Wild Boar Ragù

Sharon and I were driving through Tuscany years ago and we stopped at a remote road-side Autogrill. The parking lot was empty, but we were there early before Noon. A matron came out to greet us and I asked what might be ready. She replied, 'Ragù di cinghiale e Pappardelle'. Inside she brought out two bowls of steaming noodles, walked over to a large earthen pot hanging in a huge fireplace and spooned on the ragù. Then she walked over to a side table and added a generous amount of Parmesan and pepper, added a hunk of bread and served us. OMG! I put this recipe together to try and emulate that dish long ago. It's close...

1 pound wild boar sausage (Sprouts)

2 strips smoked natural bacon, diced

1 tablespoon demi glaze 

2 cups robust red wine (Chianti) 

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/2 teaspoon tarragon

2 cups diced rainbow chard stalks 

1 yellow onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled

4 cups tomato sauce (preferably home made)

1 teaspoon apple vinegar 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 cups Rainbow Chard leaves, chopped

1 hand full of Broccolini

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to your taste

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 pound Pappardelle

1. In a nonstick fry pan sauté the diced bacon until just crisp. Add the shredded wild boar sausage and cook over medium heat until just cooked. Add the Demi glaze, red wine, mustard seeds, Aleppo pepper, and tarragon. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
2. While the wild boar reduces, in a cast iron pan sauté the onions and chard stalks in olive oil until softened. Add the tomato sauce, garlic cloves, vinegar, lemon juice, and fennel seeds. Add the knob of butter and simmer at medium heat.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the chard and broccolini for a couple of minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the hot water. Drain and add the greens and the reserved water to the sauce.
4. Add the wild boar sauté to the sauce and mix. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to your taste. The sauce should be thick and coat a spoon.
5. While your ragù simmers, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Pappardelle until al dente. 

Serve a bowl of Pappardelle with the ragù spooned on top. Grate on Parmigiano-Reggiano to your taste and a generous amount of pepper. Serve with fresh bread (to sop up the sauce) and the red wine you used with the wild boar. A simple salad of greens would be nice. The ragù will be better the next day, and the next day, and the next...

Richard Wottrich

Organic vs. Non-GMO Labels. Who’s Winning?

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Pressure Cooker Risotto

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Haiku to you

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Memories fill all

Learn from the master - Jacque Pepin

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=jacque+pepin+heart+and+soul&tag=hydsma-20&index=aps&hvadid=50768625300&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13044513373012054801&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=m&ref=pd_sl_6ywow1c1fy_e

How to truss a chicken

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=958778927515545&id=147332775326835

How to save $1,000 on your grocery bills

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-cut-my-grocery-bill-every-year-2015-10

Zen Bhuddist Nun Top Chef

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Pumpkins Nutritional Bombs

http://www.gazettextra.com/20151014/on_nutrition_pumpkins_packed_with_nutrients

Superstar Chef Enrique Olvera Will Change the Way You Think About Mexican Food

http://www.vogue.com/13276858/chef-enrique-olvera-cosme-mexican-restaurant/

GRAS Additives in Food

Why the FDA is clueless about some of the additives in our food. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/04/14/399591292/why-the-fda-is-clueless-about-some-of-the-additives-in-our-food

Potato Pancake & Smoked-Trout Salad

Serves 4

             Smoked-Trout is an art form. Correctly done it is light and savory at the same time. Here in Georgia, I buy my Smoked-Trout at the Marietta Farmers Market every Saturday from Diana Fitzgerald, Diana’s Specialties, 678-429-1409. Diana’s farmed Georgia Mountains Smoked-Trout is delicate yet firm – subtle yet intense – the perfect balance – www.dianasspecialties.com

             This Smoked-Trout Salad served on a potato pancake is an entrée or a Sunday Brunch centerpiece. The Smoke-Trout mixture can be prepared a day ahead, but the potato pancake should be prepared to order, hot and crunchy. The side salad is as you wish – I urge you to include fresh herbs.

                                          2                 large russet potatoes

                                                             salt and freshly ground black pepper

                                          7                 tablespoons olive oil (1 for the salad)

                                          1                 ounce butter

                                          ½                pound flaked Smoked-Trout                                                                                                                                                   1 ½             tablespoons crème fraîche

                                                             pinch of sweet or smoked paprika

                                          2 ½             tablespoons of mayonnaise or yogurt as you wish

                                          ½                teaspoon of Pastis (anise flavored liquor)

                                          2                 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives

                                          2                 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley                               

                                          1                 small fennel head, peeled and halved

                                                             several fresh basil leaves

                                          2                 cups arugula

                                          ½                lemon

                                         

Preparation:  1. Peel and grate the potatoes on a box grater’s large holes over a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.  2. In a medium non-stick fry pan and add a quarter of the oil and a small chuck of butter. When hot add a quarter of the grated potatoes in the shape of a flat pancake. Press down with a spatula to make a thin pancake. Fry until golden and crisp on both sides – about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer the pancakes to a paper-towel-lined plate and season to taste with salt and pepper.  3. Add the crème fraîche, Pastis and mayonnaise/yogurt to a medium bowl. Gently fold in the flaked Smoked-Trout, paprika and chives. [If you want a note of heat, add a scant teaspoon of fresh horseradish to the Smoked-Trout Salad.]  4. Thinly shave the fennel crosswise into crescents. In a salad bowl toss together the fennel, arugula, basil leaves and parsley. Season with salt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Presentation:  Plate a potato pancake and top with Smoke-Trout Salad. Top the Smoked-Trout Salad with a small dollop of crème fraîche. Serve the rockets alongside.

richard.wottrich@gmail.com

http://coolcook.blogspot.com/

JBS - World's Largest Meat Producer

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/07/10/421532548/inside-the-world-s-largest-food-company-you-ve-probably-never-heard-of

Pan-seared Sesame-crusted Blue Fin Tuna

There is nothing more delicious and unctuous than seared rare Blue Fin Tuna with a tangy crust of sesame seeds and spices. Blue Fin is expensive to be sure, but believe it or not Costco carries this delicacy from time to time at a reasonable price. As there is no waste, you can net four entrée servings (two tuna steaks) for in the range of $5.00 to $7.00 a serving – with no waste.

One key tool is a heavy cast iron fry pan. If you don’t have one, get one – or at least use a very heavy skillet.

4 tuna steaks (+6 oz. per person), Blue Fin, Ahi tuna or Maguro (sashimi); at least 1.5 to 2 inches thick
½ cup black sesame seeds (optional)
½ cup white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of black mustard seeds
pinch of curry
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of ground ginger
any other spice that you enjoy
2 tablespoons unflavored oil (peanut or canola)
4 tablespoons corn starch or white flour
2 large eggs, scrambled
2 cups Panko crumbs

Wasabi mayonnaise:
2 tablespoons wasabi powder
2 tablespoons water
½ cup mayonnaise

Anago sauce:
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or caramelized sugar syrup or molasses) dash of rice wine vinegar

Preparation:

Wasabi mayonnaise: Mix the wasabi powder with water until it forms a uniform paste. Mix with the mayonnaise. It tastes better if you let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving. Add any fresh herb as you like – for example fresh Tarragon is great.

Anago sauce: Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Let boil for a minute or so and reduce to simmer until slightly thickened. Let cool (it will thicken some more, so don’t boil it down too much).

Line up three large dinner plates (that have a somewhat raised lip) on your kitchen counter. In the first sprinkle the corn starch uniformly across the plate. Scramble the eggs briefly and pour them into the second plate. In the third plate pour the Panko crumbs and add the salt, pepper, mustard seeds, curry, cumin, ginger and any other ground spice that you enjoy. Briefly sear the white sesame seeds
in a pan until just brown – 45 seconds. The black sesame seeds are optional to your taste. Take a fork and mix the spices and sesame seeds into the Panko crumbs.

Put the oil in one large cast iron fry pan. If you have nothing larger than 8-9-inches, use two heavy pans so you can cook both steaks at the same time. Any very heavy-bottomed stainless steel fry pan will work as well. Bring both pans to high heat.

Working quickly, unwrap your tuna steaks and dry them carefully with a paper towel. Place the first steak in the corn starch and make sure it is coated evenly top and bottom and on all edges. This coating is what will make the sesame spice mixture adhere to the tuna. Carefully pick up the coated tuna and place it in the scrambled egg mixture, quickly coating the entire steak. Then place the steak on top of the Panko crumbs and flip to coat the entire steak. Turn the steak on its edges to cover all nooks and crannies. Pick up crumbs and sprinkle until you see nothing but the crumb mixture.

Immediately place the steak in the hot fry pan – be careful of splattering hot oil – the steaks will sizzle. Place the other steak in the same pan or another pan - they should not be touching. Using two flat spatulas or flat tongs, sear at high heat for roughly 90-seconds a side and 30-seconds on each edge – no longer! Try not to disturb or scrap away the coating. The sesame crumb coatings will take on a golden caramel color. Do not overcook. When you have each steak entirely seared with a golden color and a great spice smell, place them on a cutting board.

Slice the tuna steaks with a very sharp knife at uniform thickness (1/2-inch or less) against the grain and display on a plate with sauces as you like. A small mixed green salad and vinaigrette is a great side, with an acidic white wine.

Richard L. Wottrich
Email - richard.wottrich@gmail.com
Blogger - http://coolcook.blogspot.com /
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/CoolCooksShare/147332775326835?ref=hl 

Wild Rice, Barley & Ferro

Grain measurers depicted in their guild seat - Ostia - Harbor City of Ancient Rome

If you have not invested in a rice cooker yet, perhaps it is time. They work. They make preparation of rice, grasses and grains easy. Today’s fuzzy-logic rice cookers have computer chips that make proper adjustments to cooking time and temperature. Set it, forget it.

Wild rice is a grass seed with a nutty taste. Ferro (spelt) is wheat grain that has a complex, nutty taste with undertones of oats and barley. Barley is a cereal grain with a rich nutlike flavor and an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency. The three in combination are delicious and offer a triple-threat of nutrition, fiber and antioxidants.

1              cup wild rice

1              cup barley

1              cup ferro (spelt)

2              cups vegetable or chicken stock

2              cups water

1              tablespoon cider vinegar

1              teaspoon curry

1              teaspoon salt

                ground pepper to taste

                chopped fresh herbs as you wish

Preparation:

1.       Mix the wild rice, barley and ferro in a bowl. Fill with cold water and gently swish the water until it becomes cloudy. Drain and repeat three times until the water becomes clear.

2.       Put the drained wild rice, barley and ferro in the rice cooker with the stock, water and salt. Set the cooker at its “brown rice” setting. It will take roughly 30-45 minutes to cook.

3.       Scoop the mixture into a large bowl and using a spatula to turn the grains over while adding the vinegar. Add the curry, chopped herbs, and salt and pepper to your taste.

Presentation:

                At this point the grains can be served in several ways; (1) as a hot side dish with any entrée, or, (2) served cold in a constructed salad, or, (3) as a soup - put one cup in a soup bowl, pour hot stock on top and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and you have a delicious soup. Toasted pine nuts are an excellent addition, as are chopped scallions. The grains keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Vacuum Packed Precooked Prince Edwards Island Cultivated Mussels

     As a dedicated cook I prepare most everything from scratch. When it comes to mussels I usually do not prepare them at home, as I just do not enjoy the picking, steaming process unless we happen to be in a coastal town where they are local and pristine.

    So be prepared for a pleasant surprise – Costco sells vacuum packed precooked Prince Edwards Island cultivated mussels sealed with butter, garlic and parsley. Boil the pouch in water for 4 minutes and serve. I poured them on leftover Spaghetti alla Carbonara and they were fantastic! I would only add that you check for pieces of broken shells before serving – other than that, I have now added mussels to our home menu options.

    This is a Canadian product sold by Sogelco International Ltd., based in Montréal, Québec. The package claims that the product is never frozen and that the mussels are vacuum packed first, then cooked and pasteurized in the plastic bag. The mussels are rope cultured and grown in Prince Edwards Island waters. The parent company is Chinese, but until proven otherwise I take all of this at face value. The cost is $8.99 for a two one-pound bags.

Pan Roasted Cod, Pears, Red Onions & Caramelized Fennel

Serves 4

Fennel is one of my favorite vegetables, with its dill-like foliage, celery-like bulb and licorice flavor. Fennel originated in the Mediterranean and it appears in Greek mythology, when Prometheus set a fennel stalk ablaze to steal fire from the gods. Thomas Jefferson valued fennel above all vegetables. This dish by Gail Monaghan couples fennel with the virtues of roasted cod and the sublime sweetness of pear to make a remarkably subtle dish.

¼             cup extra virgin olive oil

1              teaspoon salt

1              teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4              Cod filets, skins removed (3 to 4 ounces per serving)

3              large fennel bulbs

4              red onions

1              head garlic, separated into cloves

3              lemons, two for slicing and one for juice

2              teaspoons coriander seeds

1              tablespoon whole fennel seeds

½             cup extra-virgin olive oil

3              firm pears

¼             cup fish stock

½             teaspoon fennel pollen (optional)

½             cup chopped fennel fronds, parsley and chives

Preparation:

1.       In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub or brush the mixture on the Cod filets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

2.       Preheat the oven to 450-degrees.

3.       Remove the fronds and stalks from the fennel bulbs and quarter. Put into a large cast iron pan and add the red onions, cut into 8 wedges each, the garlic cloves, 2 lemons sliced very thinly and seeds removed, two teaspoons of coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, and ½ cup of olive oil. Toss the vegetables to coat with the oil. (Use two cast iron skillets if you need the room). Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

4.       Peel and core the pears and cut into four wedges each. In a bowl salt and pepper the pears, adding ¼ cup of fish stock (substitute water or vegetable stock). Squeeze juice on from one lemon. Toss to coat. Add pears to the cast iron pan(s) after 25 minutes and continue to roast until the vegetables are deeply caramelized – about 20-30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil.

5.       Put the Cod filets on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 20 minutes depending upon the thickness. Reheat the vegetables if necessary.

6.       Plate the vegetables center plate. Put a Cod filet on top. Sprinkle fennel pollen on the fish and vegetables. Garnish with the fennel fronds, parsley and chives mixture.

Carrots & Red Grapes in Vodka Sauce

Serves 4

My dear mom used to make this dish for Thanksgiving and I believe it originated with her mom, Emma Wottrich Withers, at their home outside of Sewell, Chile, back in the 1950s. It is a surprisingly sophisticated take on carrots, best done with garden fresh carrots and just picked grapes. While the carrots may be prepared ahead of time, only add the grapes at the very last and serve immediately

2              pounds carrots, cut into thick diagonal slices

4              cups of seedless red grapes

1              tablespoon butter

1              tablespoon of brown sugar

½             tablespoon corn starch      

1              tablespoon of vodka

1              sprig of tarragon leaves, rough chopped (optional)

                salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

1.       Sauté the carrots in the butter and brown sugar for two minutes.

2.       Add the corn starch dissolved in the vodka and continue cooking until the carrots are just done but still firm. (At this point you can reserve the carrots and refrigerate until ready to serve.)

3.       Add firm red grapes and cook until just warmed through.

4.       Add the tarragon, salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Variations:

Prepare with Pastis (anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France) or Aquavit (Scandinavian sprit imbued with caraway or dill) for taste variations. Try introducing the spirits alone without the corn starch and flambé the dish just ahead of serving.

Black Sea Bass with Blood Oranges, Star Fruit, Olives, Basil, and Roasted Fennel Seeds

Serves 4

Preparation time – 30 minutes

                Adapted from Chef Missy Robbins, executive chef at A Voce in Manhattan, this beautiful melding of citrus, cured black olives and roasted and crushed fennel seeds is inspired.  I have cooked this with fresh Cod and Black Sea Bass; both work as would any firm white-fleshed fish. The umami of crisp fish skin adds to the dish, so it works best with a skin-on filet.

¾             cup oil-cured, pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

                juice and zest from ½ large orange

1              tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

                pinch red pepper flakes

3              tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish

4              blood oranges or Cara Cara, peeled and pith removed

2              Star Fruit, sliced thinly

                pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste

4              4-ounce to 6-ounce sea bass filets, as you wish

2              sprigs basil, leaves picked and roughly torn

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl combine the olives, orange juice, orange zest, toasted fennel, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently toss and reserve. 

2. Slice off the oranges’ tops and bottoms, then cut away the rind. Working over a bowl, use a paring knife to separate the fruit into wedges, letting them fall into the bowl as you work. Squeeze a couple to add juice to the bowl. Cut the Star Fruit in thin star-shaped slices into the same bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of oil. Toss gently. 

3. Set a large sauté pan over high heat. Turn on your broiler. Season the fish with kosher salt. When the pan is hot, swirl in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Lay the fish in the pan skin-side down. Cook until the edged are golden and crisp; 2 to 3 minutes. 

4. Transfer the pan  to the broiler and finish the fish until cooked through; 2 to 3 minutes more depending upon the thickness of the filets.

5. Arrange  the blood orange wedges in a small circle on each of four plates. Place the Star Fruit on top in a circle. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Place the hot fish filet, skin-side down, centered on top. Spoon the black olives over the fish and garnish with torn basil leaves. Grind black pepper on top generously.

I served this with white rice cooked with orange zest and tossed with a bit of butter, chopped parsley and a splash of red wine winger. Served with a Mondavi Fumé Blanc, this is a bright dish to be reckoned with.

Over the past 50 years over 90% of the biomass of the oceans has disappeared.  In 2013 it is expected that farmed fish will surpass wild harvested fish for the first time. Pesticides, antibiotics, mercury and PCBs are all issues with either choice. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch is a good way to make seafood buying choices. You can download it as an app for your smart phone.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Serves 4-6

                Paula Deen is the world-class Southern comfort food Diva. We all know that. But recently she has been taking on a new look, slimming down recipes and herself after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Paula’s sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen, are also motoring down the ‘sane’ eating road. But here’s the thing – their recipes are good, really good! So this is my riff on an insanely delicious meatloaf guaranteed to please the most finicky child.

1              pound ground sirloin (or ground buffalo or dark turkey meat)

10           slices uncured, nitrate-free bacon, cooked and crumbled

8              ounces of reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1              large egg, lightly beaten

½             cup bread crumbs, toasted

¼             cup Greek yogurt

1              tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼             teaspoon salt

¼             teaspoon ground black pepper

3              slices of rye bread

½             cup tomato sauce

2              tablespoons brown mustard

1              tablespoon brown sugar

1              tablespoon dried thyme

1              medium onion, sliced and sautéed

1              teaspoon olive oil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. In a large bowl combine the first 8 ingredients, mixing well. 

3. In a small bowl combine the tomato sauce, mustard, brown sugar and thyme. Add half the mixture to the meatloaf, reserving the remaining sauce. 

4. Put a layer of rye bread on the bottom of a 9X5X3-inch loaf pan to absorb the juices. Press the meatloaf into the pan. Alternatively place the bread on a baking sheet and free-form the loaf on top of the bread.  

5. Bake for 40 minutes. 

6. While the meatloaf is baking, sauté the sliced onions in a teaspoon of olive oil until well browned and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. 

7. At 40 minutes, spread the balance of the sauce evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Layer the onions on top and pepper generously. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until done.

8. Let the meatloaf ‘rest’ for 15 minutes and then cut and serve. This pairs well with Salt-Roasted Potatoes - http://coolcook.blogspot.com/2013/02/perfect-salt-baked-potatoes-with.html