Alchemy BBQ

 BBQ is a food that when done correctly is absolutely sublime, and when done poorly is nasty to say the least. This post is about pulled pork to be specific.

I have either lived in, or traveled to the major Mecca's of BBQ in this country, and some really important "grilled meat" hot spots in Mexico and South America. I like this cuisine very much!
Being me, I had to try and perfect the method, and I believe I have.

We start off with pork shoulders, or otherwise known as pork butt, and Boston Butt. I buy them from a local source that grows heritage breed Duroc hogs organically. In my opinion, the heritage breeds make such a big difference in quality, I could never go back to commercial pork again. I smoke pork over oak wood. I smoke other meats and fishes over such woods as Mesquite, Hickory. and White Alder wood, as they all have different smoke profiles. I also grew up using oak due to the fact that Live Oak is abundant in Central California where I cut my teeth in BBQ.

The process goes as follows. I start the fire and put the pork shoulders on. I use a hot smoke method that requires only about two hours smoking time. I then pull them of the smoker and dry rub them with our signature dry rub recipe (enclosed below). Then they go into a conventional oven for  8 hours at 250 degrees F (121 C) in 6 inch hotel pans covered with heavy duty foil. Thats it! nothing fancy, nothing difficult, only gooooood! make sure you use a deep, 6 inch hotel pan for the oven time, as the grease rendered is very large in volume, and will destroy your oven, and maybe burn your house down if it overflows the pan. I let it cool on the counter top for two hours, then pull it. It will fall apart easily into long threads.

As far as how to serve it? You can mix it with BBQ sauce, either homemade or store bought, or keep it dry. I can use this product for pulled pork sandwiches, or use it for tamale and empanada fillings, its wonderful as taco meat, etc. I have even used pulled pork as a foil against seafood such as scallops and shrimp. Try this out! Your friends and family will think of you as quite a hero!

Alchemy Dry Rub

1 part kosher salt

1 part ground cumin

2 parts dark brown sugar

1 part black pepper

1 part paprika

1/2 part cayenne pepper (optional)

Miso-Citrus Chicken

Ultra fast and delicious recipe for the nights where you don't have the time, or just can't be bothered screwing around in the kitchen all night. I was looking throught the fridge for ideas, and this is what developed. Some of the best chicken I have made!

Miso-Citrus Chicken

chicken (use any cut you like, or whole)

2 Tbs. Red miso

2 Tbs. Lemon curd

1 Tbs. Shoyu

6 teeth of garlic (fine mince)

1 thumb size knob of fresh ginger (fine mince)

1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)

1/4 cup chicken stock

Technique: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and marinate chicken for at least an hour (two is better) Bake chicken at 450 degrees )so minutes for bone-in thighs). This can be done on the grill as well.

A note on chicken. I am really grossed out by commercial chicken. Therefore I use only free-range, organic products in my cooking. Do some research on commercial chicken production, and after that I would imagine you may share that opinion with me.

Forage Chronicles Part 2-Eatin' Weeds!

I like to forage for food. It makes me feel useful, resourceful, and thrifty. At the store I work at we are currently selling bunches of dandelion greens that were harvested who knows when, and trucked in at great expense from who knows where. I have millions of dandelions on our property this time of year. Seems like a misuse of resources to me. Dandelion green are delicious! Very much like arugula in their bitterness, and flavor. I will eat these until the fade away in a couple of weeks. I am sure anyone of you can go out and find pristine greens like these. We haven't ever used chemicals or synthetic products on our land so these would be really clean. Here is the salad I made with them. Enjoy!

De-Constructed Dandelion Salad

a big pile of dandelion leaves

1 large tomato

1/2 cucumber

3 Tbs. Blue cheese

6 strips of good bacon

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. good balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs. diced red or yellow bell pepper

a few green olives

Technique: Wash the greens and set them aside to dry. Cook the bacon (in cast iron skillet works best), cook until crisp and reserve the fat. Slice and portion all ingredients on a platter (as shown)Heat bacon fat up in the skillet and add the diced bell pepper. De glaze with balsamic vinegar and serve warm dressing with salad.

East preperation on this dish. Try it now while the dandelions are out.

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops

I make my own prosciutto. I have two organic pork "picnics" hanging in my basement as I write this. They will be at 6 months hang-time in mid August. Charcuterie is a passion for me, and a necessity if I want to continue eating the way in which I am accustomed. I don't live in LA or New York, I live in middle America where finding the most wonderful, and unique food items the world has to offer presents more of a challenge than the coasts.

This is a classic recipe that has been done all over, but I feature it here because it is really good. And a great showcase for my prosciutto. One note about scallops. Do not buy or eat "Wet" scallops! Buy only what are called "Dry" scallops, as they have not been injected with nasty chemicals. Let food alone!

Alchemy Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops

1 # 20-30 (or larger) dry scallops

1/4 pound thin sliced prosciutto

4 whole branches of rosemary

Cilantro-Tomatillo Pesto

4 tomatillo (husks removed)

3 teeth garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 roasted red onion

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Technique: Remove rosemary leaves from 3/4 of the rosemary branch, leaving a few at one end. Wrap scallops with the prosciutto and skewer them on the rosemary branches. Grill very lightly.

Under a broiler, scorch tomatillos, garlic, and onion. Puree in a food processor with seasonings and cilantro. serve warm with skewers.

Lobster Roll Time

I saw a picture of the infamous "Lobster Roll" in one of the culinary magazines I get each month, and thought to myself, despite the fact that I have been cooking professionally off and on for over 25 years, I don't believe I have ever had a lobster roll. I have never been to Massachusetts, or for that matter Rhode Island or Maine where these sandwiches originate, so that would be the most likely reason I haven't tried one. Yes I was making Abalone fajitas, and eating Uni fresh out of the urcheon 25 years ago, but not the lobster roll.

In doing a little research on the sandwich, I gathered that less is more for this dish. Some recipes reduce it down to the lowest common denomonator (White hot dog bun, lobster, mayonnaise) that didn't really appeal to me. I did keep it simple to not mask the delicate flavor of lobster. Here is my riff on the lobster roll, along with an accompaning salad I served with it, which in it's own right was simple and spectacular. Enjoy!

Alchemy Lobster Roll

1 baguette

3 ounce lobster meat (per serving)

1 Tbs. mayonnaise (per serving)

1 Tbs. fine minced garlic chives (per serving) (from our farm)

juice of 1/2 lemon

sliced tomato

fine shredded romaine lettuce

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Technique: Mix lobster, mayo., chives, and lemon juice together. Season with salt and pepper and blend very lightly (as not to destroy the lobster) Toast baguette and butter lightly. Assemble sandwich as pictured. Devour immediatly!

Cucumber-Citrus Salad

1 cucumber (peeled)

1 orange (peeled, sectioned, and pith removed)

1 Tbs. garlic chives

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil (use the best possible)

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Technique: Peel cucumber, and section orange. Mix with fine diced chives, and toss with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tres Amigos

It's salsa week! I proclaim this week to be henceforth known as, "National Salsa Week". No particular reason for this proclamation, other than the fact that I crave fresh, bright fruits and vegetables this time of year when we are in the flux between a cool spring, and the start of summer.

 We are planting right now, and a day away from getting our 2011 brood of young chickens (25 Buff Brahma's). Time is short after work, many chores to be done, and every moment counts. We tend to move to a series of quick, nutritious menu options that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Mexican, and Latin food in general gets the nod often, stuffing 4 tacos in your face full of vegetables and roasted meats is a great comfort,  can be done quickly, and also importantly, with little clean-up time. I make a great number of different salsas, some fresh, some char roasted, some that are truly unique. This week I am going to feature as many as time allows, and eat really well as a result of it! These are all simple recipes, that require little time or effort, and bring tasty results. Check it!

Salsa Fresca (The red one)

6 roma tomatoes (seeded, and diced)

1 medium yellow onion (fine dice)

1 bunch cilantro (chiffinade)

2 (or more) serrano peppers (fine dice, seeds removed or kept)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

juice of two limes

Technique: Dice all ingredients in a uniform size. Toss with cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Allow to blend in cooler for 30 minutes, drain and serve.

note: The salt will make the tomatoes shed water, so I tend to drain some of that liquid off, or if I am service rice or beans with the salsa, drain into either or both.

Mango Salsa (the yellow one)

4 large mangos (peeled, pitted and diced)

1 large red bell pepper (diced)

1 large red onion (diced)

2 (or more) serrano peppers

1 bunch of cilantro (chiffinade)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

juice of two limes

Technique: Dice all ingredients in a uniform size. Toss with cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Allow to blend in cooler for 30 minutes and serve.

Salsa Verde (the green one)

10 good sized tomatillo (see below)

1 large yellow onion (diced)

2 (or more) serrano peppers (diced)

1 bunch of cilantro

1 tsp whole cumin seed (grind to powder)

4 teeth garlic (roasted)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1.2 tsp raw sugar

juice of 1 lime

Technique: Wash and de-hust the tomatillo. Place under broiler with garlic, and broil till all sides are slightly charred. Allow to cool until you can handle, and blend in a food processor. Add onion, cilantro, serranos, and spices. Blend with a spoon. Allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

These are all really basic salsa preperations, they will get more elaborate as the week progress.

A Rite of Spring

A rite of spring (a religious or other solemn ceremony or act) is a good term for how I feel about foraging wild things that usually only have a limited window of time to gather. Morel mushrooms, ramps, fiddle-head ferns all have this designation for me. I think that eating stuff you gather in the woods yourself is very soulful and an enriching experience. I gathered these fiddle-heads the other day while my 6 year old daughter gathered Dandelions for a bouquet. It was a beautiful hour spent together. These things are very tasty, you have about a week window to gather them before the mature, so don't miss it! I find these about 1/4 mile away from our farm growing into great fields. I will gorge myself on them while I can.

 I discovered this delicacy when I lived in NZ. The fern has a very special prominence in New Zealand, the silver fern is the symbol of my beloved "All Blacks" Rugby Team. They grow everywhere on the North Island. The first time I was served ferns was with a Maori gentleman who picked me up hitchhiking, brought me back to his families place and put me up for two days. I dined on ferns and Paua (abalone), mussels and kumara (sweet potatoes). It was a surreal experience indeed.

The way to harvest and prepare these ferns is simple. Cut them about two inches down from the point where the run straight. There is often a slight fuzz on the top of the fern, this can be easily rinsed off. The recipe I prepared follows.

Fiddle-Head Ferns

1 # of cleaned ferns

1 bunch of garlic chives (from our farm)

6 teeth of garlic (ours as well, fine mince)

1 medium yellow summer squash

1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs. Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Technique: Saute the garlic briefly in the olive oil, add ferns and squash. Saute until soft (don't overcook!). Add vinegar and season. Cooking time is about 5 minutes.

I had some wonderful Tombo (Albacore) in this week at the shop, and thought this would complete a nice plate with the ferns. Here is the recipe for the Tombo.

Red Chile & Black Sesame Dusted Albacore

2- 4 oz Tombo steaks

2 Tbs. New Mexican Red Chile Powder

1 Tbs. Black sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Technique: Combine all the spices in a shallow plate and mix well. Press the fish into the spices on both sides until well covered. Get a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan very hot. I used a comal, but not everyone has a comal. Lightly brush the hot pan with olive oil. Sear fish for about two minutes on each side. You want to serve this fish very medium rare. If you cook it through, it becomes chicken of the sea. Enjoy!