Category Archives: Dining

Dining, Recipes

Pecan Smoked Brisket

I picked up this USDA Choice butcher-cut point brisket at Albertson’s when I saw the stacks of pecan wood outside the store earlier that week. It was time to try the taste of pecan smoked brisket. Alas, I still didn’t have time to smoke the this beast entirely–at 10 hours, it still hadn’t reached the grey color so desired in perfectly smoked brisket. I hit the dread stall, and the temperature gauge wouldn’t budge past 170 degrees. I even foil wrapped the brisket and let it sit in the oven for 3-4 hours, but no such luck. At least the blackened exterior looked and tasted good. And the pecan smoke was oh-so-pervasive, I was smelling pecan smoke in my hair and clothes nearly a week later.

8/5/2012 August Fatty Brisket (1) 8/5/2012 August Fatty Brisket (2) 8/5/2012 August Fatty Brisket (3)

Dining, Recipes

Recipe: Asparagus Spinach Leek Soup…or quite simply Spring Soup

I haven’t posted a recipe in a quite awhile, but the ingredients in this soup include some of my fave veggies: asparagus, spinach, and leeks! I discovered my taste for asparagus soup after a recent dinner at Greenz in Addison, who served up a creamy, yet refreshing version of this. My recipe is a modified version from How2Heroes.com, which includes buttermilk and is served warm.

Leeks, 1 bunch (2 or 3 leek roots = about 1 cup), sliced
Garlic, 10-12 cloves, chopped
Asparagus, 1 bunch, chopped into 1-2″ stalks
Oil, 4 tbsp (I used canola/EVOO mix)
Baby Spinach, 2 cups
Buttermilk, 0.5 cup (substitute milk, cream or yogurt)
Vegetable Broth, 2 cans (2 cups ea.)
Shredded or cubed cheese (optional)
Scallops or other seafood protein (optional)

Slice the whites and light green parts of the leeks (omit the dark tops) and saute in pan with oil over medium heat. Add garlic when leeks have softened, saute until aromatic. Add chopped asparagus, reserving tops; saute until softened. After 3-5 minutes, add vegetable broth to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add buttermilk to thicken, then add baby spinach. Remove pan from direct heat. Stir spinach into soup until lightly wilted. Immersion blend the soup mixture to desired consistency. Serves 2 people at about 380 calories per serving.

Garnish with cheese or add seared scallops for extra protein.

Dining, Recipes

An attempt at maja blanca

I had a bag of frozen corn in the freezer, a can of coconut milk in the pantry, and a box of rice flour. I strived to make some maja blanca maiz this weekend but ended up with a cold dessert with the consistency of pudding. The maja blanca of my childhood possessed the firmness of gelatin or flan rather than the softness of champurado, or a standard rice pudding.

Maja blanca is typically referred to as a coconut pudding or rice-coconut pudding. But in my experience, it typically sets or hardens after cooking. My experimental dessert sat in the fridge overnight and remained in a semi-liquid state. Luckily I didn’t go so far as to produce latik, or fried coconut curd, to accompany it. So, after much review of the original recipe, I resolve to retry the dessert again with cornstarch.

Dining, Recipes

Recipe: Shredded Lamb with Brussel Sprouts and Red Onions

I made a fabulous dish out of some raw food that had been aging in my fridge. Glad I finally got around to it; the brussel sprouts had begun to yellow, and the lamb had been defrosting for nearly a week. I stir-fried all of the ingredients for this yummy good dish.

  • 1.5 lb sliced lamb
  • 1 lb brussel sprouts
  • chopped garlic
  • quarter cup of olive oil
  • salt
  • cracked black pepper
  • garlic powder
  • dried basil flakes
  • medium red onion, sliced
  • sweet soy sauce

First, create a marinade of olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chopped garlic, dried basil and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. To this marinade, add sliced lamb until it is incorporated. Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Quarter the brussel and slice a red onion. Brown some of the chopped garlic, then add the lamb to the pan and cook until brown. Thinly sliced lamb will shred while cooking. At this point, there may be extra liquid in the pan; add brussel sprouts and continue to stir-cook until the sprouts are tender. Meanwhile, drizzle sweet soy sauce over the mixture and season with a little more salt. Turn off the heat then add the onions, and ensure that they don’t overcook–you want the spicy-sweet red onions to also tame the lamb. Eat alone or serve with rice and enjoy!

12/8/2011 Shredded Lamb with Brussel Sprouts and Red Onions