Seafood Supper Serendipity May 17, 2011

Sometimes unplanned meals turn out unexpectedly well.  Perhaps it is from having low expectations from not being prepared to assemble a well thought out meal, I don’t know.   Recently, Sunday afternoons have turned into, Sunday Hang Out, Play with Puppies, and Watch Jamie Oliver Reruns, with my friends Christian and Jamie.   Having recently launched Bola Pizza, and with great success, they don’t have much time to hang out anymore, between the Triangle Farmer’s Market, the Downtown Farmer’s Market and weekly catering gigs.   So I was excited that they wanted to hang out and bring Leo the existing puppy, and Bonnie the new puppy over Sunday afternoon.

After watching food shows for a while, and with evening fast approaching, I suggested we cook dinner.  I had purchased two beautiful pieces of Wild King Salmon from Quality Seafood, my new seafood source, since we’ve lost San Miguel from the farmer’s markets, hopefully just temporarily.  Once Christian, who used to cook every day, aside from making pizza dough and toppings, started pondering the meal plan, he pronounced that we’d blacken the salmon, and serve it over dirty rice.  Ok! I always have Lowell Farms rice, but how would we dirty it up?  I opened the freezer on the lookout for Boudin, and there it was, Dai Due Smoked Crawfish Boudin.  Perfect!  I had blackening spice from Savory Spice Shop, and garden onions and tomatoes.

I had also purchased some cucumbers from the farmer’s market, with a plan to make pickles, but sliced and tossed with some garden tomatoes, oil and champagne vinegar, they would become the perfect crisp acidity to cut the fat of the salmon and a foil to the heat from the spice.  So, game on!

King Salmon, Spiced up

The cucumber salad came together quickly, and was set aside to marinate for a bit.

Cucumber salad

The crawfish boudin was already cooked, so it just went straight into the rice, with onion and tomato.

Dai Due Crawfish Boudin

While the salmon was going into a screaming hot cast iron skillet, I thinned out some Full Quiver Neufchatel, with goat milk, to add a creamy element to the plate.

Salmon searing

So the final plate went down like this, Dirty Rice, Crispy Blackened Salmon, Cucumber Salad, and a drizzle of Neufchatel cream sauce.  This was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in my house, and it is no coincidence that most of my top 5 favorites, involved Christian.  He is an amazing cook.

Delicious Dinner

And on top of that, I got a photography lesson too.  He gets photo credits for the good shots.  Nice to see the foodie photographer behind Austin Food Journal, back in the kitchen, with a camera in hand.

No Grocery Store, Days 196 and 197 July 18, 2010

Relatives are still in town, so with company, I’m proud of the way we’ve been eating the last few days.  Day 196 was a celebratory, good news day, so I picked up my aunt and mom from the Beauty Shop  and we went shopping at Chicos.  For lunch, Cafe Josie, for mesquite grilled salmon salad, which I currently am addicted to.  For dinner, more folks came to town, cousins, and their kiddos, so we fired up the grill.  My uncle brought a cooler of his home raised grass fed steaks and I cooked those slowly on the grill.  We also had baked potatoes and salad, and the kiddos had Ben and Jerry’s that my mom got.

Day 197, I got up early and headed to the hike and bike trail for a 3 mile walk.  Time to kick my exercise plan up a notch and quit using the  damaged knee as an excuse.  I’ve got stuff to do!  Next, off to the Farmer’s Market with my mom and aunt.  It is getting crowded earlier and earlier these days, but I loaded up on everything I needed except lettuce.  My quest for lettuce still eludes me.  I need to get my salad on!  We dropped groceries off at home, then headed to Antonelli’s Cheese, more to visit than to shop, but I shopped.    Next, off to lunch at East Side Cafe and to wander through their amazing gardens.    I had chicken enchiladas with black beans.  I’d been missing black beans since I hadn’t successfully grown them.  Next off to the Viola and Jean trunk show, to check out some amazing jewelry.  I ended up staying for dinner, a sausage and carmelized onion hoagie.  It was really good.

No Grocery Store, Day 148 – Best Dinner Ever May 30, 2010

Yesterday was a busy day.  I skipped breakfast and went to the farmer’s market early.  The goal was to pick out a variety of local goodies, to prepare a dinner with my friends Christian and Jamie. (www.austinfoodjournal.com, http://www.violaandjean.com)  The only planned portion of the meal was Thunderheart Bison filets, which I already had.  I wanted for us to construct a totally local menu, from farmer’s market produce.

I took mom to lunch at Guero’s, because, Ranch 616 wasn’t open, and I had fish tacos.  Hate on Guero’s all you want, but they are consistent, and mom likes their food.

So, for dinner, I fired up the Big Green Egg.  I had already started preparing a recipe I saw Ina Garten make, with her local farm product.  It is basically a panzanella, but baked with parmesan.  Chopped heirloom tomatoes, garden basil, garlic, olive oil, toasted bread (Texas French Bread baguette) and Brazos Valley parm.

Preparing the tomato dish

Completed tomato dish

We decided on simply fried potatoes, fingerlings and red new potatoes. 

We put the Bison steaks on the Egg, and began the battle of temperature control, which I have yet to master.

Bison on the Big Green Egg

Christian came up with a reduced cream with Pure Luck Hopelessly Blue and got started on that.  The cream was from Way Back When, dairy.  I had purchased baby arugula at the farmer’s market, and for the topper to the meal, Christian tossed the arugula with Terra Verde Olive Oil and his own preserved Meyer lemons, which I had in my fridge.  (I already had the Pure Luck and Brazos Valley cheeses from Antonelli’s Cheese.)

The final product, turned out to be one the most enjoyable meals I’ve ever had.  And every thing in it, was local.

All Local Dinner

What a fun night, and I got to practice taking pictures on my new camera, with help from an amazing photographer.  These are the first images taken with my new Canon Rebel.  I”m still learning and still using total Auto everything.

Cooking, eating, and taking pictures with amazing friends.  What could be better.

Update:  Christian’s pictures are 9000 times better than mine.

http://www.austinfoodjournal.com/?p=5835&cpage=1#comment-5893

Basil Pesto Project May 24, 2010

This year, I planted basil as early as possible, and also planted more than ever before, with hopes of having enough to make pesto for me and some friends as well.  Making pesto to store in the freezer for winter, is an annual event for me, but this year, I’m using local parmesan from Brazos Valley Cheese, local garlic,  and a different local olive oil than I’ve used.

First, I harvested several kinds of basil:

Harvested basil

Then I took the leaves off the stems, washed it and let it dry:

Cleaned basil leaves drying

4 cloves of garlic

I used four cloves of garlic for a food processor full of basil.

Then I grated quite of bit of Brazos Valley parmesan, from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.

local cheese

Next I put it all in the food processor with a couple handfuls of pecans from my tree, (which I’m running out of, so keeping fingers crossed for a new crop this fall.)

Almost pesto

Next I added my new favorite olive oil, Terra Verde from Texas Hill Country Olive Company, and gave it whirl, until everything was chopped, but not pureed.  This amount yielded 2 large portions.

All local pesto

I shared one container with friends, and we proceeded to eat it all weekend with our home made mozzarella, garden tomatoes, salt, pepper and olive oil.   There may be no more perfect bite of food, in my opinion.

I’ve know for a long time that I enjoy making food for other people.  But I’m finding more and more that food brings people together, and I get great joy in sharing it with others who enjoy it, and being shared with as well.  Last night I was the  very happy recipient of homemade yogurt, made with the same local milk we used to make cheese, from Jamie, jewelry maker extraordinaire (Viola and Jean) as well as a ball of the famous and highly coveted pizza dough, from Christian of Austin Food Journal acclaim.  And if that isn’t enough food joy for one day, I was also gifted ears of popping corn from Kristi of Austin Farm to Table, from her visit to a farmer’s market in Chicago.  I am a very lucky girl to have such amazing foodie friends.

No Grocery Store, Days 133, 134 and 135 May 16, 2010

I ate out on Friday.  Peach for breakfast, lunch was rotisserie taco from Julios, on my way to Antonelli’s Cheese Shop to pick up party supplies. for the Viola and Jean party.  I had dinner with my parents at Ruth’s Chris, a petite filet, oscar, which is with a crab cake and bernaise.

Day 134, party day, I had breakfast at the Downtown Farmer’s Market, an amazing ham and gouda sandwich from Dai Due, all local, of course.  I snacked all afternoon on the local cheese plate, farmer’s market strawberries, rabbit rillettes from the Kocureks.  Several guests stayed late, so as a snack we sliced up some of my garden tomatoes, salt, pepper, and topped them with CKC Marinated Feta.  Yum.  Still hungry, I pulled out some Texas Pasta Company pasta, chopped up a bunch of basil from one of my plants, with garlic, pecans from my tree a couple years ago, and grated Brazos Valley Parmesan.  Tossed it all together with some Texas Olive Ranch olive oil, and it was a perfect dinner.

I’ll to today, day 135, in advance because I know what I’ll be eating.  After my clients comes around noon, I’m going to make migas, with garden onions, garden tomatoes, garden serranos (just picked) Dai Due chorizo, and Vital Farms Eggs.  That will tide me over until dinner, at the famous Austin Food Journal Pizza Party.  Can’t wait!

Hosting a Party with Locally Sourced Food May 15, 2010

My jewelry party for Viola and Jean is coming together.  I’m up too early to run to the farmer’s market, so here I sit at the computer.  Yesterday, John Antonelli, of Antonelli’s Cheese, very thoughtfully assembled my cheese plate using all local cheeses.  We will have CKC Marinated Feta, Veldhuizen Bosque Blue, Sand Creek Farm Gouda, and Brazos Valley Farms Brie, which I think I’ll top with the Blackberry Conserve I’m about to get from Dai Due.  I also got some Toscano Salami, made by Salt and Time, using Richardson Farm’s pork, there.  The Antonelli’s know how to make cheese buying enjoyable and and easy.  And they are wonderful people, to boot!

So, I’m off to pick up the Kocurek’s Pate de Maison, (I picked up the rabbit rillettes on Wednesday) some Texas French Bread, the Dai Due Blackberry Conserve, some Dr. Kracker, Texas Olive Ranch Olives, and whatever I’ll need to eat for the week.  Champagne is cold, Hibiscus Mint tea is made, so I think I’m just about ready.  I’m looking forward to spending the day with good friends, after working so hard for the last few months.

Update:  I got all of the above with the exception of Dr. Kracker, because he was not at any of the markets.  I got carrots, strawberries, Full Quiver jalapeno cheese spread, and a Full Quiver Cheese ball.  Also some interesting local bread from Sunset Valley Market.  I believe I’m good to go!  (And I believe the local cheese industry will be well represented.)

No Grocery Store, Day 131 – and New Challenge May 12, 2010

Yet another day without the grocery store.  In all honesty, the only thing I miss is my Saturday, after chores are done ritual, of looking at really cool cards, birthday, and blank, all black and white, with a funny caption or intuitive statement by a historical figure.  I need to find out who makes those cards.  I would order a sandwich from the deli, shop, and look at cards until my sandwich was ready.  I miss Fresh Plus.

Today, I combined local with fast food, and took mom to lunch at the new location of Taco Deli, at 42nd and Lamar, close to my house.  I needed food in a hurry, and wanted to spend time with my mom, so this was perfect because I knew I could get Thunderheart bison tacos, and I got 2.

Off to Natural Gardener to get a trailer load of soil, then up to Round Rock to install a garden, for someone just starting out.  My favorite clients are those that are just getting started growing food, or starting up again after a long hiatus.   Everything is new, and with every new seedling, or ripe tomato, or perfectly local garden salad, there will be one more person understanding the importance of where our food  comes from.  Love.

For dinner, I had a grilled pork chop from Richardson Farms,  and Farmer’s Market squash that I wrapped in foil and grilled with fresh garden herbs, tarragon and thyme with a little Texas Olive Ranch olive oil>

So, the next challenge, is to pull off a fairly large party, using all local food.  It is a champagne and jewelry party.  So far, I have a local cheese plate planned, which I will get from Antonelli’s Cheese and the Farmer’s Market.  I’ve ordered a blackberry conserve from Dai Due to put on top of brie or goat cheese.  I have ordered pate from the Kocurek’s and bought rabbit rillettes today from them.  I’ll need bread, which I can get at the Farmer’s Market and crackers, which I can get from Dr. Kracker at Sunset Valley.   Christian from Austin Food Journal (who is married to Jamie from Viola and Jean, honoree at the party) will bake some amazing foccacia.  Does that sound like a decent spread?  I bought peaches at the market tonight to use, but haven’t figured that one out yet.

I got a little harangued last night for buying bread from TFB at the farmer’s market, and for buying pasta from Texas Pasta Company, (at the farmer’s market) whose location is on  Kerby Lane.  Neither place uses local flour.  That’s because there is no locally milled white flour, that I have found and apparently they haven’t either.   I knew this going in.  I have assigned myself a challenge, to not buy anything from a grocery store for one year.  I am over a third of the way through a year and have survived just fine.    I did not issue an “eat only products that are grown within a specified area” challenge.  My rice comes from Lowell Farms, which may be over a hundred miles away, I didn’t calculate mileage, but its from the Coast of Texas and its organic.  I get lots of cheese from Full Quiver in Kemp.  I don’t know exactly where that is, but it is within a decent raduis.    Perhaps I should have titled my project, “Don’t buy from commercial feed lots” but that wasn’t the whole deal.  I’ve increased my garden space substantially since I started this project, have learned a lot, and have gotten to know some amazing farmers.

In conclusion, if you have some hate for me, just bring it on.  I’m just doing what I set out to do, and enjoying the journey.

No Grocery Store, Days 119, 120 and 121 May 3, 2010

Friday through Sunday were crazy busy with garden installations, trips to Natural Gardener for soil, and consultations.  Day 119, Friday, I had strawberries for breakfast from the garden, a Kocurek bacon and lettuce sandwich on Texas French Bread ciabatta.  I’m holding out for my own garden tomatoes.  Family Friday dinner with my folks has resumed and we ate at Eddie V’s.  I had snapper meuneire and broccoli.

Saturday we had 2 garden installations on opposite sides of town.  For breakfast, I had Vital Farms eggs scrambled with Dai Due bulk chorizo and garden onions.    After 5 hours of hard work, nothing sounded more appealing to me than a Hula Hut frozen margarita, sitting on the lake, and chile con queso.   And that was dinner.

Sunday, Day 121, another busy work day, I had Vital Farms eggs scrambled eggs with Dai Due bulk chorizo and garden onions.  I spent the morning trying to sell Earthboxes at the Shady Hollow Farms plant sale.  Then I was invited to have lunch with Christian and Jamie, (www.austinfoodjournal.com) and (www.violaandjean.com).  Christian was grilling fajitas so that’s was I had for lunch.  Jamie was game for heading out to Natural Gardener to pick up soil for my job Monday (today) so we did that then headed back to their house where Christian was experimenting with making french fries.  Then later he made one of his fabulous pizzas.  So they fed me amazing food all day, and I was really grateful, because it was a long, and tiring weekend.

If you would like to learn how to make the amazing pizza that Christian is famous for, head on over to his site http://www.austinfoodjournal.com and register for his upcoming pizza class.   It’s all about the crust, and he has taken years to develop the technique for the perfect crust.  And it is beyond perfect.

No Grocery Store, Day 103 April 13, 2010

This is really serious.   I still can’t find my camera.    I feel as if I’ve lost an appendage and it had pictures of the East Austin Farm Tour, and my corn and black beans sprouting.  I must find the camera, this sucks.

I didn’t eat all day, except for a couple of garden strawberries, because they needed to be picked.  We installed a garden with critter barrier for a gift for a 3 year old, that may have been the cutest child I’ve ever seen.  She chatted with us the entire time about her garden, what she was going to plant, mostly tomatoes, and then she would run off chattering into thin air.  We always answered her, unsure if she was in need of a response.  Then we got a garden call that interested me.  A blind man wanting us to install a flower garden in his yard.  My inclination is to put in herbs, and cilantro, and other wonderfully scented herbs that he can feel and eat, but that isn’t what we are hired to do.  That will be an interesting job, and one I particularly look forward to.

I ate a few strawberries throughout the day, but mostly held off for the Wine Me Dine Me Dinner at Cafe Josie with Michelle and Chris, of http://www.foodieisthenewforty. com fame and Christian and Jamie, of http://www.austinfoodjournal.com and http://www.violaandjean.com.  Great food, of which I have no photos, because I seem to have really lost my camera.  I must find it soon, or I’ll be lost.

UPDATE!  I found the camera in my garage.  Photos coming soon.

The Menu for last night’s dinner was:

Walnut, Dired Pear and Gorgonzola Foccacia, with Gundlach Bundschu (hereinafter “GB”) Gewurztraminer,

Lobster Callaloo with GB Merlot

Mesquite Seared Yellowfin Tuna, with GB Pinot Noir

Spice Brined Roast ork Tenderloin with GB Mountain Cuvee

Braised Beef Tenderloin with GB Cabernet Sauvignon

Raspberry Sorbet with a scoop of chocolate sorbet/ice cream

And, I won a bottle of GB Pinot Noir in a drawing.  And, we drank it after dinner.

No Grocery Store, Day 96 April 8, 2010

I had a handful of strawberries again for breakfast.  I finally made it to the Triangle Market after garden installation, and had a bison taco from TacoDeli for late lunch.  I picked up some rabbit pies from Kocurek Family Charcuterie. If you haven’t had one of their pies, they are outstanding.  Dinner was generously provided by my friends Christian and Jamie Bowers.  Amazing pizza made with my homemade garden basil pesto.