Gridiron Grub: Fish Tacos and Chips | Endless Simmer

To be honest, I don’t have much of a creative process. In fact it is more like atrainof thought that often goes completely off the rails. To give you an idea, let me illustrate how I came up with what I wanted to try for this week’s Gridiron Grub post:

Hmmm, I have to write another Gridiron Grub post————Crap, what am I going to write about————Can I do something about the  NFL game that was in Londonbetween San Francisco and Denver?————Man do they both stink! I can see whyUK would rather watch soccer————Do I know  anything about British Food?————Yorkshire pudding, fish& chips, Spotted Dick————Ha! Spotted Dick————Am I 12 yrs old?————Man, this is tough,  I want  a taco————(15 minutes later)————Fish Tacos and Chips!!

So here you go, for your next football gathering, whether in the US or across the pond, try Fish:Halibut tacos with Pickled Cabbage-Jalapeno Slaw and CremaandChips:Salted Lime Jicama chips.

The Fish: I kept this fish simple and decided I didn’t want to batter and fry nor bake it. A few teaspoons of olive oil along with the juice of lime and lemon made a quick marinade before broiling the fish for a few minutes and flaking it to fill homemade tortillas that were warmed quickly on the stovetop.

The Slaw: I needed a topping for my tacos, although I didn’t make this myself. Instead, I used what was left of a jarcannedby a friend. Here’s his recipe: 5 cupsjalapeno peppers, sliced into rings ,2 poundsshredded cabbage, 1/4 cuppickling salt,1 cupsugar,1 1/2 cupswhite wine vinegar,1/2 teaspoonred pepper flakes,4 teaspoonsmustard seeds,6garlic cloves, mince.

Canning Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, toss the cabbage and jalapenos with pickling salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place for 10-12 hours. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar vinegar. Bring to a boil, then let cool. Rinse cabbage mixture and drain. Toss with pepper flakes, mustard seeds and garlic. Pack the cabbage mixture loosely into pint jars. Pour vinegar mixture over the cabbage and jalapenos. Close jars with hot two-piece caps. Process jars for 20 minutes in a boiling water bath. Allow to cool. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place at least 3 weeks before eating.

Crema:1 cupheavy cream,1 tablespoonbuttermilk, 1chipotle chilein adobo sauce, a handful ofparsley,1/4 teaspoonkosher salt.

Put the cream in a  microwave-safe glass jar. Microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds. Add the buttermilk, close the jar, and store in a warm place for 24 hours. The cream will have a  yogurt-like consistency. Add the chipotle chile, parsley and salt before pulsing in a food processor until smooth. Let itchill before slathering.

Salted Lime Jicama Chips: Bored with regular potato, I thought I would tryjicamachips. Jicama is almost a cross between a potato and pear and the texture has been described as similar to a water chestnut. Peel and rinse the jicama. Slice thin, with a mandolin or knife, and then blot excess moisture. With some oil in a cast iron skillet, I heated them until they began to crisp and brown around the edges before removing them to drain on a cooling rack set over paper towels. While still warm, sprinkle with some salt and a squeeze of lime.

Not exactly your typical fish and chips but still delicious and great to make for a crowd to use their hands and enjoy! Goes perfectly with a stout. I went with Mexican Mole Stout from a Pittsburgh-based brewery namedChurch Brew Works. Chocolaty and rich with a kick of spice, at least this meal will be more exciting than some of the games out there this week.

Photo:The Church of Baseball Blog,http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmichaelmayer/,wikimedia commons

Editors’ Note: This post has been updated thanks toDan’s quick reminder.

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Top Chef Just Desserts Exit Interview: Episode 8 | Endless Simmer

Just Desserts is clearly scraping the barrel. They’ve resorted to edible arrangements for the Quickfire, and the judges, including oneShinmin Li, don’t even bother to eat what the chefs created, just stand and gawk. WTF! For the elimination challenge the chefs had to create a“Celebritea” duo of cakes for a tea party, and apparently some of these chefs have never been to one. Chefs,this is how it’s done.

Keep reading to see who packed their whisk.

ES: Your desserts always seem to fall short on presentation, why do you think that was the case?
Eric Wolitzky:It depends on how you look at it. The thing with me is that isn’t what I do. My thing was not to be a restaurant chef. That’s not what I focused on, I have gone to the French Culinary Institute, I understand the basics of plating but it’s not my interest, it’s not what I do everyday so I really wanted to represent who I am. I was sometimes resistant to doing that, but it’s hard because it’s what they want from you.

As a baker, how do you think you fared against the more conventional pastry chef?
When I went in there I was terrified. I was like,‘what am I doing?’ I’m the only baker and all these people do something very specific, it was certainly something I struggled with the whole way through. What you learn is that people like Morgan and Zac come to you and go“I can’t do what you do, I can’t make the perfect pineapple upside down cake,” si you realize that it goes both ways.

The edible arrangement Quickfire— did you know that the judges were not going to taste, and instead judge purely on presentation?
Yes, we did.

Did you change the way you cooked knowing that?
No, I make from what I do. I won the restaurant wars and what I do is I stick with what I know, I was actually having a good time. I was happy with what I did. You always have to stick with your style. If I was trying to pull sugar it would have been a disaster. You have to play the game.

In the elimination challenge, when you found out that chocolate was off limits, was there no other route to go other than the short cake?
There was other routes to go, but we had three hours and we don’t have recipes. You’re in panic mode. You have to think, what’s in your arsenal that I can remember and you just have to go, there is no thinking time. The clock is ticking. We’re pastry chefs, we work with recipes. It was also a hard day, I was down from the quickfire, I was exhausted. I was ready, if at that point I had to go I was so happy with what I had done, I was ready.

What is it really like working in the kitchen with Morgan?
He’s inspirational. He is extraordinarily talented, and we have a lot of respect for each other. We had a great relationship. But that’s outside of the kitchen. In the kitchen it can be very difficult. We worked a lot together throughout the show. In the restaurant wars he was really difficult, he did not want to go with our idea, he did not want to play along. He gets aggressive with other chefs. In the end he believed in what Danielle and I wanted to do, but it definitely sometimes gets in the way. You have to wait for him to simmer down.

Are you still withBaked? Any desire to open up your own shop?
I’m still with Baked, in Brooklyn. I’d like to open up my own place, we’ll see what happens. I haven’t figured out the next step. I’m sure something will be on the horizon but will have to figure that out.

What is your must-bake item for Thanksgiving?
I love apples. I’ll make anything with apples. I have a great apple upside-down cake which I like to do. I’ll make a brown sugar bundt cake with caramel rum frosting. I’ll try to make something very comforting. Simple ingredients that really shine through.

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Ten Worst (Foodie) Things About Being Knocked Up | Endless Simmer

(Actual TVFF Jr. ultrasound…the embellishments are artistic license)

No, I’m not pregnant. But Mrs. TVFF is, so I’ve become hyper-aware of dietary restrictions placed on women when they’re expecting. It’s amazing how much you can’t/shouldn’t eat. God forbid that something on the no-fly list make its way into your diet, and don’t even try to talk about it on those baby discussion boards, where you’ll be immediately branded an unfit mother if you so much as suggest that “sunny side up” is a valid option for your breakfast table.

So, since I’m at least somewhat responsible for Mrs. TVFF’s current condition, I thought it would be a good idea to solicit her thoughts on what she’s been missing the most during the first 36 weeks and share it with you. Obvious disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, so please don’t take this as medical advice.

10. Booze
Who doesn’t like a good stiff drink at the end of a hard day’s work? Well, let me tell you this:Nobodycould use a double martini more than a woman who has been dragging around an extra 25 pounds all day. Later in the pregnancy, it’s apparently kosher for you to have a half glass of wine with dinner, but that’s cold comfort for someone who would benefit from a bender.

9. Undercooked eggs
This one should come as no surprise to ES-ers, but we like a nice runny egg once in a while in the TVFF household. And we both love spaghetti carbonara (even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly), so it’s a minor tragedy that this one has been off the menu since May.  Also, having to portion the scrambled eggs in the pan and scoop out my share invariably leads to a messy countertop and overcooked eggs in the end. Can’t wait until we can go back to playing salmonella roulette on a regular basis!

8. Sushi
This is the one area where I’ve decided to show some solidarity with the wife. I’ve gone 36 weeks without raw fish, and it’s starting to get really annoying. She knew better than to ask me to give up drinking for nine months.  I love her and all, but let’s be real. To tide us over, she opts for the California roll from the her usual NYC lunch spot and I’ve relegated myself to a somewhat palatable Trader Joe’s faux-sushi, but it only makes us want the real stuff that much more.

7. Rare Meat
Some women profess a craving for meat during pregnancy, though Mrs. TVFF was much more interested in fresh fruit. Regardless, the done-ness of the meat that we are eating has proven to be an issue. She has steered (no pun intended) away from overly rare steaks and burgers, but the big headache has been chicken. Look, I’m not suggesting you eat your chicken at anything less than “done,” but I don’t like that I’ve been turned into an obsessive food safety inspector due to my zeal to prevent any kind of infection.

6. Caffeine
This poor woman can hardly keep her eyes open past 10:00 p.m. and yet she’s forced to studiously consult Starbucks’ Web site to make sure she isn’t going a few milligrams above her daily allotment.

5. Random Things That People Tell You Are Bad For You But Probably Aren’t
Did you know that you shouldn’t eat nuts when you’re pregnant because it might make you future offspring allergic? No? Probably because that’s something that somebody made up. But these are the kinds of things that come out of the woodwork when folks start to give you unsolicited (and unscientific) advice on your diet.

4. Deli, Smoked and Cured Meats
I have to admit that this one was a complete surprise to me. Who knew?  Actually, I don’t think that there’s inherently anything wrong with the sliced ham in your deli counter from a nutritional standpoint…I believe it’s more about the higher potential for infection from listeria. Let’s hear it for our country’s fantastic food safety regulations!

3. Good Cheese
You know how you can tell a great cheese because it’s soft, runny, slightly stinky and has gorgeous lines of blue streaking throughout? Hands off, moms-to-be.  If it’s not pasteurized or if it has anything resembling a live microorganism in it, it’s off limits. Feel free to go to town on the Velveeta, though, because that shit isperfectly good for you and totally healthy.

2. Raw Shellfish
It’s funny, ladies, but those raw oysters that you might have used to“set the mood” on that night that got you into this situation are strictly verboten at this point.

1. Hot Dogs
Really? This is frigging AMERICA and if a pregnant woman wants to have the most wholesome mystery meat product that this fair land has to offer, who is the medical establishment to tell her“no?”  I’m TVFF and I approve this message.

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Cast Iron Snuggle Food | Endless Simmer

There is something about cast iron that feels like camping in the woods…sleeping bags, pine trees, camp fires, marshmallows andsnuggling. These littlecast iron dishesfound me on a browsing trip to one of those kitchen stores in which one can lose an entire afternoon. A swift credit card swipe and I was their proud owner. My mission? Create comfort food to fill said dishes. So, here is the super delicious creation that makes you want to snuggle up to a campfire with your teddy bear or a cute man, whichever is readily available.

Cast Iron Eggs and Taters

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb fingerling potatoes
• one leek chopped
• handfull of crimini mushrooms
• 2 c whipping cream
• 1/2 c parmesan
• 2 eggs
• oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• chives for garnish

Bring fingerling potatoes to a boil and cook until done. Slice in half.

Chop dark green tops off of leeks so you are left with the round stalk. Chop off the bottom root. Slice leek down the middle (long ways). Remove outer 2 or 3 layers. Slice remaining layers long ways again, twice on each, then dice into pieces.

Slice mushrooms.

Reduce cream over medium heat. Make sure the cream does not boil over, which is what happens to me at work just about every day. Not a big deal, just kind of messy and embarrassing when it happens on a regular basis. Cream should thicken up when reduced enough. Add parmesan and stir until melted.

Get a sauté pan hot, add some oil, and sauté your mushrooms and leeks. Sauté the potatoes just to get some color. Be sure to add salt!

Divide the potato, mushroom, and leek mixture into cast iron dishes or ramekins. Pour in some of the reduced cream mixture. Crack an egg on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 min or until the white of the egg is set. If you like your yolks hard, it may take longer, but I think the runny yolk is DELICIOUS, thus multiplying the comfort food factor by at least 10. Top with fresh ground pepper, salt, and chives.

Pretty spectacularbouffage.

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Is Bobby Flay a Liar? | Endless Simmer

My boyfriend and I traveled around Arizona for the last few days. We were invited for a wedding (Hi Mrs. Gaul!) in Rio Verde, but decided to take spend extra time in the state, mostly to delay that almost five hour flight back. We first ate dinner in Scottsdale (yes to Buffalo Carpaccio atCowboy Ciao) and then stayed in a hotel/casino in Fort McDowell, which is built on tribal land. We then drove north to Sedona to visit my cousins and then north again and hiked about a mile into the Grand Canyon.

As this is a food blog, I won’t bore you with the beauty of the red rocks in Sedona and the pure fucking insanity that is the Grand Canyon (I think I said“What the fuck?!” every few steps.) I will, however, let you know my limited dining choices. I say choices because the options were not limited. We just chose the same thing over and over again.

In the Southwest, we thought, we would enjoy Southwestern fare. We weren’t sure what that meant, but we were sure we would find out. Ends up, we ate bagels. We found a great bagel place near the hotel. We were hung over and needed something we could count on. Something familiar. The next morning, we were again in need of something carby. Something to settle our stomachs. We returned to bagels.

Once we got to Sedona my cousins asked us what we wanted for dinner and we said“Southwestern.” After living in Arizona for 40 plus years she told us she doesn’t know what that meant.“Do you want spicy? Do you want steaks?” As a health coach, she turned the questions back on us. I just kept thinking about Bobby Flay. Did he make this whole thing up? We ended up going out for Mexican.

But back to bagels. On our two and a half hour drive to the Grand Canyon we stopped again at a bagel shop. Our third breakfast in a row of bagels. Packed with both salt (a necessary ingredient for hikes) and protein, I enjoyed whitefish salad on pumpernickel.

We never really learned what Arizonanians eat for breakfast. Or maybe we learned Southwestern food doesn’t exist.

Top photo bymccun934/ Arizona photos—Sedona; Interstate 17; Grand Canyon—by gansie via iPhone

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Cheating on ES | Endless Simmer

Don’t be mad, ESers, but it’s true…sometimes we cheat on you. Here’s a look at what our team has been up to around the interwebs lately:

BS:
-Eat Hyperlocal in Oakland{New York mag}
-‘Hipster Highway’ Bus Connects D.C. and Brooklyn{New York Times}
-World’s Most Haunting Cemeteries{Budget Travel}
-Wine Tasting in Napa Valley…Without a car{off Manhattan}

Gansie:
-Should a Veggie Burger Imitate a Burger or Be Its Own Sandwich?{Washington City Paper}
-Orange Alert: Organic Restaurants Should Be Part of BLS’s Definition of Green Jobs{WCP}
-Tokyo’s ‘Diner’ Comes With a Push-Button Version of a Jersey Waitress{WCP}

Britannia:
-Keeping Reality Food TV Real{She Knows}
-Why Some Food TV Shows Just Don’t Cut It{She Knows}

ML:
-Fall Fest: Pears{The Gilded Fork}
-Fall Fest: Pumpkin and Winter Squash{The Gilded Fork}

Forkitude
-Just Beet It{The Gilded Fork}
-Stone Fruit: Drupey Drawers of Goodness{The Gilded Fork}

Roo de Loo:
-Jonathon Alsop Gives Good Wine{Edge}
-What a Growing Locavore Movement Looks Like: Things to Do in the Berkshires{off Manhattan}
-Higher, Please{Roodeloo.com}

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Top Chef Just Desserts Exit Interview: Episode 7 | Endless Simmer

Just Desserts this week took on the classic Restaurant Wars challenge. The two teams were tasked with developing a bakery, naturally. Each of the chef’testants pulled straws for group assignments, and as luck would have it, Team Diva managed to play together.

Keep reading to see who packed up their measuring spoons.

ES: How did“Team Diva” come about?
Heather Hurlbert:Yigit and I were station partners in the kitchen so we bonded from day one and have very similar techniques as far as our pastries and our style. As far as Zac, we were bored one night so we decided to start eating Godiva chocolates that they provided for us in the house. He was looking at the packet and it reads Godiva, but it can also be read“Go Diva.”

The three of us bonded right away and we wanted to come up with a cute, silly name. It wasn’t a way for us to ostracize ourselves, it was just a fun name with Godiva being our sponsor.

Did you notice that the three of you alienated yourselves from the rest of the chef’testants?
During the show I never realized that, but I guess watching it, it did seem like that. We really polarized ourselves from everybody else, but it certainly wasn’t intentional. It is a competition so in some aspects we tried to keep our distance with everybody.

Well it didn’t appear to be too much of a problem with Morgan. Did you have a strained relationship?
Of course it appeared that way. It’s television, they’re going to make it worse than it is. I think very highly of Morgan, he’s extremely talented, he’s extremely brilliant, quick and witty. Again, we had our allies on the show and we had our support system, he just wasn’t one of them. Of course they’re going to play it out the way they want to.

In the elimination challenge you implied you wouldn’t change a thing with your desserts. Do you still stand by that statement?
I’m very proud of all the products I put out. Everyone said I should have gone home for something as minute as a thick tart shell. And yes, I should have done things a little differently. Mind you, we didn’t have recipes so some things I had to think of at the last minute. I completely take full credit for the mistakes that I made. But would I have changed anything? No.

I wasn’t going to let Yigit take the blame for something I did, whether the judges knew that or not I needed to jump in and say hey, I’m accountable for that. I’m certainly one who is going to be completely honest and truthful. I’m certainly not going to throw somebody under the bus for a mistake I made.

Johnny Iuzzinisaidhe would have liked to have seen Team Diva not work together for the challenge. Do you think the three of you working together helped or hindered your efforts?
I think about that too and if things would have been different. I don’t know if the mistakes I made would have changed things. I had a lot of fun working with Yigit and Zac. It was a great way to exit.

How has being on the show changed things for you?
I get a lot of support. People obviously recognize me and I think that’s an honor. I’ve been so humbled by this entire experience. A lot of people take pastries for granted. I think having a show like this, minus the drama, has finally put pastries in the forefront and to be taken seriously. I think we’re always considered the step-sister of savory chefs.

(Photo: Bravo)

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