By Rob, on November 30th, 2010%
Mahi Mahi is a Hawaiian fish that I would call medium-fishy. It is way more interesting than tilapia but not quite up there with cod. Alongside this we have Trotolle, a fun pasta that’s shaped kind of like a snail. It gobs up sauce like crazy and worked perfectly for this light and acidic heirloom tomato sauce. I have used it in one variation or another for many different white fishes and poultry with stellar results… although this is the first time I have done the fish sous-vide. It was nice and lightly flaking as one would expect. Grab a glass of white wine and you’re in business. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 30th, 2010%
I sure love pea shoots. They are so crisp, fresh, sweet, and flavorful that I can eat them on their own. But they are even better as an accompaniment for other things. I threw together this meal after the gym and I must say that it was deliciously simple. And the amino profile is off the charts – eggs, chicken, and sardines are fuel your muscles will thank you for. Short post for a short, quick, low carb dinner or breakfast – try the vinaigrette on other things for a quick easy salad. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 29th, 2010%
I was at the market the other day and saw some really nice looking shell-on shrimp on sale. Right next to those, though, were some super colossals that looked even better, but weren’t priced. The woman behind the counter said they weren’t selling well, and asked if I wanted a few…for free. Um, let me think.
So I got a pound of normal sized shrimp and 4 free shrimp of horrific proportions and started thinking of what to do with them. I do love to make a bacon cream sauce with lemon zest and shrimp but I wanted something lighter, fresher, and new to showcase these gems. I improvised with some Spanish profiles and made it my point to not waste a single bit of shrimp flavor. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 28th, 2010%
I’m not the biggest turkey fan. I like it, but it never really blows my mind the way even chicken can. Luckily my friends aren’t die hard fans of the bird either so when Thanksgiving came around it was pretty easy to get everyone on board with this beef masterpiece. H and I went to Costco and picked out a gorgeous USDA Prime ribeye sub-primal and I decided that I needed to pay my respects to this glorious roast by dry aging it, and then cooking it sous vide. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 28th, 2010%
I made this stock for the first time recently. The flavor was pretty good, and I put it in the fridge to cool before canning the next day. I skimmed off the schmaltz and didn’t get around to canning until the next day. When I opened the fridge, something looked odd. The stock was cracked. This one through my brain for a loop. How can stock…liquid..crack? Even my most potent oxtail soups have never done that. The stock was hard and cracked like an iceberg but wasn’t frozen. It was super gelled. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 28th, 2010%
I hardly ever make mashed potatoes. I think it’s because I prefer the crunch of their roasted cousins. But H wanted them for Thanksgiving (imagine that, right?), so naturally I was going to find a way to make them fabulous. Along the way I improvised and came up with what turned out to be an awesome new way to roast garlic. So let’s start there. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 26th, 2010%
After my recent success with Brussels sprouts and farfalle, I was eager to finally nail down this dish and get H on board with these little green beauties in their natural element. The key to killer Brussels sprouts is to manage their complex bitterness. It is in fact this bitterness that makes them so amazing – because it comes with a whole lot of flavor behind it. Getting the right amount of fat and sweetness to counteract the bitterness yields a depth of flavor that is quite simply exquisite. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 24th, 2010%
 This was the first time that I put a piece of fish into the Sous Vide Supreme. It was a huge mistake to wait this long. This was an amazing meal – balanced, rich, earthy, and light all at once.
The smallest dash of sweet soy and butter really maintained the integrity of the fish in this preparation – I felt that garlic and ginger, as tasty as they are, would have overpowered the delicate richness of this beautiful fillet. I think I made the right decision.
The salmon melts in the mouth. I don’t know how else to describe this. If you have ever had salmon sous vide then you already know. For those that haven’t – imagine the fish melting in your mouth like warm butter. That may not sound appealing but trust me when I say that it is a life-altering experience.
FULL POST
By Rob, on November 24th, 2010%
This is so easy and delicious that it’s borderline criminal. If you like salmon, I implore you to try this at your earliest convenience – you may never spend $25+/lb for lox again. First, a little background.
Curing is a traditional preservation technique whereby, in it’s simplest sense, salt is used to draw moisture out of a given piece of food. This achieves 2 ends. First, bacteria HATE salt – so right off the bat your food is going to remain untouched for longer. Secondly though, salt will draw moisture out of the source. Bacteria also LOVE moisture. Think about how quickly nice wet strawberries mold. Yeah. So curing makes a salty, dry environment that bacteria say ‘No Thanks” to growing on. FULL POST
By Rob, on November 24th, 2010%
 I love Brussels sprouts. H.. not so much – which is amusing considering I am generally considered to be the carnivorous half. Anyway, my intake of the wondrous green orbs is quite low due to this unfortunate reality – but I am also always looking for creative ways to sneak them into things. Last night I did an experiment with this in mind and it was quite delicious, not to mention easy. The flavors are bold and dynamic – the smallest amount of heavy cream smooths it all over, and the fresh basil at the end really livens it up. She loved it!
UPDATE: I made this again, and I added some really nice raw sheep’s milk feta – PERFECTION!
FULL POST
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About This is a logged journey of food and my adventures in the kitchen with my blowtorch, sous vide supreme (before I sold it) , and other super awesome (and more traditional) tools and techniques.
I hope that these explorations, which my fabulous other half "H" graciously entertains, provide others with inspiration, ideas, or even just relief from boredom.
I don't always use a blowtorch. But when I do, I prefer Bernzomatic.
Rob
5 books/ingredients I’m into right now Coconut Oil
Lard
Microgreens
Boneless Chicken Thighs
Cumin
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