Amber Waves a Grain: March 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Return to blogging

Finally Easter is over, the madness of one of the biggest Brunch days of the year is past; now I have time to blog again. Since last I wrote, David went to Portugal and Spain and has just returned to report that you must go to a really good Tapas restaurant to enjoy the food.

Upon his return I wanted to make something filling and homey for dinner. After all David and Ben have been traveling for about 18 hours with little to no food (you know how those airlines are these days.) Since I was craving pulled pork sandwiches all week I decided that's what's for dinner. We were all so hungary I never even had a chance to take a picture. But you will find the rub and braising recipe and directions in the new sections named "Dinner" and "The Recipes." Just scroll down to see the additions.

You'll also see "Breakfast" and I'm working on

lunch but since breakfast, for me, usually happens after most people have already eaten lunch, I'm at a bit of a loss. Maybe I should call breakfast brunch?!?

This is what I'm calling Tater tot egg bake.

Enjoy!

-A

Sunday, March 9, 2008

After a long week...

It was a much needed treat to have dinner with friends at Ristorante Luci last night (March 8). We started with the Tuna Ceviche from the weekly special list, I'm not usually a big fan of ceviche but this was wonderful! I even had a second spoonful! The popular dish of the evening was the rack of lamb with risotto, three of us ordered the lamb, each with a different beginning; Cesar salad, roasted pears with prosciutto and onion soup. We also saw the Scallops and Fettuccine con Pollo at our table. Everything was just right!

The wine I chose for dinner was the Marziano Abbona "Rinaldi". Looking over the wine list brought to my attention my current lack of knowledge when it comes to Italian wines. I will study up!

Saturday, March 1, 2008

The first of March

Here we are begining the third month of 2008 and the weather is fine... ok so it's still cold in MN but there is hope! Tonight we grilled on the back patio- there is no stopping the Minnesotian griller, even in the dead of winter. Steaks and salmon and lamb hit the grill tonight as well as red skinned potatoes with a touch of rosemary. On the table we had couscous salad, seafood salad and pickled herring. Yes we are trying to force spring- is it working yet??

Check back soon as more content is added as well as pictures and recipes!

Amber

PS The title picture is one of my favorite desserts, poached Apples with vanilla ice cream orange-chocolate sauce and caramel. The full recipe will be posted soon!
AC

Tater Tot Egg Bake (photo above)

I looked in the fridge and found 1/2 a bag of Oreida tater tots, 1/2 an onion, a little shredded cheese an almost-out-of-date jar of salsa and 5 eggs.

What's a girl to do but make an egg bake!!

Start with an oven proof baking dish, I chose my Le Creuset stoneware 9x9 dish.

Layer on the tots, thinly sliced onions and a few dollops of salsa. Scramble the eggs, add a touch of S & P for flavor and pour over the tots. Bake at 350(F) for 35-40 minutes or until the eggs start to pull away from the edge of the dish.

This should be more potato than egg- reminescent of a Spanish Omlete and, depending on the salsa you use it will have a bit of a kick!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Start with a nice Pork butt or shoulder. Rub sparingly with olive oil and then rub generously with the rub (my recipe follows but any pork rub will do). In a large dutch oven sear over high heat, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pot and set aside while you saute celery, carrots, and onion with a few cloves of garlic. This will keep the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan and it will add flavor. Return the pork to the pot on top of the Mirepoix and add 2 bottles of full flavored/dark beer. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees (F) and place the covered pot in the oven. Cook at 250 for 2 hours then reduce the heat to 200 degrees and remove about 1/2 of the liquid in the pot. Cook for an additional 1 and a half hours. Remove from the pot and let cool to room temperature before pulling apart to make the sandwiches.

Place cooled, pulled meat into pot with 1/4 c. water and 1/4 c BBQ sauce of your choice and re-warm stiring to incorporate sauce into the meat. Toast buns and serve with crispy fried onion strings and cole slaw.

Dessert

Poached Pears or Apples: (Title photo)
one pear or apple per person
2C green tea
1 C fruit juice of your choice
1/4 C dark rum

Caramel sauce, Chocolate Sauce, other perferred toppings

Bring to a simmer and place fruit into pot. Cover, let simmer over medium to low heat for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender depending on ripeness of fruit.

Quarter and pit, arrange in a bowl with desired toppings

Optional topping- Champaigne Sabayon:
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sparkling wine

Fill a 1-quart saucepan half-full with water over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Place all ingredients in a medium stainless steel bowl and whisk until well combined. Place the bowl over the saucepan and continue to whisk until the sauce is thick and doubled in volume, 3 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough so that it will support a ribbon of sauce trailing off the end of the spoon when lifted.

-Emeril Lagasse 2003

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