Epicurean Peach Cobbler

OK. Georgia may call itself "the Peach State." They may even have a picture of a peach on their license plate. But epicurean news flash: the best peaches come from Alabama. I scored a basket of about twenty large mouthwatering tangy sweet Chilton County peaches at a farmer's market yesterday ($10), and needed something to do with them. Having recently overindulged in peach daiquiris, I decided to try my hand at a peach cobbler. I will admit--I wasn't disappointed.

10 large peaches or so, enough to yield 4.5-5 cups of fruit with the pits, stems, and peels removed (be sure to squeeze all the juice you can out of the peels before you discard them).

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1.25 cup all-purpose flour

1 heaping tsp. baking powder

1 heaping tsp. salt

1 cup Splenda/sugar blend (available wherever synthetic groceries are sold--I only used it because I ran out of real sugar, but it worked well)

1 egg, beaten

1 stick unsalted butter, refrigerated


Preheat oven to 375.

Wash, peel, and slice the peaches, and pour into a 19x11x2 baking dish.

Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, Splenda/sugar blend.

Add the egg, mixing (I used my fingers) thoroughly until the the egg is evenly distributed and the mixture has a uniform texture.

Cover the peach layer evenly with the flour mixture.

Using a vegetable peeler or something, shave the butter lengthwise into thin strips. Place these evenly on top of the flour mixture layer.

Sprinkle a little sugar and a little cinnamon on top.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Turn off heat, and allow the cobbler to cool a bit in the oven. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Epicurean Peach Daiquiris

I spent vacation at the beach last year working on this recipe. It only really turns out well if you have fresh, ripe peaches--and I scored some at a quaint farmer's market in Georgia this past weekend. Let summer begin!

3 ripe peaches (medium), washed, pits and stems removed
juice of 1 lime
1 oz. simple syrup
4-6 oz. light rum (I used Cruzan)
1 oz. peach schnapps
1.5 cups ice

Leave the skins on the peaches; they add lovely tiny dark red dapples to the finished product.

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend on a high setting until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the ice is finely and uniformly crushed.

Serve in girly glasses; garnish with a blood orange slice, or a thin (and relatively firm and dry) peach wedge.

Special LOST Series Finale Guacamole

Enough for a crowd. I flatter myself that it's good enough to serve to company.

3 large ripe avocados, quartered and peeled
1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 valencia orange
2-3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 dashes tabasco sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork or something for a while, then switch to a sturdy plastic cup--use the bottom of the cup to mash the mixture into as smooth a consistency as possible. Stir, add salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grindings of fresh black pepper). Serve with tortilla chips (duh).

OK... now only a couple hours to wait to find out how it all ends. After that? Who knows.

Nothing Original

But then originality is by no means the most important quality in a meal. Helped some friends make Cumin Turkey Burgers tonight, and they were delish. We topped with slices of colby-jack cheese, ripe avocado, and grilled onions.* I usually find turkey burgers dry and bland, but these were mouth-watering and just as flavorful as most good beef burgers. The worcestershire and soy sauces really do their thing, and the distinctive cumin flavor stands out cheekily, lending the dish its name. Definitely a 'must' for summer cook-outs. (Believe me, gentle reader, there will be more on that subject coming soon!)

*I prepared the onions. Slice one large yellow onion as though for a burger topping. Then cut the round pieces in half. Sauté on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to caramelize. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 tsp. each paprika and cumin.

The Epicure is now officially ready for summer. If you have any must-grill recipes to share, please send them my way. I will try them out and post my favorites on the blog, with proper attribution, of course.

Roast Cornish Hen with Fingerling Potatoes

The cornish hen is a divine little bird, easy to cook and full of flavor. It tastes and acts just like chicken. Cooking it in the same pan as the potatoes imparts to the latter a pleasant taste and keeps them from drying out.

1 22 oz. cornish hen
3/4 to 1 lb. fingerling potatoes
coarse kosher salt
1 tbsp. dried whole rosemary leaves
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse the bird and salt liberally inside and out. Place breast side up in a small roasting pan or medium loaf pan, and surround with the potatoes. For the most visually appealing result, use a mixture of colors (cut the larger potatoes in half so that the pieces are of a fairly uniform size). Drizzle olive oil over both bird and potatoes. Crush the rosemary in your hands, and sprinkle over the top. Be generous; since you're using a single herb, you might as well emphasize its flavor. Cook for about 1:15, basting two or three times, and stirring the potatoes to keep the ones on top from drying out. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 and the juices run clear. Serves two.

Simple Refried Beans

Mexican food is hard to do well. But whether you're a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't, this recipe couldn't be easier.

1 tbsp. shortening
1 16 oz. can pinto beans
2 cloves garlic
salt and ground cayenne pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp. bacon fat or toasted sesame oil or your favorite cooking oil on medium heat.

Add garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add 1 can pinto beans (liquid included).

As you're cooking at medium heat, mash the garlic and beans thoroughly with a potato masher or fork.

When thoroughly mashed and heated, your refried beans are ready. Season to taste. Enjoy them by themselves (with Monterey cheese on top), or as an accompaniment to a Mexican meal. Yum yum.

Barbecue-style Beef Brisket

So they say that beef brisket used to be regarded as a low quality cut. You know what? It is. It's a tough piece of beef suitable only for Germans and Irishmen. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I decided to try my hand at cooking one. It's not quite barbecue weather in Chicago, so this oven recipe was the best I could come up with, but it didn't disappoint. The key is low and slow so the meat doesn't end up dry and impossible to chew. I wound up with a very lean brisket from the store, but nevertheless, the final product was more than tolerable. Even this lean piece of meat produced a substantial amount of pan juices. You can add barbecue sauce if you want, but I found that the meat was moist enough, and the dry rub plus a little extra salt provided plenty flavor.

I began with a 4.6 lb. beef brisket. (You might have to adjust the amount of seasoning and/or cooking time if you have a significantly larger or smaller brisket.) Rub all over with olive oil.

Dry rub:
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
6-8 whole cloves
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground mustard seed

Pre-heat oven to 200.

Mix the above together in a bowl. Rub all over both sides of the beef. Place the brisket in an appropriately-sized roasting pan, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Place in the oven and, if you oven will allow it, reduce heat to 185.

Cook for about 9 or 10 hours without removing the foil. (I started cooking just before bedtime so it would be ready for an early lunch.)

With any luck, you too should end up with a relatively tender piece of meat sitting in a pool of reddish brown juices. Remove the brisket and slice thinly and--this is important--across the grain. As you slice, the meat will probably begin to fall apart into small pieces. Return to the juices in the roasting pan. Like I said, at this point you can add some barbecue sauce or a couple tbps. cider vinegar or lemon juice, but if you ask me, it's great as is. Serve as a meat with vegetables, or on a toasted bun as a sandwich.

Affordable, nutritious, and delicious. What Epicurean could ask for more?

Slightly Less Simple Sweet Tea

This sweet iced tea recipe is, I admit, unorthodox, and uses what I'll go ahead and call my own blend of teas. I get my loose leaf tea from the Coffee and Tea Exchange, located on Chicago's north side, where the caffeinated beverages are much better than the baseball.

8 tsp. Chinese black (orange pekoe) tea leaves
2 tsp. Lapsang souchong tea leaves
2 quarts water
scant 1 cup sugar

As below, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat, add tea leaves, stir, and cover.

Let the tea steep for five minutes, then strain out the tea leaves (it's probably easiest to use a mesh strainer and a second saucepan). Add the sugar, stir, and allow to cool.

Refrigerate and serve on ice, with or without a lemon wedge. The lapsang souchong adds a distinctive smokiness, reminding me of Thai iced tea, which is also served very sweet.

Enjoy in moderation or risk diabetes.

FYI

Kraft Green Goddess salad dressing is almost, but not quite, nothing like Annie's Green Goddess salad dressing. Oh well. It was worth a shot.

Roast Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

There are myriad schools of thought about roasting chicken. Some will tell you to cook it as low as 300 or even 250--others insist on doing it quickly at a fiery 500. The Epicurean knows that each method has its advantages--a low temperature is less likely to dry the chicken out, and can yield a succulent result with meat falling off the bone, whereas at a high temperature you're done much faster and end up with a gorgeous golden-brown crispy skin. But the moral of the story is that a whole chicken is a very forgiving creature who will tolerate almost any kind of treatment. The bird I cooked tonight was a bit of an experiment but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I started with high heat to brown the skin, then reduced to a moderate 350. I know that with the squash this seems a bit autumnal, but very tasty nonetheless. If you plan on serving these dishes together, I would suggest also serving a salad or something--otherwise the plate will look a bit beige.

Ingredients:
1 six-pound whole chicken
1 spaghetti squash
6 cloves garlic
olive oil
dry whole rosemary
paprika
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 500.

Rinse the chicken with cold water. Place in a roasting pan of appropriate size, with the wings pointed up. Slide a knife between the skin and the meat along the bird's backbone, then cut a couple slits in the skin elsewhere. Garlic cloves go under the skin; toss one or two into the cavity as well. Rub the bird with olive oil, and salt liberally inside and out. Sprinkle with pepper, crushed rosemary, and paprika.

Rinse the squash and cut it in half lengthwise (be careful with that knife!). Scoop out the seeds and stuff in the middle and discard. Rub cooking oil on the surface of a cookie sheet or roasting pan, then place the two halves of the squash, open side down, on said sheet or pan.

Place the chicken and the squash in the oven simultaneously. Cook at 500 for five minutes, then reduce heat to 350.

After 1 hour, remove the squash and allow to cool. When cool, scoop out the flesh and lay aside.

Periodically baste the chicken. It is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 170, and the juices run clear, about 35-60 minutes after the squash comes out of the oven. When done, remove from the oven.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board or the pan in which you cooked the squash. Pour the drippings from the chicken into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cooked squash, stir, and bring to a simmer.

And there you have it. Like I said, the two dishes end up about the same color, but pretty flavorful. I imagine one could use another kind of winter squash, but the spaghetti squash was what I had on hand, and despite its fibrous character it was satisfying, and a good accompaniment to the bird.

Happy roasting.

Simple Sweet Iced Tea

A Southern classic--why it hasn't managed to migrate north I haven't the foggiest, because the stuff is heavenly. When you don't want the hassle of loose leaf tea (more on that to follow) there's no shame in using tea bags. I use Lipton's quart-size tea bags, which claim to be specifically blended for iced tea.

Basically, follow the directions on the package: bring two quarts water to a boil; remove from heat, and add two large tea bags. Let steep for a full five minutes--if you stop at three the tea will be too weak. Remove the tea bags and (now for the good part) add 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir.

Now. Since you've just made a fairly strong tea, you can fill a glass with ice, add hot tea, and enjoy iced tea in minutes. Preferably, though, refrigerate, then serve over ice. For an effect similar to that of this new adult beverage, mix three parts tea to one part vodka and serve over ice with a lemon wedge.

Finally: save up a particularly indignant scowl to use in the event that you find yourself in a restaurant that purports to be Southern but serves only unsweetened tea. "There's sugar on the table" doesn't cut it. Don't these yankees know that sugar won't dissolve in an ice-cold drink?

Epicurean Party Tip #1

When entertaining, don't throw your money away on fancy crackers. Really. Saltines suffice, and people are only going to pay attention to the cheese anyway.

The Epicurean Martini

Winston Churchill famously said that for a perfect martini, one should glance across the bar at the bottle of vermouth while the bartender fills a glass with cold gin. The last time I had a martini in the UK, the barkeep poured a dash of vermouth over ice in a cocktail shaker, then strained out the vermouth before adding the gin. There is a long tradition of drinking martinis with minimal vermouth, to the point where one wonders whether the ingredient should be omitted altogether. If you ask me, this is because people have been using the wrong vermouth, generally Martini and Rossi. My gin martini uses a better French vermouth, which has such a beautiful, perfume-like bouquet that it doesn't matter if you use a more inexpensive gin. Trust me, this vermouth makes a world of difference, and it's only a dollar or two more than the usual kind.

3 oz. gin (I'm using New Amsterdam)
1 oz. Noilly Prat vermouth
green cocktail olives OR a twist of lemon rind

Pour gin and vermouth over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake or stir for ten to twenty seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or, if you're clumsy like I am, a tumbler. Add an olive or two on a toothpick, OR garnish with a twist. Squeeze the lemon rind first, letting the oils drop into the drink.

Works well as part of a three martini lunch.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Preparation is identical to that of regular hash browns, but these cook faster and make a sweet-but-not-too-sweet and delicious side dish at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

1 to 2 large sweet potatoes (more if cooking for a crowd), peeled
1-2 tbsp. canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Using the medium-coarse side of a cheese grater, grate the sweet potatoes. (I hold the tuber at the end, so that the resulting pieces are roughly one inch long.)

Heat the canola oil in a non-stick or cast iron frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the shredded sweet potatoes. (You can shape them into patties if you want; I just dump them in and stir.) If they stick, add a bit more oil.

Turn the sweet potatoes with a spatula as they cook. They're done when they're soft and beginning to brown/caramelize. Season and serve piping hot!

Southern-style Kale

Works with any kind of greens (turnip, collard, etc.), but kale is generally the mildest and easiest to cook properly. For me (a Southerner living in Chicago), this is comfort food, but it's also pretty good for you.

3-4 pieces smoked bacon OR a few tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 lb. washed and chopped kale greens
1 large onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (chipotle, if possible)
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce (preferably Louisiana brand)

Sauté bacon in a large pot on stovetop. When it becomes moderately crisp, remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan. Alternatively, for a vegan dish, skip the bacon and use several T. toasted sesame oil.

Sauté onion and garlic until soft in same pot. Add the red pepper flakes.

Fill the pot with washed and chopped fresh greens. (It's OK to pack them in a little.) Then add enough water to fill about 2/3 of the pot.

Bring to boil, reduce to low heat, cover and simmer half an hour or so (longer if using bitterer greens). As long as the heat is low, it's virtually impossible to overcook.

Chop or crumble the bacon and return to the pot.

Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and MSG (don't knock it) to taste.

Stir and serve.

Eschew not the greenish brown broth, referred to as potlikker (spelling disputed). It's the best part, whether you spoon it up with the greens, drink it from the bowl, or sop it up with cornbread. Wikipedia tells me it's rich in vitamin K, which I didn't even know existed.

Spaghetti with Homemade Meat Sauce

I'll tell you one thing. Expiration dates on canned goods are probably just government lies meant to make more money for agribusiness, and in any event they mean nothing to the Epicurean. Last night I cooked spaghetti with meat sauce--made with two cans of tomatoes that had expired in March and August, 2008, respectively. If I do say so myself, it was pretty tasty. Not elegant, but hearty and flavorful. Next time I'll add more garlic. A substantial one-dish meal, especially with the whole grain pasta.

1 lb. whole grain spaghetti
1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
2 large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup red wine
2 tbsp. each dried basil, dried chives, dried parsley
1 large can of tomatoes, whole or diced
1 medium can of tomatoes, diced or crushed
1 small can tomato paste
1 can beef broth
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. bacon fat (can substitute butter)
dash or two red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and red wine, stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.

Heat the bacon fat in a large skillet on medium heat. Brown ground beef in said bacon fat.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste, pepper flakes, herbs, and beef broth. If using whole tomatoes, mash them up with a spoon or potato masher or fork or something.

Cook on medium heat uncovered until the sauce reaches desired consistency, about 30-45 minutes. Add beef. Reduce heat to low.

In a separate large pot, boil water and cook pasta according to directions on package. You know the drill.

Cheddar and Shallot Frittata

As my father is wont to say, necessity is a real mother. Aside from eggs and some of Wisconsin's most affordable cheddar, there wasn't much in the fridge for dinner besides last week's vegetable soup, which by now is about as appealing as it sounds. So I stole some shallots from my roommate, threw this together, and was pleased by the result. I added rosemary on a whim, and it turned out to be the right call, because it made this Italian-ish style omelette taste like something you'd have for dinner, not breakfast. Nothing impressive, but super easy!

1 tbsp. butter
4 small-medium shallots, chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried whole rosemary
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3-4 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven on broil setting.

Beat eggs and milk together.

In a ovenproof skillet, saute shallots in butter over medium heat until they begin to brown.

Add salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Reduce heat to low.

Add the egg mixture to the skillet.

Add cheese, distributing evenly.

Raise heat to medium-low, and cook until the frittata begins to set, about 5-8 minutes.

Remove from stove, and place on bottom rack under broiler.

Watch closely until the top is thoroughly cooked but not browned, a couple minutes.

Remove from oven, slice and serve.