Foodfaire

Honey Mustard Corned Beef Brisket

2009-05-22T04:09:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Memorial Day is Kimio's famous Honey Mustard Corned Beef Brisket. It is a simple delight which will have your friends begging for more. It does involve some cook time but the pot and the grill do all the work.

Start with the sauce so that it can marinade while the corned beef is boiling.

Honey Mustard BBQ sauce

1/4 cup Masterpiece BBQ sauce
1/4 cup Sue Bee Clover Honey
2 tablespoons of Whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons of Frenches Yellow Mustard
Mix well
Cover and refrigerate

4-6 lb Corned Beef Brisket
Place in large pot (we use a five gallon stock pot)
Put enough water in the pot to generously cover your corned beef
Add the corned beef and seasoning packet
Bring to a boil and then continue to boil for 3 hours

Prepare the grill for cooking by making sure wood or charcoal is completely grey for slow cooking. Place corned beef fat side down on the grill. Slather the top of the corned beef with the Honey Mustard BBQ sauce.Close the lid and let it cook for 15 minutes. The Honey Mustard BBQ sauce will form a crust on the top. Delicious.

Let the meat rest for at least five minutes before slicing on an angle. It is melt in your mouth good. For those of you who don't eat corned beef often it will remain a pink color even though it is well done after cooking. This is from the curing process. It will be tender enough that a plastic fork is all you need to eat it with.

Cole Slaw and Potato salad are the perfect compliments for this meal. Now you've gotten just a little taste of the Irish corned beef, cabbage and potatoes tradition right in your own back yard. Just a hop across the pond to the Emerald Isle and you never have to leave home.

Now where's the Guinness,

Cookouts and Pot Luck

2009-04-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

Between the onset of Spring and Global Warming the temperatures have been perfect for grilling. Gather up the friends and have a quick munch down get together. No need for weeks of planning or fancy do-dads, just a few phone calls, texts and emails can turn into a Friday Night Delight.

A theme such as Southern BBQ, Texican or Mediterranean can be set or it can be a pleasant free for all. If one or two people take care of the meats the others can fill in with condiments and compliments. No need for assignments as the food always seems to work out just like the old "Stone Soup" tale.

If time is at a premium meats can be marinated overnight and sliced or pounded out thinly for quicker grilling and increased tenderness. Chicken can be par-boiled and finished on the grill. Many salads or sauces can be made the night before. For those who want to stay out of the kitchen there is always a need for beverages. When there is not room to gather at someones home try gathering at a local park.

Get out and enjoy life with a few great friends, some fabulous food and save a Guinness for me.

Quick Grilling Recipes to follow over the next few weeks so keep an eye out for the yummy stuff.

The series of ideas and many of the recipes to follow this post have been inspired by my dear friend Charlotte. She has been the gracious hostess of many a fine chow down. Her generosity has gathered a colorful cast of characters over the years who have inspired both my writing and my palate. Thanks Lady.

Those Fabulous Eggs

2009-04-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

I love eggs and all the fabulously easy things that you can do with them. I however was shocked to find out that many folks don't cook with them because they are afraid. Fear no more.

When buying eggs, open the carton and move each one just a bit. If the egg is stuck there may be a cracked egg. In that case move to the next carton. If you buy eggs that were laid today, store them for two days before use and they will not taste so gamey. Gamey is that old unwashed gym sock taste. Phew.

Boiling eggs is easy, it is the peeling of the egg that gives some folks pause. For easier peeling put plenty of salt in the water. This does not flavor the eggs but does help to separate the shell from the egg. When you have finished boiling the eggs let them cool for a few minutes, then roll them on a hard surface to loosen up the shell. Yep roll those suckers until they have little cracks all over. Peel under running cool water and the shell should come right off.

Boiled Eggs

Take your eggs out of the refrigerator and let rest on the counter. The easiest method for boiling is to put enough water to cover your eggs and then a big scooch more into a pot. Don't forget a generous shaking of salt. Come on just a little more salt, don't be scared. Bring the water to a rolling boil and lower the eggs into the pot using a spoon. Reduce heat to a gentle boil. For hard boiled a good seven minutes will ensure that the eggs are done all the way through. Three minutes and the whites will be done but the yolk still runny.

Hard boiled eggs out of the peel will last if kept in the fridge for 5 days. If you chop the eggs best to use right away as the yellows will dry out. Soft boiled eggs should be eaten immediately.

Valentines Dinner

2009-01-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

There is a saying that the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It works the same for women. I would advise all the women I know to get involved with someone that cooks. With Valentines on the way, cooking dinner for your Valentine is the perfect gift. Have a heart warming movie for after the meal and you have a winning evening.

Try cooking a pot roast for a one pot meal that satisfys even the toughest of critics. You can prepare it the night before and cook all day in a crock pot so it is ready when she arrives. Cover the table with a table cloth, light a couple of candles and pop a bottle of Pinot Noir for the perfect meal.

Pick up a couple of fresh brownies from the Deli or Bakery. Top them off with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. This is as simple as it gets for desert and no one ever turns it down. If you are feeling really fancy finish it off with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

Now it's time for a great movie. Don't forget guys that Valentines is girlie movie night. I know stop with the groaning. She may like James Bond but it is Sean Connery that she thinks is romantic not the movie. Try an oldie but goodie like The Sound of Music or young love with Love and Basketball. If romance is in your heart pick up Like Water for Chocolate.

No Fail Pot Roast

Chuck Roast 3-4 pounds

4 cloves of garlic pealed

1/2 cup pearl onions or 1 small sweet yellow onined diced

1 cup of red potatoe washed, eyes taken off and cut in bite size pieces. Peel if you must.

1 cup of baby carrots

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 cups of burgandy wine, or enough to nearly cover the roast

Warm up the olive oil in a skillet and rub salt and pepper into the roast.

Brown the Roast on both sides.

Put the Roast in the crockpot and scrapings from the pan too.

Add the wine and refridgerate over night.

8 to 12 hours before you expect to eat dinner, remove crockpot from refridgerator.

Add all the vegetables and cook on low for 8-12 hours.

Don't forget to put the top on.

To plate remove roast and place in the center of your serving platter. Careful as it will be fall apart tender. Surround it with the vegetables and you are ready to eat. Add a green salad and you are chef-a-licious.

Note if your crockpot does not have a removable sleeve don't put the whole unit in the fridge. Put the roast in a pot and cover to refridgerate.

Chow down on Chili

2008-12-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

With all the ball game gatherings and snowy days ahead a quick and easy no fail chili recipe is an essential part of life. You can use it to top hot dogs. Make it the crowning touch on a nacho buffet or just eat it by the bowl full with great bread, saltines or tortilla chips. If you have friends from Cincinnati you may want to cook up some spaghetti noodles to douse with chili.

Four pounds of chopped sirloin
1 12 ounce can of tomato paste
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
4 medium onions diced
1 poblano or several mild green chilis diced
8 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tbls of oregano
1 tbls of basil
1 tbls of cumin
3 tbls of chili powder
1 tsp of salt
1 tbls of hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tbls of cooking oil

Add ground cayenne by the tablespoon for spiciness.
1 tbls for mild
2 tbls for hot
4 tbls for sizzling

Brown onions, garlic and sirloin in a tbls of cooking oil
Place everything in a stock or crockpot and cover
Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours
Add water as neccesary

Now you are ready to go
chopped onions, peppers, sour cream and cheese make for great toppings

Serve at halftime and they will be snoozing in the fourth quarter.

2008-12-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Holidays mean party time. From caroling through the neighborhood to watching your favorite bowl games a little winter party warms the heart. It seems from Thanksgiving to the first of February we are either answering the door or knocking on someone's. It's good to have something easy to fix and unique too for either situation.

One of my favorites is Baba Ganoush. This is a healthy, easy to make and travels well party snack that everyone loves. Thanks to the folks at Budweiser and their mention of Baba Ganoush, even your least daring friends will give it a try.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
1 whole bulb of fresh garlic
1 lemon juiced
2 tablespoons of tahini (you can substitute plain yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley (you can mix fresh basil and cilantro in too)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Peel the garlic so that you are left with whole cloves less the skins
Wash the eggplant and make quater inch slits all over the surface
Place garilc cloves in the slits of the eggplant
Bake on a sheet pan for 30 minutes or until soft

Allow the eggplant to cool for about 10 minutes
Cut in half and scoop out the flesh
Combine eggplant, garlic and remaining ingredients and blend or mix until it becomes a smooth paste

Chill for one hour before serving with pita chips or tasty crackers

Baba Ganoush and Bud Lite for a tasty party treat that won't fill you up and hits that spot. Save a Guinness for me.

Boiled Peanuts Delight the Soul.

2008-11-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

Boiled peanuts are a delight to behold all over the world. Their roots are in Peru but they tickle the taste buds from China to South Carolina. This is a treat with a select audience and not for just anyone. Those who are in love with them can't wait for fall and the coveted green peanut to emerge.

Green peanuts are the best for boiling. Green peanuts can be found in farmers markets from late September to November in the Southern US. Asian markets have them available for much of the year. Green peanuts will cook to a perfect melt in your mouth consistency in just an hour or two at the most.

Raw in the shell peanuts are the next best candidate and can be found all year long. These peanuts may take four to five hours to cook on top of the stove and as much as eighteen hours in a crock pot. Raw shelled peanuts may be used as well and taste just fine though the romanticism of shelling them is lost.

Wash those nuts. This is most important with the fresh green peanuts as peanuts are an underground crop. Just fill that kitchen sink up with water and soak and scrub, soak and scrub until you could pop one in your mouth without hesitation.

I recommend one quarter cup of salt to one pound of peanuts. The peanuts will get saltier if you let them soak in the briny water after cooking. Use 3 teaspoons of dried red pepper powder per pound and up to 1/4 cup per pound for spicy boiled peanuts. For Chinese style use 2 whole star anise per pound plus salt with or without pepper.

Cook your peanuts in the biggest pot you've got. Crockpot cooking is good too. The Peanuts will float for a while so put them in first and then add the water. As the peanuts absorb the water they will began to sink and more water may need to be added. Try to keep the peanuts covered with water.

Check for desired doneness, we like firm but squashy at our house. Don't want to cook them yourself, Then buy online from my favorite southern boys the Lee Brothers

Thanksgiving in America

2008-11-25T05:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Turkey Day to All

Counting down the hours until the annual Okies in Atlanta Thanksgiving Feast begins. Here the usual suspects, turkey, cranberries and broccoli casserole will gather for their unwitting demise. A surprise witness or two will surely surround the table. Out come the knives along with our insatiable appetites and the frenzy is on.

American Thanksgiving has no real rules. Turkey is traditional and holds a place of honor for most but from there it can go hog wild. Folks from Miami, North Carolina and Bayou Teche will use this weekend for a whole hog roast. Some meals will start with Samosas or eggrolls, others with salsa and chips, ours is likely to have both.

Cranberries may be found in the relish, jelly,salads or even rice. Breads can be flat fry bread, fluffy challah or some variety made from corn. Side dishes of Mfungo, crawfish empanadas, Thai yums and sweet potato bakes cruise side by side. Is there a better place to live and eat in November? No way.

We can't stop now. It is time for the final dive into that lemon merangue or sweet potato pie. Pecan pie bars on fresh churned vanilla bean may be the one. By now it is just a cookie or two for a pre-nap snack. Then a little sneak back to pack up a midnight snack.

Be Thankful for Thanksgiving in America.