They All Can’t Be Winners

I want to apologize for the lateness of this blog post and any lateness of future post.  There are some personal things going on taking up a lot of my time and energy, things that don’t really need to be talked about here.  However I am committed to updating at least once a week, unfortunately I really can’t say when during the week it will be.  I’m shooting for posting on Tuesdays but like this week, that will not always be possible.  Thank you for you’re understanding and now back to our regularly scheduled post!

When I first moved to Phoenixville, there was a bookstore that sold overruns and books with defective covers for really cheap.  The store has since gone out of business or moved, what ever the case the location is now a unisex barber.  I went there just a few times (the book store, not the barber) and the only books I ever bought were a Brad Meltzer hardback that was missing its dust jacket and a book of Thai Street Food recipes.  I still haven’t read the Meltzer, but I this weekend I did try one of the recipes for the first time, sort of.  I found a recipe for Pork that sounded OK, but need a little something.  I thought if I combined it with my cowed pleaser, Old Man Mitchell’s Ginger Plum Chicken, I might have something. 

It turned out I only have the beginnings of something.  This is a dish that really just the start of something.  I have a few ideas of the changes that I need to make to get something I like out of the recipe.  Laura liked it more than I did, and graciously took the left over off my hands.  It’s funny, about half way in I knew something was wrong, but couldn’t put my finger on it, at which point I was already cooking and we were way too hungry for me to stop, pick a new recipe, go shopping and start cooking again.

Wok Fried Pork with Ginger, a work in progress

What you will need:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of pureed ginger (Really it should have more than this, but this is what I used)
• 1 package of Japanese Udon noodles (I recommend Nasoya brand)
• 3 pork tenders
• 6 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1 green pepper
• 1 large piece of ginger root
• 20oz can of pineapple chunks
• 2 tablespoons of Braggs soy amminos
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons of plum sauce
• A large Wok

1. Add the oil and pureed ginger to the wok and let sit while prepare the other ingredient
2. Press the garlic into the Wok and mix with the ginger
3. Cook the noodles as directed, I find they are best with a little salt add to the water
4. Slice the pork into thin strips
5. Peel the skin of the ginger root and cut in to matchstick size pieces
6. Chop the green pepper into large chunks
7. Drain the juice out of the can of pineapple
8. Cook the ginger and garlic in the Wok over High heat until they start to brown
9. Add the chopped ginger pork and peppers
10. Add the soy and vegetable broth
11. Add the pineapples
12. Stir fry until the pork is mostly done
13. Add the plum sauce and noddle
14. Stir fry for another minute and then serve.

One plus of the recipe was the matchstick ginger.  That was Damn tasty and definitely something I want to experiment with again.  Other than that, I don’t want to give the impression that the meal was bad.  Its just that I was kind of bland.  There were hint of something good, but it just missed the mark.  Hopefully you will inspired to tinker with the recipe and make something great from it.

Before dinner Laura took in a showing of the Dark Knight Rises.  First off we both enjoy the picture immensely.  There were a number of really fun little nods to the comic.  It was long but didn’t feel nearly as long as it nearly 3 hour running time.  It was very much the last act of three act story and I highly recommend watching or re-watching the first two films in the series before seeing this one. 

It was a film that has really stuck with me and I keep evaluating the themes and ideas that it put forth.  I want to talk about this film more but I fear spoiling things for those who haven’t had a chance to see it yet.  Please let me know that best way to put some spoiler contain up on the blog and I’ll go into my thoughts more deeply.  I also will want to see it again, so you have little bit of time.

Till then, get the hell out of my Kitchen and go to Gotham.

Beefy O’ Weefy and other silliness

Normally when planning our Sunday meal, I will look on the food networks website or cookbook for inspiration.  I take that recipe and play around with it until it my own.  This week I was thinking about doing a Ceviche Steak, but I could not find a single recipe that tickled my fancy.  As I was looking around I started jotting down the kind of ingredients I wanted to work with.  The next thing I know I have created a beef marinade out of whole cloth.

Jokingly I quoted Brad Neely’s Wizard People: Dear Readerand said I should call it “Beefie O’ Weefie.”  Laura thought this was the best idea ever, so this week I present to you the debut of Old Man Mitchell’s Beefy O’ Weefy!

Of those unfamiliar with Brad Neely, he is an online comic creator who work can be found at http://www.creasedcomics.com/.  One of his side projects is Wizard People: Dear Reader.  It is an audio commentary for the first Harry Potter movie that is told as if it is an audio book written by someone who has never really read the books or seen the film.  In this performance he renames the characters and creates a new world where Harry P and Ronnie the Bear are total badass wreaking havoc over Hogwarts.  It’s PG-13, so don’t share with the kiddie till they’re a little older, but it’s very very funny.  In Wizard People: Dear Reader, he refers to Harry’s cousin as Beefy O’ Weefy

Old Man Mitchell’s Beef O’Weefy

What you will need:

• 1 1/2cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 2 Tablespoons Ginger
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Lime
• 2 tablespoons of Lime juice
• 1/2cup Braggs Soy Aminos
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 turns of Black Pepper
• 5 Walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon Raw Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of hot Paprika
• 5 Sprig of Lemon Thyme
• 2 Sprigs of Rosemary
• 3 mid-size fry steaks
• Storage Bag
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Food Processor
• Mid-size mixing bowl
• Juice press

The Marinade:

1. Mix the Oil, Honey, Ginger, Salt, Soy, Paprika, Lime Juice and Sugar in the bowl
2. Zest the Lemon into the bowl
3. Zest the Lime into the bowl
4. Juice the lemon and lime into the bowl
5. Add the Walnut and Garlic to the food processor and process to a paste
6. Mix the paste into the bowl
7. Bruise the Thyme and Rosemary leaves then add them to the bowl
8. Mix the bowl thoroughly

The Meat:

1. Add the Meat and marinade to a storage bag
2. Let the Meat marinate for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge
3. Heat the skillet over high heat
4. Remove the Steak from the marinate and cook for 2 minutes a side

Beefy O’ Weefy maiden voyage was a huge success.  The steak had a nice blend of sweet and citrus undertones with a bit of subtle heat and just the hint of nuttiness thanks to the walnuts.  I think I’m going to make up a batch and keep it on hand anytime I need a good marinade.  I would love to try it out on pork and chicken to see if works with those meats as well.

I paired Beefy O’ Weefy, with Near East Roasted Pecan and Garlic and Tangy Almond String Beans.  You can find the String Bean recipe of the Food Network website.  The hit of nuts that get stronger as you go from the steak to the rice and finally the toasted almonds, in the Green Beans, makes for a rich thought line in the dining experience.  I really like the way the flavors mixed in my mouth and complemented each other.

Till next week, get the hell out of my Kitchen.

I Do Enjoy Crispy Pork Chops

I apologize for the lateness of this post, but due to the Fourth of July holiday and other circumstances I could not post this till now.  Here is the post that should have gone up last week:

This weekend we moved our new meal from Sunday to Saturday so that Laura and I could help a friend with a bit of subterfuge.  Saturday was mean to be a game day with some friends, but unfortunately that was not meant to be and no one could make it.  Instead I spent Saturday morning scouring the interwebs for inspiration for this week’s meal.  Since we had done a lot of chicken recipe lately and we had Lamb at Kabul, I decide on Pork. My searching led to a nice breaded pork recipe I could build off of.  Since it went over so well last time I made pork I pair this dish with my Apple Chutney and our old favorite Jasmine rice.  For the nights serving of vegetable some of the carrots that I have been growing in my garden were ripe and ready to be used in my famous Old Man Mitchell’sTarragon Carrots.

Crispy Pork Chops

What you will need:

• 2 pork chops, bone in
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon spicy mustard
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon of ginger (again I recommend the tube kind)
• ¼ teaspoon of Kosher
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 cup of panko flakes
• 1 cup of olive oil
• Small block of parmesan cheese
• Small block of asiago cheese
• Fine cheese grater
• Shallow Mixing bowl
• Shallow dish
• Large frying pan

1. In the bowl beat the egg thoroughly
2. Mix in the mustard, oregano, ginger, salt and pepper
3. In a shallow dish grate ½ cup of each cheese
4. Mix the cheese with the panko flakes
5. For each chop, coat in the egg mixture then the panko mixture, set chops aside
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan
7. Once it’s nice and hot fry each chop for about 3-4 minutes a side, adjust time for how hot you can get the oil. 
8. Let the fried chops cool and serve over rice and a nice coating of the chutney or the chutney on the side if you like.

We really enjoyed this dish.  I found the chutney plays really nicely with the pork and rice.  The chutney has a great heat to it that is undercut well by the rice creating a pleasant warmth in my throat after I have eaten it.

Sunday we met my best friend Dave and his girlfriend Rose, both of whom live in California, at the Reading Terminal for lunch.  The Reading Terminal is an old train terminal that now serves as a giant collection of shops and food stands.  They have some of the finest food and fresh produce in all of Philadelphia there.  Laura and I got some yummy bacon and egg sandwiches from a bakery, while the Californian duo picked up pulled pork from a deli.

After our meal, we told them that we had to go to Laura’s Niece’s birthday party.  ‘This was a bald faced lie.  In reality we were a cog in a scheme.  We drove down to the Philadelphia Art Museum and hid ourselves at the top of the famous Rocky steps.  Laying in waiting I watched as Dave and Rose raced up the stairs.  Once to the top, Dave quickly dropped to one knee and presented a ring to the race’s winner.  That is when I started shooting.  With my Nikon d50 I was able to document the entire proposal.  Rose was very surprised and on cloud nine.  We were honored to be there for this special occasion and happy to help my dear friend Dave.  Congratulation to the happy couple

Till next time, get the hell out of my kitchen.