Recipes
Memphis Beale St. BBQ Brisket with Whiskey Sauce
Beef brisket is one of my favorite cuts of meat. When cooked just right, it is incredibly tender and flavorful, and one of the most affordable cuts to boot! However there are an abundance of horror stories out there of under or overcooked brisket that end up tough, dry, chewy, shrunken or shriveled. Don't fear! With a little practice and close attention you can easily avoid these common pitfalls.Briskets come in a wide variety of sizes, from a small one pound size common in the supermarket, to massive fourteen pounders meant to spend an entire day in a smoker; in this recipe we call for about a three pound brisket. Feel free to use whatever size you need to feed everyone at your table. but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Having an in-oven probe thermometer will be a huge asset here, since being able to pull it out of the oven right at 185°F and letting it rest for a while will give your brisket the maximum amount of time at just the right temperature to melt the fat without overcooking. The key to a tender brisket is cooking it just long enough to allow the connective tissue to breakdown, without leaving it dry and tough.Also, when making the whiskey BBQ sauce, be sure to use a whiskey you would drink. The old adage about not cooking with something you wouldn't drink yourself isn't just for wine!
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Indian Coriander Energy Bars
Sometimes I get so busy doing things that I forget to eat breakfast and/or lunch. I know, I shouldn't do that, but I do. I've tried various power or energy bars, but I found them to be too sweet, lacking in flavor, or really just not very healthy. So I made my own.For this recipe, I set out to make an energy bar that tasted good, was high in all of the "good" stuff we're supposed to be eating every day, and was full of things that I loved, like Indian Coriander Seed. I'm also a huge fan of chia seeds, and using them eliminated the need to use oil or eggs in the bars. Chia seeds are full of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, iron, fiber, and are a source of natural extended energy. I will admit to sometimes putting chocolate chips in them, but chocolate is good for you, too, right?
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Ras El Hanout Plum Preserves
Her name was Edna Nosworthy. She was the type of lady who invited every family from the neighborhood to harvest from the abundance of fruit trees in her yard. Apples, pears, cherries, and Italian plums - oh my! She would then turn these fruits into vats of phenomenal pickles, preserves, jams, and pie fillings. These preserves are a homage to the generation that inspires us to use what we have, and share with our neighbors. The global update is lent by the Moroccan staple, Ras El Hanout, whose complex flavors accentuate the sweet-sour plums. Any variety of plum will do, a trip to your local Farmer's Market is sure to spark to inspiration. These preserves are delicious over ice cream, on a warm toasted baguette, or as a dipping sauce for juicy lamb kebabs.
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Popcorn Toppings
The endless number of various toppings out there make popcorn one of the easiest and most versatile snacks I know. It's my go-to snack not only for movies and Dr. Who marathons, but also ball games, potlucks and picnics. Everyone loves popcorn, and if you can bring yourself to cut down on the butter (I know I sure can't) it can be a low calorie, high-fiber option for snacking.Nothing beats a trip to the old ball yard for summertime fun, and here in Seattle we're lucky to have T-Mobile Park, one of the nicest ball fields in the country. We're also fortunate that on most nights you can get in for as little as ten bucks, but as everyone knows the real cost comes inside the park on the expensive food and drink. So to stretch my budget I like to make a big batch of popcorn, toss it with a few different popcorn toppings, put each batch in a paper bag and head down to watch the M's. It was the perfect snack to watch the recent historical perfect game, and I even had enough money left over to celebrate with a cold adult beverage!In the recipe below I'll tell you about some of our favorite popcorn toppings, but these aren't the only options by any means. We're always discovering great new spice blends to use as popcorn toppings and would love to hear what your favorite is! Let us know in the comments below and it just may end up in my bag at the next big Mariners game, Go M's!
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Svaneti Seasoned Salt Kale Chips
I adore kale. The moment I discovered this particular leafy green it immediately beat out broccoli and chard at the top of my favorite vegetable list. Luckily for me it is available practically year-round here in the Northwest, and right now there are some exceptionally beautiful bunches showing up in the Farmer's Markets and grocery stores.My favorite way to prepare kale is to bake it into chips with a little bit of salt to bring out its natural savory flavor. Whether you are new to kale chips or they are an old favorite, you'll love mixing it up with some seasoning salt. Along with our Svaneti Seasoned Salt, my favorites are Voodoo, Osaka Seasoned Salt, Tuscan Rosemary Salt and America's Seasoned Salt.
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Kashmiri Garam Masala Pecans
Sometimes I just like to have fun with my food, and this recipe is a direct result of a playful Sunday afternoon in the kitchen. The delicate aromas wafted out of my kitchen window enticing neighbors to stop in and sample my latest creation. These little yummies will astonish and delight. Kashmiri Garam Masala is divine blend of cassia, cloves, cardamom and black pepper mixed with a sweet, salty, crunchy combo...trust me, you'll double the batch the second time around.
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Bar-H Beef Rub Marinade
Chock full of lemon and chile, Bar-H Beef Rub was made for summer grilled steaks. The only thing that could make it better, of course, is beer! We marinated this glorious tomahawk-cut steak overnight, then grilled it over red hot coals for a crispy exterior and a juicy, medium-rare interior. The Newcastle brown ale we used brought a nutty component, perfectly offsetting the tangy spice of the rub itself.Topped with a thick slice of a compound butter also made with Bar-H Beef Rub, this steak is the definition of decadent, but still oh-so rugged. We can still smell it sizzling on the grill...
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Urfa Biber - Strawberry Ice Cream
Chiles aren't just for cooking savory food; many are wonderful in desserts, too. Urfa Biber, for example, is a great pairing with berries, honey or chocolate. At a recent cook-off, we added Urfa Biber to Strawberry Ice Cream with fantastic results.
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Madras Curry
Ever notice how curry tastes better the second day? It's because the flavors have combined into something greater than the sum of the parts. For best results, the ingredients and especially the spices must be painfully fresh.Always cook within the season's availability. Winter is the domain of root vegetables and warming spices, whereas summer is filled with lighter fare and bright, fresh flavors. We used chicken, peas and our Madras South Indian Curry for this recipe, but you can try substituting any mix of vegetables, meats, or regional curry powders into the basic recipe below.
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