Steak Two Ways – Low Carbs for Lent March 10, 2011

I have always felt better when I eat very little wheat, complex carbohydrates like things made with flour, bread, flour tortillas, and sugar, corn and potatoes.  I think rice doesn’t bother me as much, but I love it, so I’m prone to eat too much.  I like all the white foods, however I find that eating them makes my joints hurt and I don’t sleep as well.  I don’t crave sugar, but I do crave the starches like crazy.  Once I get them out of my system, after 3-5 days, the cravings subside.

I’ve eaten way too much bread and pizza crust in the last few months, so for Lent, although I’m not Catholic, I’ve decided to give up carbs.   I will miss them, but I will feel better for it, and maybe get off my carb addicted track.

So, last night for dinner, I grilled a Richardson Farms Ribeye, on the Big Green Egg.  I sauteed Kitchen Pride mushrooms in Way Back When butter, my garden thyme with Spring onions from Smithfield Farms, and white wine.  I plucked some lettuce from the garden, chopped up a hydroponic tomato from the farmer’s market, and made a simple salad dressing with Roquefort from Antonelli’s Cheese and Way Back When cream.

 

Ribeye Dinner

 

No, I did not eat that whole steak, it was huge.  Leftovers soon.

So, my second night of low carb eating, was a variation on the same theme.

I had a package of 2 Thunderheart Bison Tenderloin Filets.  I’m a grill girl, but I decided to cook these classic style.  I heated up a cast iron skillet, until screaming hot, salted, peppers the steaks and seared the quickly on both sides.  Then, I put them in a 400 degree convection oven, in the skillet.  I chopped some Springfield Farms Spring Onions, Kitchen Pride Mushrooms, and sauteed them in Way Back When butter.

I was excited to break out my Staub baby sautee pan.  It is tiny, but perfect for my Roquefort and Reduced Cream Sauce for the steak.

 

Beginnings of Roquefort Cream Sauce

 

I sauteed some spinach until barely wilted, plated that, pulled out the rested beef and sliced it, topped it with mushroom/onion mixture, then drizzled the whole plate with roquefort cream and a fresh parsley garnish.

 

Bison Tender Dinner

I cooked the bison longer than I meant to, leaving it medium well.  I don’t mind sharing my mistakes, I got caught up on email and left it in a tad to long.  Meat keeps cooking when removed from its heat source, and I let it rest for a while.  It still was delicious.  I was eyeing the second steak for a sliced beef sandwich tomorrow.   Then, I remembered my no carb deal, so it will have to be a bison, lettuce salad.  Still delicious!

 

 

Delicious Grass Fed Beef from One Girl Farm February 10, 2011

I love Boggy Creek Farm.  When everyone was live tweeting their horrible Christimas Eve and Thanksgiving Eve shopping experiences at the grocery store, I was shopping peacefully, amongst the chickens and friends, in a glorious setting.  They have the list of non-farm products on their website, but I had been eyeing a newcomer to their farmstand, One Girl Farm.  Alongside the Thunderheart Bison, and Alexander Farm meats in the freezers, there was One Girl Farm.  “No compromise, humane and grass fed.”  I have had some less than great experiences with some grass fed beef, so I picked a chuck roast with plans to cook it in the slow cooker for hours, on a cold day.

One Girl Farm

If Carol Ann Sayle says its is good, I trust her without hestiation.  And it was delicious.  After cooking it on low in a little beef stock wine and onions, it was so fork tender, I had a hard time getting it out of the cooker.   It was beyond tender and full of delicious flavor.  I took a picture, but lately my pictures have looked like James Lileks’ Gallery of Regretable Food, and I don’t want to turn anyone off this delicious beef.   There is information on her farm on her website.  www.onegirlfarm.com.  She obviously cares about her cows, and that makes me happy.  I love this picture from her website:

One of her cows having a salad.

It appears that Boggy Creek is the only Austin location you can get One Girl Farm beef.  I’m a fan!  Based on my chuck roast experience, I will try other cuts that do not require slow cooking.  I suspect they will be delicious.

For other goodness, visit www.boggycreekfarm.com.    Boggy Creek  Farm is one of my favorite spots on Earth.

Cold Weather Slow Cooking February 4, 2011

For me, when the weather is cold, I want hot comfort food, cooked slowly throughout the day and a house filled with delicious aromas.  This cold snap was well predicted, so I stocked up on the things I wanted to slow cook.  Yesterday, it was Thunderheart Bison Short Ribs, braised in red wine and thyme.

After work downtown, then lunch at Haddington’s, I came home and pulled out my short ribs.

 

Thunderheart Bison Short Ribs

 

The key to braising, is browning the meat first.  The caramelization is what flavors the dish and adds depth.

 

Seared Bison Short Ribs

 

Next, I piled the ribs back into the Emile Henry dish, covered them with red wine, added garlic, leeks, and thyme.  It was nice having my herbs in the house to keep them from freezing.  I covered the pot and put it in a 300 degree oven for the rest of the afternoon.  After about 2.5 hours, I turned them down to 250.  By dinner time, the ribs had fallen off the bones completely and were fork tender.

I had an unopened container of Arborio Rice from Rice Select in Alvin Texas, in the pantry.  I have never made risotto, but after watching Top Chef re-runs in the afternoon, I was inspired to try to make mushroom risotto.  I cut up some baby bellos from Kitchen Pride at the SFC Farmer’s Market, and sauteed them with green onions, also from the farmer’s market.

 

Sauteed Mushrooms and onions

 

I pulled out the homemade stock, white wine, and started preparing to make the risotto, then the doorbell rang and I got distracted from my cooking, with company.

So, I abandoned the risotto plan, and dumped some leftover rice into the mushroom mixture, added some Mushroom Sage Olive Oil from C’on Olio, and called that my side dish.  It was good enough to make again.

So, my slow cooked, winter dinner, was Wine Braised Bison Shortribs, Mushroom Rice, and Steamed Garden Broccoli with Parmesan.

 

Slow Winter Dinner

I still have not been to the grocery store, so I guess that makes Day 399.

 

No Grocery Store Challenge, 4 Days Left December 29, 2010

In case you didn’t see the article in the Statesman today, here you go.

http://bit.ly/g2VMcZ

The response to the offer of farmer’s market tours has been more than I can keep up with, the day before my father’s surgery.  I’ll catch up, and its a good thing that more folks are interested in eating locally grown food, and hopefully are getting more interested in where food comes from.

So, yesterday, I invited my dear friends Christian and Jamie over for dinner, and offered up the contents in my freezer.  When they accepted, I pulled out some Thunderheart Bison tenderloin filets, a Richardson Farms ribeye, and some Kocurek Family Charcuterie drunken chicken sausage.  I thought we could cook enough food so that the leftovers would get me through the first couple of days following my dad’s hip surgery.

They arrived with my favorite Goddog, Leo and a big blue bin full of stuff.  I didn’t know what they were up to, I thought we would get stuff from the gardens and use what I had.  They had other plans, mainly, to cook dinner for me and let me relax, the kindness of which left me overwhelmingly thankful.  Jamie and Leo and I mostly hung out in front of the fireplace, while Christian cooked an amazing meal.  And we snacked on a Full Quiver Cheese Ball.  Nothing says party, like a nut covered ball of cheese!

 

Ball O Cheese

He brought leeks, which became a delicious leek, toasted bread, with egg and cream dish that was delicious.

 

 

Delicious Leek Dish

 

I’ll be planting leeks very soon, if I can get some ordered.  I believe Dixondale Farms has them.  He roasted the potatoes and dressed them with a sofrito he had made at home, and some CKC Farms Herbed Cheddar.  He seared the bison and ribeye in the cast iron skillet, and finished them in the oven.

 

Delicious dinner

 

The dinner was amazing, and I remain slightly overwhelmed at the kindness.  Friends are awesome.

I’m in the process of completing a “Year in Review” post of the No Grocery Store Challenge, but might be delayed for a few days by my dad’s surgery.  I’ll try to get it up soon, and still have 3 days left.  And, just so you know, after the year is over, nothing is really going to change, but the title of my blog posts.  No Grocery Store Challenge is a lot to type out every day.  I have no real plans to return to the grocery store.  Why would I?

No Grocery Store Challenge, 6 more days December 27, 2010

Sunday after Christmas, I returned to my Sunday Migas ritual, having scored some of the crack tortilla chips from the mini Barton Creek Farmer’s Market on Friday, for that purpose.  Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to keep my hands out of that bag.  So, migas for brunch with Smith and Smith Farms eggs, Milagro tomatoes, garden serranos, crack chips, and dona green sauce from Taco Deli.  You can guess one of the three things that are always in my fridge, which will appear in “What’s in Your Fridge Friday” in the Statesman this Friday, 1/31/10.  Because you know, already.

A dear friend, sensing my need for some fun, suggested we have some champagne at the Four Seasons in the afternoon.  So, we did, and we had queso, chips and guacamole, too.

After slow cooking a grass-fed chuck roast with potatoes, onions  and carrots for my parents all day, I made for myself, a Thunderheart Bison Filet, and smashed Boggy Creek Farms new potatoes with the last of my homemade butter, and CKC Farms Herbed Chevre.  I was too lazy/tired to make anything else.

 

Bison and Potatoes

I find the best way to cook tenderloin, is to quickly seer it in a cast iron skillet, then place the whole skillet in a 400 degree oven.  I was already roasting the potatoes in the  oven, so everything came out together.  I smashed the potatoes while the steak rested, picked some parsley from the patio herb garden and the whole thing was done.  I may never want potatoes any other way again, and I’m thinking Chevre is much better for you than sour cream, so win/win.

 

No Grocery Store, Days 336 – 338 – Homemade Butter November 25, 2010

I hate it when I get behind.  This week has been busy getting ready for company.  Monday, tangerine juice for breakfast, a salad at Cover 3 for lunch, and dinner was Thunderheart Bison soft tacos on corn tortillas from the Barton Creek Farmer’s Market.  I had been looking for a good reason to break out my delicious cumin from Savory Spice on 6th, and this was it.   Bison, onions, tomatoes, peppers, Chili seasoning from Penzy’s and cumin.   Topped with Full Quiver Cheddar and Taco Deli dona sauce.

Day 337, tangerine juice for breakfast.  For lunch, a chicken taco from Julio’s.  I overestimated my cooking this week, and thawed too much stuff.  For dinner, in order for it not to go to waste, I cooked everything I had thawed.  Any, I wasn’t very hungry for dinner, so I made a salad from the garden, and had half of a Dai Due frank and a taste of Kocurek roasted garlic sausage for dinner with some Kocurek mustard.

I had a peaceful start to the day before Thanksgiving.  I arrived at Boggy Creek Farm at 8:40 and there were already at least 15 cars.  The 9:00 start time for the farm stand is roundly ignored.  I wish I had taken my camera, the farm tables were loaded with gorgeous sweet potatoes, broccoli, greens,  butternut squash – it was a thing of beauty.  I got broccoli, (mine isn’t quite done), spring onions, new potatoes, carrots, Wateroak Farms Goat Milk, Wateroak Herbed Feta, Boggy Creek chicken eggs, a Chuck roast from One Girl Farm, (for slow cooking on a cold blustery weekend) a Bourbon Pecan Pie and a Sour Cream Apple Pie.  Day 338, the relatives started arriving earlier than expected.  Lunch, a turkey panini from Sweetish Hill.  When I got the call that folks were here, I was driving West on 6th Street.  Right turn into Sweetish Hill, and scooped up 7 of their pre-made sandwiches, and everything was great.    At the Triangle Market folks were lined up at Richardson Farms to pick up their fresh turkeys. Johnson’s Backyard Garden had lots of great looking green beans.  I wish I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but I’m a guest, not the host this year.   An all local Thanksgiving would be so easy to do.   My contribution will be the apple pie and Confituras Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly.  In an unusual twist to the day, I came upon 2 gallons of Stryk Dairy raw milk.  Some folks had visited the dairy and bought some for a friend who didn’t want it.   This milk, from jersey cows, has about a 6 inch creamline.   I already had goat milk from shopping earlier, so I decided to make some butter.

 

Immersion blender

 

Yep, I didn’t think this through and made a bit of a mess.  Blend until the butter separates from the liquid.

 

Separation!

 

Next, you drain off the liquid.  I fold up a paper towel, and flip the jar over onto it, where it will spend the night.

 

Draining

 

After a night of draining off the liquid, it is done.  I’ve left it unsalted for now.  The result is a bit firmer than store bought butter, but it is sweet and delicious.  For this portion of butter, I used about a 6th of the gallon of milk, mostly cream off the top.

 

Butter

For dinner, I had some broccoli and some of the Kocurek garlic sausage I cooked the night before.

 

 

Give the Gift of Local This Holiday Season November 21, 2010

This has been such an exciting year for local food in Austin.   So much has happened!  As I was walking around the SFC Farmer’s Market downtown this morning, I was marveling at all of the local treats available, besides the expected produce, dairy, cheese,  charcuterie, grassfed beef, bison, chicken and pork.  It occurred to me that this would be a great place to do your holiday gift shopping.  I have already been hoarding Confituras‘ seasonal preserves for gifts.  She has some packaged as gifts as well.

Gift wrapped preserves

Thunderheart Bison also has amazing honey, and bison leather goods.  I have a bison purse, duffle bag, and last year I gave bison wallets as gifts.

Bison Leather goods

Amazing honey!

Got a million holiday parties on the schedule?  Pate makes the perfect hostess gift.

Kocurek Family Charcuterie

South Austin Soap People has gift boxed sets of their locally made soap products.

South Austin Soap People Gift Set

I noticed gift sets of olive oil and vinegar at Texas Olive Ranch as well.

Texas Olive Ranch

I love this local olive oil, and quirky label is fun and festive.  Texas Olive Ranch has some amazing flavored balsamics as well.  I particularly like the fig.

Texas Olive Ranch

Then there’s chocolate!  Highly acclaimed chocolate at that.

Chocolate, of course

Chocolate in several forms

Coco Puro Kakawa Chocolates were named in Saveur Magazine as one of the top 100 favorite foods from around the world. (2006)   Word.   These are cocoa beans dipped in chocolate and pack a real, and delicious chocolate punch.  He had a big crowd, so I couldn’t get the full scoop, but I thought I saw chocolate bars as well.

If you are like me, and always have a stocking for your pet, the farmer’s market has the doggies covered too, with Paw Bakery.

Treats for the pup

CKC Cheese has some wonderful seasoned marinated feta, that would be perfect in a gift basket, as it is shelf stable.

CKC Marinated Feta

And for the gardener in your life (or me) who can resist a citrus plant laden with fruit?

The gift of citrus!

I have gotten lemon, peach and lime trees from Specialized Plant Sales.  I’m amazed that I didn’t take this one home, because I’m a sucker for fruit bearing trees, especially when they are loaded.    Give this as a gift and you might just be gifted fruit from it in return, for years to come.

There are many other goodies at the SFC Farmer’s Market downtown that I haven’t detailed here.  I really like the idea of supporting our local farmers and artisans, so that they may continue to be able to do what they do for us.  Happy Shopping!

No Grocery Store, Day 319 November 16, 2010

For breakfast, a bit of Full Quiver Cottage Cheese.  I’m trying to be better about breakfast, but I never wake up hungry and don’t really want food until 9:00 0r 10:00, if then.  For lunch, I had a BLT at Trio at the Four Seasons.  I had just been to the chiropractor and was told to take it easy for the rest of the day, so we found a cozy seat by the window overlooking Ladybird Lake for a leisurely lunch.  For dinner, the leftover Thunderheart Bison Filet and a garden salad.

I was asked recently about my frequent dining out at lunch with my mom.  Without going into too much detail, my folks moved to Austin from Corpus Christi 3 years ago, and bought a house on my street.  My mom had lead an incredibly active life in Corpus and was always very social with lots of friends.  As of 2 years ago, she no longer drives.  Every day, she gets up, gets dressed and waits for something good to happen.  So, several days a week, we go to lunch, or I take her on errands with me, to get her out of the house and interacting with the world.

No Grocery Store Day 318 – Kocurek Whole Deer Class November 15, 2010

My favorite weekend brunch has become migas.  Sauteed onions (this week green onions) and garden serranos and/or jalapenos, tomatoes, scrambled with 2 eggs, 1 or 2 crack tortilla chips from the Barton Creek Farmer’s market, then topped with a bit of grated Pepper Jack from Full Quiver Farms, and a dollop of Dona green sauce from Taco Deli.  Traditional migas have lots more corn tortilla, but using fewer yields the same flavor and crunch result with fewer calories and carbs.

The Kocureks are friends of mine, and since their charcuterie business has taken off, they are busy all the time and we rarely get to spend time together, aside from distracted visits at the farmer’s markets.  Chef Larry conducted a Whole Deer Class yesterday, and I was invited to hang out at the kitchen with Lee, while she prepared the buffet the class attendees would partake in after class.  I did not attend the class per se, as I’m not likely to deal with an entire animal again any time soon, after all the whole pig drama.  Instead, I spent the afternoon in the commercial kitchen, visiting with Lee, then after class, visiting with the attendees, all foodies in training.

The buffet presented after class was a beautiful presentation of the Kocurek’s offerings, several kinds of charcuterie: Cheek to Cheek terrine, Brawn, Pates, several of their sausages, house made mustard, Cheese with Apple Butter, and wine, all served under a huge oak tree on the lawn near the kitchen and the Swoop House, where their dinners are held.   It was lovely.  I am signed up for the classic sauce class in December, and am looking forward to it very much.  I really enjoy spending time in a commercial kitchen environment, surrounded by pots, pans, and everything else related to cooking.  And it was a great way to spend time with friends I don’t get to see enough.    I didn’t eat there, since the buffet was for class, but it looked delicious.

For dinner, I had a Thunderheart Bison filet, with Hopelessly Blue from Pure Luck Dairy, and steamed broccoli from the farmer’s market.  It was a good day.

No Grocery Store, Day 219 – Thunderheart Bison Dinner Series #3 August 8, 2010

For late breakfast, two scrambled eggs, and a link of Dai Due Champagne sausage.  Nuff said.

Dinner for this day has been in the works for a while.  My friends Christian and Jamie and I started doing Thunderheart Bison dinners a while back.  The first one still might be my favorite dinner ever.  Last night, runs a very close second.

Christian recently interviewed the chef at Fonda San Miguel about their most popular dish, Carne Asada.  We immediately thought about doing a similar dish with Bison tenderloin.

Christian has the spices already ground and assembled when I got there.  Peppers, chipotle, cumin, annato, and clove.

Carne Asada Mise en Place

He deftly spiral cut the bison, for a flat strip.

slicing the bison

He had already mixed up some peppers and onions for a flavorful garnish.

pepers and onions

For crunch he fried some corn tortillas.

Fried corn tortilla

Next up, he seared the well seasoned bison in a hot cast iron skillet.

Seared bison asada

While the bison cooked, he made an avocado, tomato, red onion salad and lightly tossed it with oil and vinegar.

Avocado, tomato, red onion salad

The final plate was black bean puree, topped with the bison, topped with the peppers and onions, then surrounded with the avocado salad, and garnished with a tortilla.  The end result was spicy smokey bison, tempered perfectly with the creamy avocado, and cool tomato, with very slight acidity from the vinegar, creamy black beans with crunch from the tortilla.  This is one of my all time favorite meals ever.

Bison Carne Asada