreamy and thick sauce to pour over the pears.
8. Place pears in serving bowls or on a platter and pour the sumptuous sauce over the pears so that they look red and glistening.
9. Serve immediately and hog all the pears for yourself.