Back to the Roots: Mushroom Farm!

A few weeks before Christmas the folks at Back to the Roots contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing their grow-your-own mushroom farm. In addition to offering healthful "Ready to Eat" products, the most interesting of which is organic purple corn flakes, Back to the Roots also vends a line of "Ready to Grow"  kits, including the aforementioned mushroom farm, "garden in a jar," and a self-watering tomato planter.

Clearly these generous people don't know me too well. While my husband is extremely adept at cultivating all sorts of flora, I am famous for my ability to kill even the hardiest botanical species.  Let's hope having a green thumb is a dominant trait or else there's little hope for our kids.

With the new year I was feeling emboldened about Trying Things I Historically Suck At and decided to give the kit a go. And, lo and behold, I surprised myself.

It's alive!!!

Starting the mushroom farm was easy: tear off the window, soak the bed in water for about 8-12 hours (I went for 24 just to be sure), place not in direct sunlight, and mist bed about twice day. I launched my farm on a Thursday and by Sunday saw some blossoming. One week out my oyster fungi had grown substantially. I expect to be able to harvest them by this coming Sunday.

I give this kit a solid "A" for its ability to generate fast results and enable this Texas gal to say, if only for a week, "I am a successful mushroom farmer."

What's next for the 'shrooms? I planning on using them in pasta, specifically this pappardelle recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. 

Hampton Creek Just Mayo: Reuben Burgers

Earlier this week I posted about deploying some Hampton Creek "Awesomesauce" for Crab and Salmon Bruschetta, which I plan to serve on Memorial Day.  Yesterday I was again inspired by a food show on the Travel Channel (specifically, Burgerland), and decided to make burgers for supper.  Those that know me well know I am a creature of habit (actually, the understatement of the year), so while I was tempted to drown my patty in just more Awesomesauce, I resisted the urge to succumb to another albeit delicious consumption pattern in favor of trying something new.  Specifically,  Just Mayo's "Just Thousand (Island)" dressing.  And because for me 1000 Island dressing is synonymous with Reuben sandwiches, I gave my burger a little deli inflection.

Step 1: Season your patty.

When I have a burger, I have a burger--you what I'm sayin'? That means no less than a half pound of ground chuck. I then season my little beef baby with salt, pepper, and (my favorite) minced garlic.

Step 2: Cook to desired doneness; Step 3: Top with corned beef.

Since Bridey is a rare bird, she naturally likes her meat very rare; however, if pink flesh makes you squeamish by all means cook your burger longer.  (If that means until it's a hockey puck, well, God forgive you.)  After a good sear on both sides, I added some sliced corned beef.

Step 4: Top with sauerkraut.

Next, I added an ample amount of sauerkraut for tang and textural contrast. 

Step 5: Layer on the swiss cheese.

Then comes swiss cheese, which should be melted by placing a cover briefly over the pan. . (Btw, see that puddle of beef and oil? It looks gross but tastes delicious.)  

Step 6: Add Just Thousand Island

I removed my burger from the pan to bread it (if we can use "plate" as a verb, then I damn well am going to use "bread" in the same fashion) and add Just Thousand Island.  However, I recommend returning your Reuben Burger back to the still hot pan and using a sandwich press to smoosh the finished sammie such that the bread absorbs the juices. 

Hampton Creek Just Mayo: Garlic Crab and Salmon Bruschetta

This past December I first tried Hampton Creek's Just Mayo, an eggless mayonnaise, which among other things, worked remarkably well as a base for tuna and egg salad (irony noted).  The ever-enterprising chefs at Hampton Creek have continued on their creative streak and added three (relatively new) varieties to the line-up: "Awesomesauce," "Just Russian" dressing, and "Just Sweet Mustard."  With Memorial Day fast-approaching, I was more than happy to engage in some experimentation with these condiments to refine my own personal contribution to our apartment complex's group cookout. That crazy cat lady from #10 has another thing coming if she thinks her potato salad gets all the props this year....HAH! 

Step 1: Dollop of Awesomesauce

Now, Hampton Creek has quite an elaborate YouTube recipe channel, which leads you step by step through the preparation of diverse sweet and savory dishes featuring their products as ingredients. But after watching Andrew Zimmern eat his way through Baltimore during my early morning workout, I developed a hankering for some crab meat. So, I created my riff on bruschetta using this crustacean.

Step 2: Minced garlic

After toasting small slices of a French baguette, I added about a teaspoon of Just Mayo "Awesomesauce," which is basically an (eggless) mayonnaise infused with garlic and onions. It's tangy, just a little sweet, and perhaps not exactly what you should eat before a major smooch session, but A-okay if your inamorato is away for the evening. Because you can never have enough garlic, I added more minced garlic on top of the Awesomesauce.

Step 3: Top with lump crab meat and dill.

Finally, I topped with jumbo lump crab meat and a small sprig of dill. Then, I repeated the process approximately 15 times and ate all the slices while watching The Real Housewives of New York.

If crab is not your thing, the above recipe can easily be modified with smoked salmon.

Pacific Resources International Sea Salt Cooking Extravaganza

In the month or so since my conversation with David Noll, founder of Pacific Resources International, purveyor of fine sea salts and manuka honey,  there's been a lot of cooking and eating going on. It's amazing how such a seemingly simple ingredient like salt can really enhance a dish by highlighting different flavors or providing a greater dimension of savoriness.  I can't go so far as to say that salt can make or break your dinner, but a high-purity brand can certainly render your meal more memorable. Although I am still not done experimenting with PRI's diverse line of salts, I would like to report some notable successes.  The flaky sea salt heightened the brine and piquancy of squid pan-seared in lemon olive oil.

Dress those pretzels with some good salt.

And, if you're going to take the time to make your own soft pretzel, you sure as hell better garnish them with some salt.

Australian Lamb Chops

When your in-laws from Up North come to visit, we served them lamb chops from Down Under seasoned with PRI fine Pacific Sea Salt to take the unctuous ovine cuts to the next level.

Carbonara

Spaghetti carbonara likewise benefited from a slight dusting of the fine salt, playing well with the (much heavier) dusting of parmigiano-reggiano and bacon.

What's next? Well, with summer fast approaching, I'm thinking margaritas rimmed with coarse salt, grilled meats prepped with  mesquite salt, and ice cream drowned in (what else?) salted caramel sauce.  Thanks to PRI, I can continue my culinary variations on a theme.

Put Another Sheep the Barbie: Aussie Lamb Beef and Lamb Part I

Lamb was something I ate regularly in my childhood. We always had it for special occasions and holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, when, according to Slovak-Catholic tradition, it was accompanied by an incredibly cute small lamb made out of butter with a peppercorn for an eye.  I also have very fond memories of feasting on lamb chops adorned with gobs of mint jelly at my best friend Ashley Balaban's house.

Yes, this is a thing. Buy them here.

While living in Massachusetts and Texas, my sheep consumption declined in favor seafood in the former state and beef in the latter.  Thus when a representative of Aussie Beef & Lamb of Meat and Livestock Australia reached out with an invitation to review some of their offerings,  I felt very nostalgic and very hungry.  Samples (shoulder cut, chops, ground) arrived, I salivated, and then my significantly more gastronomically talented significant other took over. 

After a simple dusting of sea salt and pepper, the lamb chops were grilled briefly, then pan-seared, and finished in the oven.  The Chef didn't trim off the fat, thank God, and for this reason, the end product was an incredibly unctuous, juicy ovine lolly of sorts. Civilized people might have eaten it with a knife and fork but this gal tackled with abandon by hand in order to strip every last bit of delicious flesh from the ossified stick.

For the shoulder, we opted for a lengthier, "low and slow" preparation in the crock pot, and keeping in the spirit of British colonialism, we paired our Aussie lamb with Irish potatoes and a sauce made with Indian spices (cardamon, turmeric, chili, cumin). 

Although I loved my lamb lollies for their fatty juiciness, the shoulder meat is probably my preferred cut for its more tender texture and its propensity for acting as terrific sponge for surrounding juices.  Such a sheep supper requires multiple napkins and temporarily secluding pet cats looking to poach a bite.

Stay tuned for Part II, in which Bridey declines (perhaps foolishly) help from her kindly live-in Chef and utilizes the ground lamb in a Syrian dish.

Looking to try your hand at some lamb recipes? Aussie Lamb can be purchased at HEB, Whole Foods, and Costco. 

Preview: Interview with David Noll of Pacific Resources International

David Noll thought he going to New Zealand to surf.

That was the plan, anyway, when this intrepid entrepreneur relocated in the 1970s.   His passion for riding the waves led to a greater appreciation of the country's peerless beauty and unique natural resources, including the sea salt harvested from its surrounding oceans.

A smattering of the wide range of PRI salts and honeys. 

Fast forward thirty years later and Noll is leading the campaign to promote the health benefits of NZ sea salt to the American public via his company Pacific Resources International.

PRI salts are obtained through solar and wind evaporation of sea water, a process that allows for the retention of minerals such as calcium and magnesium that are lost in other (re: standard American) forms of refinement.

All of the aforementioned information I could have just gleaned from PRI's press release but I wanted to hear from the man himself, so I arranged a chat with David Noll and then followed up on his claims regarding the proven health benefits. Both checked out; it should also be mentioned that David is friendly chap with a good sense of humor.

But who cares if the proof is in the pudding if the pudding itself doesn't taste good? Noll and PRI were generous enough to send Bridey several of their products, including their Manuka honey, to review and experiment with in the kitchen. 

Stay tuned....

Nielsen-Massey Vanilla: Chocolate Chip Cookie Edition

Any baker worth her weight in unsalted butter knows that quality (re: not imitation) extracts can make a huge difference in your finished product.  I am the first to admit, however, that in fits of laziness or parsimony,  I have used extremely cheap generic extracts and the results have been fine. "Fine" being the key word.

Who wants to settle for "fine" baked goods? After testing Nielsen-Massey's Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract in a batch of chocolate chip cookies, I feel such shame over my past culinary indiscretions.

(Truth be told, I also feel pretty full, having binged on too many delicious cookies.)

When using lower quality vanilla extracts, it is often necessary to double or even triple the recipe's recommended amount to achieve a discernible taste of vanilla.  In the case of this extract, just a small allowance yielded salient smoky vanilla notes in the cookies.  This robust flavor provided a terrific contrast to the equally strong milk chocolate components.

Multiple factors come into play in the production of chewy divine chocolate chip cookies, and while your choice in extract cannot claim all the credit, Nielsen-Massey definitely deserves a hat-tip on this one.