New rotisserie

 

I added a rotisserie to my grill today and did a chicken. I used a Korean teriyaki sauce as a baste.  The rest of the meal was store bought.

Pork Shoulder in the Smoker

Charlie was telling me about his plans for his birthday party early next month.  He is planning hamburgers and hot dog on the grill.  I said I could do something in the smoker if he liked.  He remembered Mr.Kim, our next door neighbor in Junction City and he and his brother borrowed our smoker (different one) to do a small pig.  He said they basted it with tons of sesame seed oil and it was so good.  I told hime I could get some pork butt and experiment  Today I did. One was marinated overnight with a marinade that had sesame seed oil in it, the other was injected with a liquid with sesame seed oil inside it. It took about six hours in the smoker and  I basted both of them with a mixture of 1/2 cup light soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon each of granulated onion and granulated garlic. a half teaspoon of grated ginger and 1/8th teaspoon red pepper powder.
When they came out, we couldn't tell any difference.  When they are cool enough to chop up, maybe there will be a difference... maybe not.  In any case they were both tender and juicy at least.
 

Charlie suggested dinner: Steak and Shrimp Kabob

Steak and shrimp kabobs on the grill with jalapeño, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and mushrooms.  Mashed potatoes and gravy were included but no picture of them were taken.  I used a store bought beef gravy. I think it might be the first time I have done that and added some butter and cream. 
 

Brie and Brioche

I read Jaques Pepin's La Technique when it came out in paperback, probably in the early 1980s.  I didn't get La Methode when it came out. I thought it would be just sort of an afterthought but I recently did get a used copy and was really surprised at how much information is in it.  There are a lot of things I want to try.  For example he reheats a fully cooked ham in low temperature hot water and doing it sous vide would be perfect way to go. This method makes a broiche dough and encases a brie cheese inside and bakes it. Charlie tells me our back yard neighbor has done something similar except she adds raspberry preserves inside with the cheese.  The other bread is what was left over baked into just a regular loaf.  I have made brioche before but this one a little differean. It had all the liquid being eggs, milk and lot of melted butter.

Ingredients for the Biroche

1 package dry yeast

1/2 C. lukewarm milk

1/2 tsp. sugar

3 C. flour

4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk

+ 1 egg and 1 egg yolk for the wash.

I added a half teaspoon of salt. Next time I think I will use a little more sugar too.  I used rapid rise yeast.

I ut the eggs, milk and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer when it was tepid temperature. I added  the flour a little at a time, adding the yeast along with the second flour addition.  When the dough stopped sticking to the bowl, I let it knead for a few more minutes, then greased a bowl and put the dough in and covered it for about an hour..

Roll out enough of the dough to 1/4th inch thick and 1/2 inch larger than the brie and place the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the brie on that and tuck the dough up around the cheese. Roll out enough dough to cover all the of the brie and brush it with the egg wash. Place it egg wash side down  and seal it all around. Egg wash the top and apply a decoration with pie dough or more brioche. Preheat oven to 350 and let the brioche set for 20 minutes before baking. Bake @ 350º for 25-30 minutes.  Let set out for a couple hours before cutting in order to let the melted cheese set.

The second round in the picture is leftover dough baked without any cheese inside

 

Pork bulgogi, Kimchi, and Korean Spinach

 Pre-marinated spicy pork bulgogi from Korean grocery, two kimchis with medium grain and Jasmine rices (50-50 mix) and Korean style spinach.

SPINACH KIM CHE  (SIGEUMCHI NAMUL)    2 servings

10 oz. spinach 1 T. Sesame oil

2 T Soy sauce 1 T scallion, minced

2 tsp Sugar 1 tsp vinegar (optional)

1 1/2 tsp sesame salt salt & red pepper (optional)

Rinse spinach and place in skillet while still wet. Heat turning as it wilts. When cool eough to handle, squeeze out execss liquid and dress with rest of inbredients. Toss, chill before serving

Breaded Pork Chops and cake

 

 I have never been able to make a stacked cake look good. I ought to stick with sheet cakes.

Breaded Pork Chops 

Prep:25 minsCook:35 minsTotal:1 hrServings:4Yield:4servings
Ingredients 
3 eggs, lightly beaten 
3 tablespoons mil
1 ½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 pork chops
Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).

• Step 2 In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
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• Step 3 Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses.
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• Step 4 Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
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• Step 5 Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Yellow Cake

A fluffy, tender, moist, melt in your mouth yellow cake covered in the best chocolate buttercream imaginable. by John Kanell

Prep Time 25minCook Time 30 min Total Time 55 min Servings 12 people

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 ¼ cups cake flour 270g
• 1/4 cup corn starch 35g
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar 250g
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 113g
• ¼ cup vegetable oil 60mL
• 3 eggs room temperature, large
• 2 yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 15mL
• 1 cup buttermilk 240mL

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter 1 cup room temp, ¼ cup melted
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ½ tsp salt You can add less if you're salt-sensitive
• 1/2 cup milk divided
• 1 lb powdered sugar 450g
• ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 6 inch round pans. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt then set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer. 
• Add the oil and vanilla, mix to combine then scrape the bowl down. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down once more and mix again. 
• Add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter in alternating batches while mixing on low.
• Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the centers are set and springy.
• Allow to layers cool in pans for a few minutes then invert into a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Chocolate Buttercream

• Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a microwave. Mix in the cocoa power and set aside.
• Melt 1/3 cup of semisweet chocolate with 1/4 cup milk then mix together and set aside. You can use 1/2 cup of chocolate for an extra-rich frosting if desired.
• Beat one cup of room temperature butter in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer. 
• Pour in the melted butter cocoa mixture, mix to combine then scrape the bowl down and mix again. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low. Pour in the melted and cooled chocolate ganache then drizzle in about 1/4 cup of milk. Scrape the bowl down and mix until smooth. Your frosting should be silky, soft and luscious.

For the Assembly

• Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the first layer, add the next layer on top and repeat until the cake Is built. Cover the cake with buttercream then use a spatula to swirl the buttercream around for a rustic effect.

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Brisket in the smoker dinner.

 

My birthday is Monday and I was planning to have smoked brisket ready by then but then my sister invited us over for a backyard BBQ on Sunday.  I suspeted it is planned to be a surprise birthday party since she invited my about six weeks ago.  I was planning to cook it on Saturday and have time to finish it early Sunday if I needed to but I moved it back so it would be done today and we decided to eat it today instead of Monday

Taco Tuesday

Charlie suggested tacos since  it is Tuesday.  He was looking on his phone for a delivery and I said I'd make some.  Tacos need avocado for guacamole and guacamole needs ripe avocado and the surest place to find those are at one of the Mexican stores nearby.  They also have a taco bar and place to eat-in and fresh made salsas.  Their Pico de Gallo makes tacos taste much better than your typical taco sauce.  

 

KC Strip Steak on the Grill

Steak, corn, salad and steak fries.  No recipes, just cooking.

 

Scotch eggs

Charlie was telling a friend just now that I used to make these a lot when he was in elementary school and he'd eat one on his way to school.  School was only 4 blocks away.

I originally made 6 at a time, then 8, now I made 12  eggs this time.  They always run out too quickly. 4 are already gone and they just came out of the oven ( I ate 2 of them)

There are several versions of where Scotch Eggs originated but the most likely one, in my opinion, is that they were first sold in 1830's in an English costal town at and eatery called William Scott and Sons.  They were called Scotties but later the name  became Scotch Eggs. Originally they coated with a rich creamy fish paste before being sprinkled with bread crumbs. Sausage replaced the fish paste merely for packaging reasons.  The source of this information says that he recently visited that town and they still use fish paste.

The recipe I have been using for the last few years comes from a cookbook titled "Irish Bar Food". 

Start with 10 eggs, reserving 2 and hard cook 8 eggs.  I steam then for 10 minutes, cool and peel.  Set aside

Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet add 1 1/2 C. Panko bread crumbs; heat until lightly browned.  Watch closely because when the start to brown, they go quickly.  Set aside to cool.

In a wide shallow pan break two eggs and stir in two tablespoons whole grain mustard. In another shallow pan put 1 1/2 C. flour.

Mix 1/4 C. finely chopped green onion in 1 lb. breakfast sausage and divide it into 8 pieces.  Wrap each egg with the sausage mixture.  Flatten the sausage so it is wide enough to wrap around the egg and then fold in the top and bottom to completely encase the egg. At first I thought an eighth of a pound of sausage would not be enough to cover an egg, but it is, it just takes some practice.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

When the eggs are coated with sausage, roll them in flour, then the egg mixture, then into the bread crumbs.  I place them on a wire rack in a rimmed cooking sheet and place them in the 400º over for 18 -20 minutes. Drain them on paper towels. Serve warm or reheated in the microwave for 20 or 30 seconds.  If you are going to serve them cut in halves, don't cut them until after they've been reheated. If  cut  before reheated, the casing can fall off.

Chicken Spiedini

 A couple years ago I found a store bought spaghetti sauce that was better tasting than any I'd tried before Charlie told me it was a local restaurant and he'd eaten there. We have gone together a couple of times.  They are best known for their chicken Spiedini.  While at the store a couple days ago I saw some packaged chicken spiedini from that same store so I got a package and a bottle of their sauce and made it today.  It tastes pretty much the same way as it did when we ate there this year, about a week before Fathers Day.

There are no recipes, just store bought stuff with spaghetti and a tomato salad.