PICKLED EGGS

Slacking again. Been on the road another long spell for work. Despite that, I still owe you these recipes from my Easter post. Pickled Eggs pickled in two variations, sweet and spicy.

My mother made beet pickled eggs for Easter as far back as I can remember. They were a good gateway device to introducing a kid to beets. Beyond those eggs, I had no idea what a beet even was. I'm sure I threw away the yolks and concentrated on the vinegar sweet purple-stained whites. I wouldn't do that now, but I can say that I watched a friend at our Easter dinner put down six eggs in about 4 minutes sans yolks. His excuse was "cholesterol". It was a sad sight. Six lonely yolks sitting on a plate, wasted. My Pickled Beets with Red Eggs is an evolving recipe. I based it on a combination of recipes, mostly traditional Amish versions. I've tweaked it here and there over the years and I'm happy with it's current state.

My Pickled beets with red eggs
9 beets
water to cover
1 cup cider vinegar - Ha's Apple Farm Vinegar (my local apple grower)
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp salt
1.5 stick cinnamon
7 cloves
10 whole peppercorns
1/4 tsp ground mustard - Colman's
16 hard-boiled eggs - peeled
cook beets on high for 12 mins. Let stand. Make sauce. Mix all together. Drain beets. Slip off skins. Pour sauce over beets. Cover. Cook on high for 8 mins. Let stand several days. Add eggs to sauce and some beets. Let pickle for at least 2 days in the refrigerator. Store in the refrigerator as well.


The spicy pepper eggs are my version of Joe Jost's pickled eggs. Joe Jost's is a great old family -owned tavern in Long Beach, California. The bar has a separate pool hall in back with pool tables, snooker tables, and a shuffle board. Foodwise, you can get amazingly simple, yet super delicious sandwiches at the bar. I rotate through three of the sandwiches: Joe's Special, Liverwurst (2 inches thick) with Red Onions and mustard, or Thick sliced Salami (thick means THICK) with cheese. Joe's Special consists of two split Polish Sausages (basically, hot dogs) with a pickle spear, swiss cheese and mustard on rye. This would be my proper set-up for a bit of relaxing at Joe's while watching a game: a Joe's Special, a Schooner of beer (Sierra Nevada), two pickled eggs (or more), and some fresh roasted peanuts. The pickled eggs are served with some yellow pickled peppers on top of a handful of skinny pretzel sticks, wet with the pickling juice. Delicious.

My eggs are pretty close to the real thing. Actually, they're probably better, but of course they lack a certain je ne sais quoi that you won't get unless you're at Joe's. After all, Joe's claims to have sold 6,000,000 of the eggs since 1934. More on Joe Jost's here.

My Joe Jost style Pickled Eggs

2 16oz jars hot yellow chili peppers with juice
3tbsp Pickling Spice
2 cups distilled vinegar
2 cups water
1.5 tbsp Sugar
1.5 tsp Turmeric
2.5 tsp Salt
5 Serrano, Jalapeno, or Habanero (your choice) chiles blistered, peeled & chopped – with seeds
3 cloves garlic chopped
20 hard-boiled eggs - peeled
Combine all the ingredients and mix well in a large sanitized jar that can be sealed. Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs when they're still hot. Let pickle in the sealed jar in a cool dark place for at least 5 days for best flavor. The longer the better.

GOTTA GIVE THE PEEPS WHAT THEY NEED - EASTER 2008 MENU

I admit that I've been fairly lax with posting lately, but it's been a busy couple of months. There were many reasons, the biggest being that I was on the road working for a good period and we hosted my in-laws for 2 months; which I was initially trepidacious of, because our house is so small, but in the end it turned out to be very enjoyable. Regardless of those things, there still has been a lot of cooking and eating, though very little in the writing department. Hopefully, that changes, starting now. I'll keep it simple this time.

We hosted 21 people for our annual Easter dinner this year. This year's menu turned out fantastic and there really wasn't a lackluster dish in the bunch. It was a diverse and eclectic potluck menu to say the least. The menu had a decent amount of Russian / Czech Influence, followed by English, American Southern, French, and some California Modern. Oh, and some delicious Margaritas. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it such a great day and wonderful meal. Onto the food...


THE MENU (recipes to follow if not already linked)

appetizers


Hot Pepper Pickled Eggs & Pickled Beets with Red Eggs served on pretzel sticks (see my next post for the egg recipes)

Prather Ranch Whiskey Sage Sausages with hot mustard

Easter Bread - Pascha (we add white raisins)

Homemade Pumpernickel Bread

Biscuits and Honey Butter


Main Course


Rotisserie Jamison Farm Leg of Lamb with Oil-Cured Black Olives and Herbs

Fresh Baked Ham with Whisky and Cola Glaze

Hrin

French Potato Salad


Easter Cheese - Cirok

Minty Mushy Peas

Carrots with Ginger

Fresh Garden Arugula & Baby Lettuce Salad with Shaved Fennel and Green Garlic with Lemon and Olive Oil (pick the arugula, baby lettuce, fennel, and green garlic. Shave the fennel and green garlic. Toss with lemon juice and nice virgin olive oil)


Dessert


Brown Sugar Almond Lemon Cake with Creme Fraiche and Fresh Berries

Coconut Cupcakes

Classic Margaritas


THE REST OF THE RECIPES

Rotisserie Leg of Jamison Farm Lamb with Oil-Cured Black Olives and Herbs
adapted from The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman

1 semi-boneless leg of lamb, 7lb
7 cloves garlic, peeled, plus 8 cloves for the pan
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 cup pitted oil-cured black olives
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1/8 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1/8 cup fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, plus sprigs for pan
1/2 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
2 bottles dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock

Cut 12 or more slashes, each 1 to 2 inches deep and 2 inches long, in the leg of lamb, spacing them evenly. With a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt. Add the olives and herbs in batches, adding a little olive oil with each addition (using up to 1/4 cup total), and mash to make a textured paste. Stuff the olive-garlic paste into the slashes, and don't worry about being too neat. Rub the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over the lamb and season with pepper. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator up to 6 hours. Bring to room temp before cooking.

If using a gas grill with rotisserie burner, turn on two of the burners to low and turn the rotisserie burner to high. Preheat the grill with the lid down. I remove the grates from my grill and set a stainless steel food-service rectangular pan on top of the burner heat dispensers. I have a 3 burner grill. I have the two outside burners on low and the middle burner off. I fill the pan with the two bottles of white wine, chicken stock, garlic, and leftover herbs. The pan will act in two ways; it will keep the air moist while the lid is closed and it will catch the drippings from the lamb. Skewer the lamb onto the rod along the bone and then tie the lamb leg with kitchen twine like you tie a roast. Add the end prongs and secure the lamb to the rod securely. Put the lamb and the rod onto the rotisserie unit over the pan and adjust it for balance. Cook the lamb with the lid down approximately 20 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg (not touching bone) reads 120 for rare and 140 degrees for medium. (The temperature will continue to rise a few degrees outside the oven.) Remove the meat from the grill, cover on a platter with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes before serving. In the meantime, take the drippings and stock-wine mixture off the grill and transfer to a pan. Reduce on a stovetop over medium heat till slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper and add a pat or two of butter (add any juices from the lamb platter just before you carve the meat as well). Transfer to a warm serving bowl. Remove the lamb leg from the skewer and carve the leg into long thin slices with the grain, parallel to the bone. Serve with the sauce.


Hrin

2 cups pickled beets from the pickled beets and red eggs - ground in food processor
mix with
1 cup of horseradish
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
put in jar and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temp to serve as a condiment.



Gingered Carrots

2 pounds baby carrots
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh, peeled, grated ginger
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place carrots, juice, butter, sugar and ginger in skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to boil. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and simmer about 10 minutes or until liquid glazes the carrots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.



Classic Margarita

1 1/2oz (1 Jigger) Cazadores Reposada, Corzo Reposada, or Don Julio Blanco (Whatever Tequila you really like - don't waste money on Anejo - you need something with more oomph to stand up against the lime)
1 1/2oz Cointreau
juice of 1/2 - 1 lime (depending on how tart you like it)
Margarita salt

Put ice in a cocktail shaker and combine the tequila, cointreau, and lime juice. Shake a couple seconds and then pour into your favorite ice-filled glass. If you like the rim of your glass with salt, take one of the lime halves and run it around the rim and then dip the rim in a plate of the salt.

Note or suggestion: I prefer my margaritas tart and smoky. To accomplish this, either go for the whole lime or back off on the cointreau. For the smoky, I add a floater (1/2 - whole shot) of really good Mezcal. I love Del Maguey's Chichicapa. If you can find it, it's fantastic - but really expensive. It adds an amazingly delicious smokiness to it. I also mix some ground chile powder into my salt to rim the glass.

GARDENING AT NIGHT: KALE AND OYSTER MUSHROOMS WITH CREAMY POLENTA

I'm slowly trying to catch up on my posts after being out of town for 3 weeks working, so I'm sorry if you've been checking for something new to no avail. I currently have 2 countertop mushroom logs growing amazing Tree-Oyster mushrooms. One is mine, and the other is a friend's that I'm babysitting while he's out of town. Lucky me. Double the harvest of mushrooms. I also had a shiitake mushroom log, which grew some incredible fungus, but one of my cats knocked it off the counter and the log never recovered. It was good while it lasted, though. My wife and I couldn't believe the flavor of the shiitakes fresh off the log. There really isn't any comparison to store bought. We used them in a simple Japanese Nabe with fresh vegetables, tofu and Konnyaku. All three of the logs were obtained from a great mushroom shop, Far West Fungi, that's in San Francisco's foodie haven, The Ferry Building Marketplace. They were each around $28 including shipping to Los Angeles (I think they were $19 without shipping). The logs are made of compressed sawdust that is inoculated with mushroom spores. The log lives in a big clear plastic bag and the care is as easy as opening the bag various amounts throughout the growth process and occasionally misting water to maintain a properly humid environment. With proper care the logs should provide you with 6 or more crops (with dormant periods in-between). The two Tree-Oyster logs recently provided us with a harvest of 7 delectable ounces. Those were put to good use in a highly recommended recipe I found in February 2006's Bon Appétit magazine.


KALE AND OYSTER MUSHROOMS WITH CREAMY POLENTA
adapted from Bon Appétit, February 2006

1 bunch kale, stemmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cups whole milk
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), coarsely chopped
7 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add mushrooms and 2 tablespoons oil to drippings in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale and pancetta. Add garlic and broth; simmer until broth is slightly reduced, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme, lemon peel, and 2 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk butter and Parmesan into polenta and divide among plates. Top with kale mixture.

BEER SNACK - JAMBON DE PARIS, PROSCIUTTO, AND ANCHOVY SANDWICH

Busy with work, I was looking for something simple to make, yet full of interesting flavors, not too heavy, and would go well with a nice bottle of Lagunitas Maximus beer. A friend of mine had read my post recommending cookbooks for the holiday season and he brought up a book I had perused but hadn't purchased, Stephane Reynaud's, "Pork & Sons". I picked up the book over the holidays and fell fast for it. Reynaud educates the reader on the annual tradition of the pig kill in France. The book is filled with beautifully photographed food and interesting and entertaining musings on the rich history of this rustic tradition. The book covers the pig nose to tail and like another book close to my heart, Martin Picard's, "Au Pied De Cochon - The Album," it demonstrates a deep respect for the animals and how they are raised through the methods of their slaughter. It's basically a celebration of all things porcine, containing recipes that act more as guide than ones set in stone, allowing room for improvisation and substitution. There are recipes ranging from sausages, charcuterie, roasts, salads, and a great section on offal, which most Americans are averse to, yet we should learn to appreciate more out of respect to the animals that we eat. Waste not, want not.


While flipping through the book, a recipe caught my eye immediately, a sandwich layered with ham, prosciutto, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes and black olive tapenade tucked between two toasted slices of crustless white bread. I'm a sucker for anchovies, so I had to make this sandwich. They add such a nice touch when combined with certain meats, but that's for another time. My bottle of beer had found its companion.


I adapted Reynaud's recipe for two people and made some small changes. It calls for Jambon de Paris, which I couldn't procure without driving all around the city, so I used some wet-cured, unsmoked sliced ham. Plus, I am trying to buy locally produced meats as much as possible. Jambon de Paris is basically the square loaf fully-cooked sandwich ham that most American kids were familiar with, but of a higher quality. (Much the same as Chipped Ham, for those of you from the Pittsburgh area, yet sliced thicker) There are local producers, but it's not something widely available, but almost any good quality sliced ham could be substituted. Another thing I changed was to use shallots instead of onions. That was just a personal preference. In addition, I used some really nice oven-roasted tomatoes I had in the fridge instead of the sun-dried ones in the original recipe. Sun-dried would work as well. The recipe has instructions for a quick tapenade without anchovies, but in the name of ease, I used a jarred tapenade that I had on hand. Good olive tapenades are so easy to find nowadays and so useful, I always seem to have a jar in the fridge or pantry. I used some nice salt packed anchovies from the deli section at our Whole Foods. For prosciutto, I used the buttery luscious, La Quercia Rossa - Heirloom Breed Culaccia. The La Quercia Prosciutto Americano is amazing and would work just as well. La Quercia is a small earth-friendly artisan meat company located in Iowa. They use humanely raised animals and cure using traditional methods instead of using nitrates, nitrites or vegetable derived substitutes. I highly recommend searching out their products and supporting this great company.

I've been a big fan of the Northern California, Lagunitas Brewing Company for a long time. Their Maximus is one of my favorites. They describe it as an "IPA Maximus," but it probably falls more into the somewhat disliked label of "Extreme Beer" than an IPA. I'm going to call it a Double IPA, because at 7.5% abv, I feel it's a little low in alcohol to call it an Imperial IPA or Triple IPA. I guess Extreme Beer is just as easy a name because it's simpler to remember and it seems to encompass all those other labels. Maximus is very aggressively hopped, so, it's not for the faint of hops. It wears it's bitterness like a badge of honor. Surprisingly, it maintains a shimmer of a malt balance, though the piney and grapefruity hops keep lingering on. There is definitely some nice sweetness that comes out as the beer warms a bit. Not a beer for everyone, but that's okay. That's what makes life fun. We're all different. Plus, there'll be more for me.


A perfect light fulfilling dinner or an elegant beer snack. However you may look at it.

Jambon de Paris, Prosciutto, Anchovy Sandwich
adapted from "Pork & Sons" by Stephane Reynaud
makes 1 (easy to figure out how to make more)

2 slices white bread with crusts cut off
1 jar black olive tapenade
2 thin slices prosciutto - cut into strips
1-2 slices jambon de paris (basically, unsmoked ham, sandwich ham) - any kind of wet cured will work.
oven roasted tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes cut into strips
2 salt packed anchovies (much better than using oil packed)
1 shallot sliced into rings and separated

Pan fry the shallots in butter or olive oil. Don't let them burn or they'll become bitter. Slowly fry them till their golden. Remove them from pan onto paper towel to drain. Toast the bread. Spread tapenade on one side of each slice. Layer the ham strips on top, then the prosciutto, tomatoes, fried shallots, anchovies and finally the other slice of toast.

A THURSDAY'S SUNDAY SUPPER OF SAUTEED HALIBUT WITH ARUGULA, ROASTED BEETS, AND HORSERADISH CREME FRAICHE

Long time no post. The holidays got in the way to say the least. That and the fact that I was under the weather most of the time. I did get to do my fair share of food blog and cookbook reading, though. My wife and I visited family in Pennsylvania and I did close to no cooking the entire 18 days we were away, with the exception of eggs with pickled peppers and lots of impromptu sandwich creations. Upon return to Southern California, I wanted to cook, but I didn't have the stamina to cook anything slightly connected to the cold rainy weather we were having. This because I was still recovering from the holiday heavy food bludgeoning we had endured. Both my wife and my families live in the same town, so we split time between them during our annual holiday trip. The result of this is us eating 2 Christmas and 2 New Year's dinners. Actually, we couldn't possibly eat anymore on New Year's, so we saved our plates for breakfast the next day. Double family meals, holiday parties, restaurant dinners, lamb roast, Pittsburgh Italian sausage, Primanti Brothers sandwich, espressos, cookies, biscotti, artisan made schinken, bathtub Slivovitz, holiday release beers, and my achilles heel, homemade Chex Mix.... I'm sure you get the idea.

I digress. What to cook? I searched through cookbooks and landed on of all things, Suzanne Goin's terrific, Sunday Suppers at Lucques. I say "of all things", because I usually consider these recipes to be very rich and not afraid of olive oil, butter and exactly what I wasn't looking for. Her decadent Pork burger recipe almost killed me. Regardless, I found a clean sounding recipe for Halibut, despite the horseradish cream. It was a delicious first cooking experience of the year (not counting our normal salads from our garden and brussels sprouts with pancetta I made the night before this fish, also from Sunday Suppers - fantastic recipe).


I used amazing golden beets from our local farmers' market. The beet recipe alone would make a delicious salad with the addition of some arugula or other spicy green. Keep a close eye on the fish. Overcooking it will ruin the dish and it can happen on you very quickly. Better to take it off a little too soon and then deal with it (it'll keep cooking for a few minutes from it's own heat) rather than too long and barely being able to swallow it down without the aid of liquid.

I adapted this recipe for 2 people. The unadapted recipe can be found here.

Sautéed Halibut with Arugula, Roasted Beets, and Horseradish Crème Fraîche
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin

2 halibut fillets, 5 to 6 ounces each
1/2 lemon, zested
1/2 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch arugula, cleaned
Roasted beets with horseradish crème fraîche (see below)
1/2 to 1 tablespoons super-good extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle the fish all over with the lemon zest, thyme and parsley. Cover in the refrigerator overnight.

Bring the fish to room temperature before cooking - about 15-20mins depending on how cold your fish was and how cold your house is. Ours is freezing right now.

Preheat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes (non-stick would be good with the fish). Salt and pepper both sides of fish to your liking. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil into the pan and wait about a minute. Add the fish carefully to the pan, and cook about 3 minutes. It should be lightly browned. Turn the fish over, and cook at medium-low for about 2 more minutes. As usual with fish such as Halibut, be careful not to overcook. It can change on you very fast. You'll know it's done when the fish will start to flake a little. You want the center to still look slightly undercooked because it will cook a bit on it's own as it rests while you finish assembling the last part of the dish.

Scatter half of the arugula over a large platter. Scatter the beets on top of the arugula and drizzle with half the horseradish cream. Place the remaining arugula in between the beets. Place the fish on top of the salad, and spoon a little horseradish cream over each piece. Lightly drizzle lemon and the good olive oil over the whole dish.


Roasted Beets with Horseradish Crème Fraîche

1 bunch fresh whole beets (I used golden beets)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon diced shallot, plus 1/8 cup sliced shallots
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup goat's milk yogurt or plain yogurt from the animal of your preference
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Trim the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems still attached. Clean the beets well. Toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Put the beets in a Dutch Oven (I used a 5.5qt) with a bit of water in the bottom. Put the lid on the Dutch oven, and roast for about 40-45 minutes, until they’re tender when you pierce them. When they're done, let them cool, and peel them. You use your fingers to slip off the skin. Cut them into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

While the beets are in the oven, mix together the diced shallot, both vinegars, 1 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Let the flavors combine for about 5 minutes. Then whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil. Season to taste.

Make the horseradish creme fraiche. This recipe is for the whole 6 portion recipe. I knew I would find a use for the extra. You could make less, but Bellwether Creme Fraiche comes in 8oz containers, so that would be a waste. (this stuff would be great on a cold roast beef sandwich or steak sandwich with some shallots pickled in red wine). Whisk the crème fraîche and horseradish together in a small bowl. Stir in the yogurt (she uses heavy cream - I thought the whole thing was already rich enough), remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Toss the beets and sliced shallots with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

HOLIDAY COOKBOOK ROUND-UP

The holiday season is upon us once again, and as always we may be looking for a gift for someone special or a co-worker or boss. This is my attempt at providing some advice for the cooking oriented on the receiving end of those gifts. Some, or maybe most of the books included are from the last couple years. Only a couple are recent releases, but all are books that I value in some particular manner and feel are worthy purchases. Hopefully, you'll agree with me and if you give any as gifts, hopefully, those who receive will find some pleasure in their gift and also come away as a more informed, intelligent cook or food lover.

Eggs - by Michel Roux
The Alpha and Omega of egg cookbooks. Very beautifully photographed, amazingly delicious recipes, helpful techniques, and no shortage of egg wisdom.

The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook: Seasonal Foods, Simple Recipes and Stories from the Market and Farm - by Amelia Saltsman
Aimed at getting you out to your local farmers' markets wherever you may live. It is full of simple tasty recipes using fresh in-season, locally grown produce, as well as lots of useful information regarding learning the best way to shop farmers' markets. Great book for someone into the local food and slow food movements.

The Improvisational Cook - by Sally Schneider
Extremely well written cookbook that teaches exactly what it's named. She gives a base recipe and then several variations, as well as explaining key ingredients and techniques. This allows you to start thinking outside of the box well beyond her general variations. Great mental value. Helps with ideas for leftovers, and last minute meals based on something you have in the fridge or garden.

Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium - by Michael Jackson
The quintessential book of Belgian beers by the recently deceased, quintessential beer and whiskey writer, Michael Jackson. It's a must have for anyone who fancies themselves a beer drinker as opposed to a oenephile. Actually, anyone who considers themselves a true oenephile should also be well versed in beer. They have common beginnings and it's just recent historical swings in popularity that have created the high-brow wine movement over low-brow beer. But, times are changing and beer is back (it never left) and great hard-to-find beers are easier to procure than ever before. Belgium is quite arguably the most beer prolific country there is. They produce more interesting, finely crafted beers than any other country in the world. If you are interested in discovering beers in the slightest bit, this is a great guide for you to learn from and use as a buying guide. The beer and whiskey world, and the world in general will greatly miss the tremendous palate and easy writing style of Mr. Jackson.

The United States of Arugula - by David Kamp
A very interesting informative look at how we came to be the gourmet eaters that we are. I couldn't put it down and ripped right through it. Covers James Beard, Chez Panisse, Dean & Deluca, etc. Any true foodie would enjoy this book.

Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar. - by David Wondrich
With the resurgence of the popularity of the classic cocktail, this completely informative, highly entertaining book offers 100 classic cocktails along with some new drinks that pay tribute to the original era of the cocktail. Delicious cocktails that will make you forget the tired over-sweetened frat rock trash that bars have been forcing on you for the past 2 decades. It's about time that you can want to enjoy a refined cocktail that will properly accompany your meal and have a bartender that can actually deliver it. This is for all the drinkers that recognize that a martini is made with gin and not vodka. Vodka is a product that didn't gain popularity in America till after the cold war. Let's get back to our roots and enjoy a proper cocktail made the authentic way. Let's also remember to do it with restraint, as always.

The River Cottage Meat Book - by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
This book is beautiful and a well introduced viewpoint on the respectful handling and consuming of meat. Hugh raises animals himself and the book covers the raising/production, slaughter, and packaging of meat in a earnest thoughtful manner. It makes you consider the animals and the sacrifice that they make so that you can consume their meat. It's a perfect book for someone who is a conflicted meat eater and it's a good companion cookbook to Omnivore's Dilemma. Wonderful rustic recipes and vibrant photographs.

The Silver Spoon - by Phaidon Press
Supposedly, Italy's best-selling cookbook for the last fifty years. It's also billed as the "one" cookbook that every Italian passes onto their children and an obvious gift for Italian brides. It is a mammoth volume of what seems like thousands of recipes, and everyone I've tried has been wonderful. Most recipes are simple succinct and not too time consuming. Perfect guide for preparing daily family meals. A must have for any true cooking library.

Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home - by Mario Batali
Simple, easy to grasp, yet not dumbed down classic Italian recipes by Mario Batali. Probably, my favorite of his books. I find this one a useful addition to my library. Great when I don't have a lot of time and am craving some rustic comforting Italian food. A simple Italian cookbook that's not afraid of anchovies, sardines, salt cod, chicken liver, octopus, fluke, goat, lamb, tripe, and rabbit while still providing the reader with more familiar fare like gnocchi with fresh tomatoes.

Beer and Philosophy: The Unexamined Beer Isn't Worth Drinking (Epicurean Trilogy) - edited by Steven D. Hales, foreward by Michael C. Jackson
For beer geeks and general imbibers, a book that provides an introspective look at everything to do with beer and it's use in society. Perfect for any true beer lover. Great intro by the late whisky & beer writer, Michael Jackson. Reason enough to buy the book.

The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen with Nigel Slater - by Nigel Slater
Exactly what it's called, a year-long food diary from London Observer columnist, Nigel Slater. In a thoughtful, easy reading manner, Slater lists his meals and life happenings as well as original recipes. It's kind of a seasonal guide as well. I turn to it time and time again based on the current date to see what he was eating and how that could influence me to either cook his appropriate recipe or spark an idea for something else. All the recipes I've tried have been very good and very simple. He cooks like a normal person with a normal life and the recipes are inventive and smart; these are not high-end difficult rock star chef recipes. Funny stories, some great tips and overall very entertaining and useful.

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers - by Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page and Michael Sofronski
A simple to understand, very in-depth look at the whole rigmarole surrounding pairing food with alcohol and other liquids including water. If you have any interest in this, then get it. Enough said.

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing - by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn
I've read a good deal of literature regarding curing meats and by far I have found this to be the easiest to understand and having a large varied volume of good useful recipes. Making homemade sausage is a very rewarding endeavor if you have the guts to just do it. It's actually very simple and the results are so much better than store bought. This book is an excellent jumping off point for someone interested in trying Charcuterie, but the book also includes very difficult, time consuming recipes that require much attention. It's a real book, but because it's so well written it is an easy to understand guide to the techniques of Charcuterie.

Thai Food - by David Thompson
This is a serious comprehensive tome on Thai cooking. It's beautifully photographed and includes historical information on the Thai people, as well as detailed ingredient and technique descriptions. These are authentic, unadapted recipes, sometimes with hard to find ingredients and difficult techniques. It's pretty much the best Thai cookbook out there and it's a huge 672 pages with a gob of recipes. Thompson says it best, "This book does ask for some effort from those who follow its recipes, but I feel that it is one of my responsibilities to encourage and expand the capacities of the cook, rather than succumb to easier options. To do less would be a grave disservice to the modern cook, to those ancient cooks and to good Thai cooking."

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals - by Michael Pollan
This is a must read for anyone interested in what they are putting into their bodies and the ramifications of that. My favorite book of last year. It still is shaping how I go about living and eating everyday. The book helps you to see the ramifications of every decision that you make regarding purchasing and eating choices. Pollan is an easy to read and understand author. The book is empowering and makes you a more informed human being and that's simply a good thing.

Jamie's Italy - by Jamie Oliver
The Naked Chef goes to Italy and comes up with a really worthwhile genuine slice of Italian everyday family cooking. These are original recipes for the most part based on classic Italian cooking. There was a short TV series that spawned this book and it was highly entertaining. I was excited to get the book after watching the series and I wasn't disappointed in the least. The recipes are accompanied by beautiful photography encompassing both food and Italian everyday life (along the lines of Saveur, but printed on matte paper which softens the feel of the photos.) It feels like an amazing, long, lazy summer vacation.

Everyone, best wishes for a fantastic and enjoyable holiday season.

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RESTES REVISITED - ROAST PORK SANDWICHES WITH AUTUMN ROYALE GRAPE - ONION RELISH

Last week we had some cold evenings and I had a hankering to cook something rustic and comforting. I didn't have a lot of time, so I decided to braise a smallish pork loin. I was thinking rosemary braised with white wine. (Rosemary has been working its' way more and more into my diet because I read an article regarding new studies that have found it to be good for your brain. But, until this is proven out I wouldn't go too crazy. Abnormal quantities have caused adverse reactions in some people.)

It was only my wife and I eating, so of course we weren't going to take down the whole 2.5 pounds of pork loin in one meal. Again, the question of something different to do with the leftovers. I'm not a big fan of repeating meals. I'm fine with using leftovers to make something different, but not too keen on repeating the experience. I've become a creature of variety.

I was reading Amelia Saltsman's great new book, The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook, and came upon a recipe for roasted pork sandwiches. The recipe used leftovers from another recipe in the book, Roast Pork Loin with Red Currants and Provencal Herbs. It sounded great, but I had already made my braised pork. The recipes used similar ingredients, so it seemed natural that it would work well with the sandwiches.

What sets these simple pork sandwiches apart from others is the delicious sweet-tart grape-onion relish. Amelia calls for late-season Autumn Royale grapes. She describes them in the following way, "large, almost black, and oblong, with a firm, meaty texture and deep grape taste -- from Chandler Farms and Nicholas Orchard...These are not juicy summer fruits, but spicy and dense." She also mentions that Red Flame and Thompson grapes don't work well in this recipe. The Autumn Royales grapes are seedless and ripen late season. Usually mid-September - mid-October, but may well be found in markets through December. You could also look for a couple other seedless black varieties to use, Fantasy and an Australian variety, Black Marroo. I bought mine at Whole Foods. I'm not sure which variety they were, but they were very dark, seedless, and football shaped. They had a deep grape taste, so they seemed to fit the bill.

I truly love sandwiches. I'd choose a sandwich as my last meal. Probably not this one, but regardless, this is still a great sandwich. Simple, elegant and delicious. My tendency towards variety in food went out the window with this sandwich. I made it for lunch the following two days in a row.

BRAISED PORK WITH ROSEMARY
adapted from The Silver Spoon cookbook

2.5 pound pork loin or tri-tip pork loin
Needles from 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed / smashed and minced
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 shallots diced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white vermouth
2 - 3 dashes Peychaud's or Angostura bitters
1 tablespoon white wine vingegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Smoked sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Push half of the rosemary leaves into pork and tie roast neatly with kitchen twine. Heat butter and 4 Tablespoons oil in a 6 Quart Dutch over med heat. Add pork and brown nicely on all sides. Add onion, garlic, shallot, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for a quick minute then add wine, vermouth and bitters. Cook about a minute or two till the alcohol evaporates. Then cover and simmer for about 1 and a half hours. Remove the pork and let rest for 10 minutes. Untie and carve into thick slices. Stir vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, mustard, and pepper into the cooking juices. Reduce till slightly thickened.


ROAST PORK LOIN SANDWICHES WITH SEASONAL FRUIT-ONION RELISH
from The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook

Makes 2 Cups, enough for about 12 sandwiches

FOR THE RELISH

3 large onions (about 1 1/2 pounds total), halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Leaves from 5 large sprigs thyme
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups Autumn Royale grapes (about 1/2 pound on the stem)
(note: In early summer, substitute 2 pounds of apricots, halved and pitted; in late summer, use 3/4 pound figs, halved lengthwise)

FOR THE SANDWICHES

Large baguette or country bread slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic cut in half
Roast pork loin slices, 3 to 4 ounces per sandwich
Stemmed watercress or arugula, preferably wild, handful per sandwich

To make the relish, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each onion half into 8 wedges. Finely chop 2 of the wedges, rinse in cold water, and set aside. On a baking sheet, toss together the remaining onion wedges, oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the vinegar, thyme, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Add the grapes and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, toss, and return to the oven until the onions are soft with crisped edges and the grapes are browned and melting, about 30 minutes more. Let cool briefly, then hand chop or pulse in a food processor to a coarse texture. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the chopped onion. Allow to stand for 1 hour, then taste and add salt, pepper, and/orl more vinegar to yield a bright sweet-tart flavor. You should have about 2 cups. The relish will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Heat a grill to medium, or preheat a broiler. If using a baguette, cut into sandwich-sized portions and split horizontally. Brush the cut side of each bread piece generously with oil. Toast both pieces on the grill or under the broiler. Rub the oiled surface with the cut side of the garlic and lay pork slices on the oiled side of half of the bread pieces. Top each with a handful of watercress or agrugula, spread the relish on the remaining bread, close the sandwiches, and cut in half.