Max's Clam Chowder

This recipe was passed down to me today from a good friend of mine,Max Becker (a 04 C.I.A. grad)who I turn to for any advice I need about food!..What a great friend and mentor!..Anyway he has made hundreds of gallons of this soup..he made it daily for a long time and now it's passed to me and when something is made over and over..perfection is bound to happen!.It's the perfect time of year for this dish


Ingredients:
White mirepoix:
2 cups white onion(diced)
1 cup leeks(diced)
1 cup celery (diced)
Sachet:
5 to 7 whole peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
wrap everything up into a square piece of cheesecloth and tie with butcher twine leaving about 10 inches to tie to the pot
Bacon Roux:
8 strips bacon cut into lardons
1/2 stick butter
3/4 butter
cook bacon until fat is rendered,add butter until melted then add flour until combined,cook until blonde and nutty smelling,about 7 minutes.remove from heat and set aside
1 pound small red potatoes
2 pounds littleneck clams
16 oz clam juice
2 6.5 oz cans minced clams
1 quart heavy whipping cream(scalded)
2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 bunch fresh chives(garnish)
salt and pepper to taste

to start off sweat mirepoix in a heavy pot or dutch oven

add clam juice,water and tie sachet to pot with string and bring to a boil when boiling add potatoes and cook for about 30 minutes.Next add the bacon roux to the pot and stir until combined


let come back up to a boil,then reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.Add scalded cream and canned clams and cook another 10 minutes

in a large skillet add a drizzle of olive oil then add clams

let clams cook for a few minutes then deglaze pan with wine and cover until all clams open about 5 min,remove clams and reduce liquid by half

now add clams and reduced liquid to pot and stir through,cook a few more minutes or until thickened,remove sachet and garnish with chives and maybe some oyster crackers..this dish was outstanding!..thanks again Max!

Carnitas

This dish is really simple,uses a cheap cut of meat and it's sooo good!Carnitas mean "little meats "in spanish.Growing up in So Cal there is an abundance of mexican joints in every city or so it seems so i have had my share.Anyway this recipe was handed down to me from a friend's grandma i have added my own touch like i do to almost all the recipes i come upon.This could be stripped down to just simple salted and braised meat.I love spice so i kicked it up i also used stock instead of water.Another and more traditional way is to fry the meat in a huge pot of lard with orange slices and a coca-cola added to help caramelize it but thats for another time..here we go!

4 pounds pork butt(or shoulder,country style or picnic they are the same cut)
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 shallot thin sliced
3 cloves garlic thin sliced
3 bay leaves
2 dry guajillo peppers
1 tbls chili powder
1/2 tsp ground corriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt
lard
flour


First salt and pepper the meat and dust with a light coat of flour

now add about a heaping tablespoon of lard to a hot pan and brown the meat on all sides.turning it until its nice and golden

once it's browned pull it out to a plate.this is what the French call fond,crusty brown goodness!

now saute the shallot first for about 3 min then add garlic and saute 1 min more,add spices,peppers and bay leaves to the stock,then deglaze pan with the stock making sure to scrape the pan clean and get all of that brown goodness off the bottom

now pop the pork back into the pan and put it in a 350 oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until fork tender this picture is after 2 1/2 hours the fat has rendered and the stock has been evaporated

now pull meat out of pan and let cool,meanwhile strain the fat so the garlic and shallot don't burn

once the meat has cooled a bit shred it by hand into bite size pieces and add the fat back to a hot pan.i switched to a non stick at this point

fry the meat until it's crispy

now make it into your favorite taco,tostada,enchilada or what ever dish you like..it tastes great with a little heat..Enjoy!

San Diego Football Weekend

This past weekend me and four friends went down to San Diego for the Ravens vs Chargers game.One friend is a Bolts die hard and the other is a second year fan of the Ravens anyway the first night we went down to Ocean Beach..kinda of Haight and Ashbury of S.D..lots of old hippies,stoners,surfers and laid back people in general..the place we ate at down there has some of the best fish taco's ever!..lots of different kinds of fish,killer calamari,shrimp stuffed jalapeno poppers the list could go on and on

South Beach bar and grill
The next day we went up the hill from our hotel to Hash House A GO GO..I've been to the one in Vegas but this one is the original..twisted farm food is what they call it..I call it giant.

Andy's fried chicken on bacon mashed potatoes,fried eggs,fruit and maple reduction

left to right,sage chicken,truck driver french toast,hash skillet,gravy covered chicken

Now on to a little comedy..being guys and drinking we talk a lot of shit back and forth and make up names for each other..kinda like big kids..anyway my friend Larry and Shane kept joking it up and named me Dr Bunson Honeydew from the muppets and Larry named Shane beaker..so here is a pic of Me and Shane(Beaker and Bunson)we laughed all weekend about it..hope you get a laugh too..Oh and by the way Shane I told you I'd post this shit!

Chicken Saltimboca (Reconstructed)Coast to Coast

Saltimboca means to "jump in the mouth" and this dish does it!..as i have mentioned before i started this blog with help from everyone from Bakespace and we just started to do coast to coast cooking challenges..someone picks a dish and we all make it our own way...so here is my version of saltimboca...it's made flat or rolled..most typically with sage and prosciutto topped with a wine pan sauce..i've made it both ways but everyone likes this way the best and i've made it more than a few times..I replace the pan sauce with a thick rich artichoke alfredo sauce..i also add provolone cheese along with basil,sage,crushed red pepper,garlic powder, black pepper and the prosciutto..then it's crusted with a panko parmigiano mix and fried till golden brown..it's almost like an Italian cordon blue!

Ingredients:
chicken breasts
prosciutto
sliced provolone
fresh sage
fresh basil
garlic powder
onion powder
crushed red pepper
salt and pepper


Method:
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and line up chicken in a row,put another piece of plastic over the top and pound with a mallet until about a 1/4 inch thick,remove top piece of plastic,sprinkle with spices in an even layer,then the herbs,then a slice of cheese followed by the prosciuttonext i laid out a smaller sheet for each piece of chicken and rolled it up tightly,let the chicken set for at least 2 hours or overnightnext i used a standard breading procedure(forgot a pic)starting with flour,egg wash and then a mix of panko bread crumbs and parmigiano cheese(about 50/50 mix)and pan fried them till golden brown

Artichoke Alfredo Sauce
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 sticks butter
2 1/2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese(no green can stuff!)
4 oz diced pancetta
2 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts(rinsed and drained)
1/2 bottle of white wine(i used pinot grigio )

Method:
start with a little olive oil in a sauce pan,brown pancetta until fat is rendered and remove from pan,add shallots and saute about 3 min,add garlic and saute a few more,deglaze pan with wine and reduce to about 1/4 cup


once reduced strain off liquid and reserve,slowly melt the butter into the reduction,once butter is incorporated add scalded cream slowly to pan,once thickened about 8 to 10 minutes,add cheese and artichoke hearts,cook a few minutes more season with salt and pepper to taste,sauce will thicken upon standing

serve with your favorite pasta and here is the plated dish



here are pics and links to everyone's blogs
Michele
http://myitaliangrandmother.blogspot.com/2009/09/chicken-saltimbocca-pasta-toss-coast-to.html

Shane's
http://culinaryalchemist.blogspot.com/2009/09/cooking-coast-to-coast-saltimbocca-al.html

Spryte's

http://sprytesplace.blogspot.com/2009/08/chicken-saltimbocca.html

Monica's

http://alaskandermishinthekitch.blogspot.com/2009/09/saltimbocca-bakespace-coast-to-coast.html

Dajana's

http://dajana-bakerscorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/coast-to-coast-and-overseas-cooking.html

Cathy's
http://thedutchbakersdaughter.blogspot.com/2009/09/coast-to-coast-cooking-chicken.html

DD's

http://ddpiesslice.blogspot.com/2009/09/cooking-coast-to-coast-saltimbocca.html

Sheryle's

http://cookiebakerscorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/chicken-saltimbocca-with-lemon-sauce.html

Danielle's

http://peacefulcooking.blogspot.com/2009/08/saltimbocca-coast-to-coast-and-overseas.html

Pamela's

http://pamelaspalace2.blogspot.com/2009/08/saltimboccafor-coast-to-coast-cookoff.html

And here is a map link of where everyone is from
http://data.mapchannels.com/mc3/7109/saltimbocca_7109.htm?v=3&x=-69.153442&y=46.523669&z=2&t=0&f=1

BBQ RUB

I've been playing around with this recipe for a few years now and I've got dialed in just right.I use it on all different kinds of meat and it works really good.Just enough sugar to salt and all the right spices


Ingredients:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbls onion powder
2 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls chili powder
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp corriander
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp ground celery seed

combine every thing in a air tight container,use a spice grinder to get a nice fine texture if wanted

Grilled Chicken With Brandy Apple Dijon Sauce

I kinda just thought this up..it's actually a combination of a few different recipes,i like to look at recipes as a guide,just a starting point and then i let my past knowledge,experiences and taste for balance take over..anyway i'll just list the ingredients for this one because i didn't measure anything..the potatoes and asparagus were grilled along with the chicken

ingredients

bacon 6 slices diced
apple juice concentrate
Brandy
apple cider vinegar
grey poupon dijon mustard
mailie whole grain mustard
heavy whipping cream
shallot
garlic
fresh thyme
salt and pepper

method


set a sauce pan over medium heat and add bacon,cook until fat is rendered,drain bacon to paper towel leaving about a tablespoon of fat in the pan,add shallot,saute 3 to 4 min,add garlic and saute another 2 minutes,deglaze pan with brandy(about 1/4 cup)add apple juice(about a cup) and vinegar(about 1/4 cup) and reduce liquid by half,strain off liquid and add back to sauce pan,whisk both mustards(about 2 tablespoons each)to the reduction,simmer 3 to 4 minutes,slowly whisk about a half cup heavy cream to the sauce,season to taste and add fresh thyme and finely minced bacon off the heat..top your favorite meat or poultry with this..great balance of sweet to tangy!

Smoked Pulled Pork

I made this for dinner tonight..it's a more of a technique than a recipe..the long slow cooking process results in a delicious,tender,smokey,sweet and most of all cheap cut of meat..the one in the pictures was about ten dollars..well anyway here is the marinade/mop recipe..i'll post the rub and sauce later as their own post

1 can pineapple juice concentrate
3 tbls worcestershire sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbls each salt,white pepper,onion powder,garlic powder
1/4 paprika
1 cup vegetable oil

Method
throw everything except oil in a blender,pulse then slowly add oil while blender is running,blend until thick,reserve 1/3 for mopping,add the rest to a ziploc bag and rest overnight..the next morning remove meat from marinade and pat dry..rub meat well with your favorite rub,prepare a smoker to 225 degrees,smoke meat for about 1 1/2 hours per pound or until the internal temp on the meat has reached 180 at least it will not hurt to take it as high as 195..when temp has been reached rest meat for twenty minutes..now it's ready..pop on some gloves and pull meat into bite sized shreds..top with your favorite sauce...MMM!good

the rub


this is the meat after marinating

just starting

first mop two hours in

almost done

here is a slider style sandwich on king's hawaiian rolls