As good as it is, wild rice is too intense and too chewy to eat straight (it’s also too expensive).  So it needs some help while holding its own as the predominant taste.  Here is a wild rice pilaf that I have favored  for years, though I can’t say it came from Mom.  It has a recipe within it, which I try to avoid, but it’s a great dish and worth the effort.

Yield:  About 8 servings
See abbreviations, if needed

•  5          scallions or spring onions, diced
•  1          carrot, finely and precisely diced (brunoise)
•  ½         stalk celery, sliced large (it will be discarded)
•  1.5C    wild rice
•  4C       chicken broth
•  2C       water�
•  ½T       RWV
•  2T        light EVOO
•  ¼C      chopped fresh parsley
•  ¼C     chopped fresh mint leaves
•  2          oranges zest
•  ½C      chopped walnuts or pecans
• S/P
•  ½C     basmati rice (or other long grain rice) prepared as basmati rice pilaf

1.  Place wild rice in a large fine strainer and wash under cold running water until water is clear
2.  BTB broth and water, RWV, wild rice, scallions, carrot, celery and pepper.  Simmer covered until rice is plump, intact and tender, about 40-50 minutes, Taste as you go the last ten minutes
3.  Prepare Basmati rice pilaf and set aside
4.  Drain wild rice and remove celery parts
5.  Combine the rices in a bowl w/ EVOO and add the remaining      ingredients, then taste.   Add salt, toss and adjust seasoning
6.  Serve warm or ambient

I decided that I would liven things up by smoking a pork shoulder for the event. Further down on this page are the results of our first effort with the Weber Bullet:  a pork shoulder that looked great but was really fat. I paid $1.95 a pound at the supermarket for a 6 pound shoulder that yielded less than 2 pounds of barely edible meat.  It was awful.

This time I bought a well husbanded boneless pork shoulder from our local Organic Butcher.  This shoulder, from a farm in Pennsylvania, came in at 8.5 pounds and went for $6.00 a pound!  TLW always says that Mr. Arbuckle was right:  “you get what you pay for.” My experience is otherwise with most food products described as organic.  The only exception, to date, is meat. 

I brought the hunk home and vacuum-marinated it overnight in Scott’s Barbecue Sauce, as before. I then got up early the next morning and started the smoke at 0730.  13.5 hours later, the shoulder’s temp hit 200F as I took it off to cool.  It shredded effortlessly and has great color and a nice smoke ring.  Above all, the meat is as lean, moist and tasty as this cut can get.  Yield?  4.2 pounds. I threw away at most a half pound as too fat-ladened.

Bargain pull pork sandwiches coming up this Saturday.  Meat and charcoal: $65.  . . .yet sandwiches are going for $2.50 each.  Maybe Mr. Arbuckle will show up.

Notes:
The Organic Butcher has an informative Web site at:  theorganicbutcher.com.

The Weber Bullet, at least at our location, needs to be more mobile. So a trip to the hardware store and we have . . .

I read through this book and found it more substantive than at first appearance. Yes, it covers basic grilling for meats, fish and veggies.  But along the way, Purviance presents the reader with culinary how-to tutorials that border on the comprehensive.  This ain’t Jacques Pepin’s La Technique, but thorough enough that the editors made a index of techniques–there must be 400 of them, most with very useful photos!  Not just how to truss a boneless roast, but how to puree garlic and how to spatchcock a chicken.  Recipes too go beyond the basics–his bacon wrapped turkey breasts almost makes me want to buy the tasteless things and give them another go.  Sauces = 48; rubs = 20 and marinades = 27. Wow.

If your grill book is a third your age, toss it and start anew with this one, where you will learn a thing or two and have recipes that are politically correct with lower salt and fat content. This book is a must gift to your son in law who char  burns most everything and for the grandchild who aspires to conquer the great American cook-out.

Finally found the time to try out the The Weber smoker. I got a pork blade shoulder from Safeway, marinated it with some hot Carolina  vinegar in a vacuum bag for a day and started up the bullet for a ten hour smoke.  Lighting the charcoal and placing in some hickory wood and adjusting the resultant heat to 225F and keeping it was there was straightforward. We brushed the roast with barbecue sauce at the start and again mid-way through.

So here we have:

A 7 pound  pork butt yielded only 2.25 pounds of shredded pork ready for tacos or pulled pork sandwiches.  But I have a problem with this meat.  It’s fat.  I didn’t pull the roast apart until the following morning when the meat was cold, so the fat was more clearly apparent than if the roast was pulled hot and served a la minute.

I am beginning to gain insight as to why every smoker chef to publish a cookbook and put his picture on it appears, shall we say, well rounded.  First, one needs fortification during the arduous ten hour smoking process–perhaps a beer an hour.  Second, the product has a high fat content.

Honestly, We’re not sure we’re going to eat this stuff . . .

Scones
See Abbreviations, if needed
Yield:  about 16 small pie-shaped scones or 8 big ones
2 1/2 C  AP flour
2 3/4 t    baking powder
1/4 t       cream of tartar
1/2 t       salt
1/3 C     10X sugar
6 T         unsalted butter, cold and small cubed
2            large eggs
6 T         heavy cream
1 t          vanilla extract
1 C        finely diced dried apricots
3/4 C     semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 C     sweetened coconut flakes

1.  Preheat oven to 400F
2.  In a large SSB, whisk together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and 10X
3.  Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour with a rounded dough blade or fork to
reduce the cubes into large pea-sized bits
4.  In a smaller SSB, whisk eggs, cream and vanilla together
5.  Empty the wet SSB into the dry SSB, add the diced apricots, chocolate chips and coconut
6.  Fold and knead to form a dough (if too dry add a little more cream)
7.  Turn out on floured surface and knead briefly
8.  Roll out dough into a 9-10 inch disk and cut eight wedges with a chef’s knife
9.  Transfer scones to a sheet pan, lined with a silicone pad or parchment paper
10.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes
11.  Remove from the fridge and (optional) remove each wedge to a cutting board and
cut each wedge in two to make 16 scones
12.  Return scones to sheet pan and bake at 400F for about 16 minutes (or about 12 minutes
convection). Scones are done when they start to brown and/or interior temp is +185F
Optional:  Prior to baking, top each scone with a few chocolate chips or sprinkles
Note:  Next time I make these, I will add the zest from one lemon.  I think it would help.

Yield:  Four salad-size servings
For the Salsa:
Yield:  about 3 cups
See Abbreviations, if needed
·     7        ears of corn, grilled and cut, or 1 lb frozen corn kernels, sautéed
·     6        fresh limes, juiced
·     ¼ C   chopped fresh cilantro
·     2-3    serrano chilies, seeded and small diced
·     1 t     chopped chipotles in adobo sauce (see note)
·     4 T    extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·     1 T    red wine vinegar (RWV)
·     1       large red onion, small diced
·     1       large red bell pepper, small diced
·     4       fresh small tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and small diced
·     S/P    to taste

1.  Husk the corn, grill to well browned, cool and cut off the kernels, or defrost a 1 lb. package of corn kernels and sauté them without oil in a non-stick pan until they begin to color
2.  Small dice the cilantro, onion, bell pepper and tomatoes using your best knife techniques
3.  In a medium stainless steel bowl, combine the diced items from Step 2 with the freshly squeezed lime juice, EVOO, RWV and chipotles in adobo sauce
4.  Add the corn and mix thoroughly
5.  Place in fridge for one hour to macerate
6.  When ready, remove from fridge, let stand awhile and check seasoning (salt)
7.  Serve with a slotted spoon to drain off the lime juice
Note: “Chipotles in adobo sauce” comes in small cans. La Morena brand is good, readily available but very hot.  I prefer a medium hot, very smoky-flavored brand by Chile Today – Hot Tamale (available at www.chiletoday.com).
For the Smoked Salmon:
Yield:  4 salad servings
·    1       1-1¼ lb piece of fresh, skinless salmon filet
·    1 T    kosher salt
·    1 T    sugar
·    1 T    paprika (not the hot variety)
·    1 T    ancho chili powder, if available, or regular chili powder
·    ½ t    chipotle chili powder, if available, or delete

1.  Make a dry rub in a small stainless steel bowl by combining the salt, sugar, paprika and chili powders
2.  Place the salmon filet in a medium flat glass dish and rub both sides evenly with the dry rub
3.  Place the salmon, covered, in the fridge for about 2 hours
4.  Using the Camerons Stovetop Smoker:
·    Place 2T of Alden wood chips in the bottom of the smoker
·    Spray the bottom pan and grill with Pam
·    Place the dry-rubbed salmon filet on the grill
·    Slide the cover on to ¼ inch of being closed
·    Light the burner and set to medium-low
·    When smoke begins to emerge from the smoker
o    close the cover tightly and
o    set the timer
·    Cook 10 minutes per pound, then turn off the burner and let the smoker cool, closed, for 5 minutes
5.  Carefully remove the fish from the smoker, cover and fridge until cold
Note:  The ancho and chipotle chili powders are inexpensive and available at www.chiletoday.com.  The ancho powder is mild; the chipotle powder is medium hot. Both can be used like other powdered seasonings.
To Assemble The Salad:
1.  Remove the smoked salmon filet from the fridge.  With a sharp knife, cut thin biased   slices across the grain (perpendicular to head-tail), just thick enough so that the slice of salmon holds and does not break apart. (Practice with the first two slices)
2.  Using a slotted spoon, place about 1 cup of corn salsa in the center of each salad plate and shape each into a mound
3.  Nicely arrange, vertically and overlapping, four or five slices of smoked salmon around the mound of salsa.  Press the grouping together with both hands to mold the salmon round and to raise the salsa in the middle
4.  Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and/or a few drops of vinaigrette, if desired
Note: Any remaining smoked salmon will keep well in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days.

Making the stuff from scratch was enough of a hassle that we didn’t have it at home all that often.  I then discovered a curry sauce mix that is very good and quick.  It is called S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix.  It’s available in many supermarkets. (Safeway has it.)  It comes in three strengths—try medium-hot first.  Just add 2.5 cups of water, bring it to boil, and its ready.  (Note: the mix contains MSG and meat by-products.)  Good as it is, it can be improved.

Yield: 3-4 servings

1.  Start with a 10-inch sauté pan and brown in oil a sliced large onion, a diced green bell pepper, and a couple of carrots diced and blanched in boiling water for a few minutes before joining the onion and green pepper.  This takes time to ensure that everything is cooked through.
2.  Most often, at my home, the meat product (about 1.25 lbs) for this everyday dish is leftover lamb that is cubed or chicken that is pulled apart and tossed in with the veggies when they are done.  Shrimp can also be used.  If raw meat is used, cut it to bite sized cubes, stir fry it in a skillet to just barely done, drain and add it to the sauté pan with the veggies.  If using raw shrimp, add them directly to the veggies, since they cook so quickly.  If using pre-cooked shrimp, don’t add them until Step 5.
3.  In a large measuring cup, break up the sauce mix bar and add 2.5 cups of water.  Use only 2 cups of water if you prefer a drier curry.
4.  Dissolve the sauce mix in the water—heat in the microwave and stir.
5.  Add the sauce mix to the veggies and meat or shrimp, bring to boil, simmer for about 5 minutes or until the meat is tender or the shrimp are done.  Serve over rice, preferably basmati rice (prepare about ½ cup of rice per serving).
6.  Option:  You can increase the heat of this dish at the end of Step 1 by adding 2 teaspoons of curry powder or Patak’s Kashmiri Masala Paste.  Lamb takes the additional heat best.  Shrimp not at all.
7.  Desired Option:  Add to the warmth and bouquet of this dish wonderfully with garam masala—a northern India blend of dry-roasted spices available in many supermarkets.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of garam masala over the surface of the dish at the simmer stage in Step 5.  The addition of garam masala will remove all doubt in the household that it’s curry night.

Traditionally, this dish is accompanied by an array of garnishes selected to add contrasting textures, flavors and to reduce the heat. Each garnish is served in its own bowl.  Favorites include chutney, fresh lime wedges, toasted coconut, raisins and finely chopped unsalted peanuts, hard-boiled egg, and bacon.

If you want to step back into India a hundred years, prepare lamb curry for a dinner party.  Then gather up the grandchildren—one for each the seven garnishes—to parade and serve your seated guests.  You can then, as they did in the Raj, describe this entrée as a “Seven Boy Curry.”

Beer goes great with curry, especially when the curry is spicy hot.

Many dishes call for the addition of precooked chicken or, as a result of their preparation, end up with well-cooked whole chicken legs, thighs and breasts.  Stew-like dishes, such as coq au vin, chicken curry and chicken pot pies are not only easier to eat when the cooked chicken pieces are de-boned and broken into bite-sized pieces, but the presentation appears more finished, refined and attractive.  When the dish is nearly completed, take the time to remove the chicken pieces and, when cool enough to handle, shred the meat by hand—pulling the dark meat off the bone and breaking apart the white breast meat.  Trash the bones, return the meat to the pot and finish the dish.  Chicken salad spread for sandwiches and wraps also is more attractive if the meat has been shredded by hand rather than sliced.

The mushroom is another case in point.  The cultivated white mushroom, most common in the supermarket, is appropriately wiped clean, sliced, sautéed in butter and then added to a dish.  Or they are just cleaned, dried, sliced and tossed into the pot or a salad.  However, the exotic mushrooms—the chanterelle, moral, oyster and even the portobello—should be treated with more respect.  Here’s why: (1) their tastes are unique, (2) their appearances are distinctive, (3) they cost a lot and (4) on the chance that your guests missed (1), they’ll miss (2) and (3) as well if you slice them up like so many white mushrooms.  So, for whatever dish is in preparation, clean and dry exotic mushrooms, prepare them whole or break them up by hand.  And, since their tastes are subtle, add them to the dish in its final preparation. (I caught hell at school for adding whole chanterelles to a braising pot of rabbit.  “Complete waste of money,” shouted the chef.  “Who’ll taste them?” he hollered.  “Next time, add them, sautéed, as a garnish when plating,” he commanded.  “Yes, chef,” I replied.)

Less obvious, is the approved appearance of greens torn by hand.  The tough stems of spinach and aragula should be removed by hand, so too the midrib of leaf lettuces, if tough.  Despite their high cost and “ready to serve” labeling of those pre- packaged salad mixes, spring medleys and mesclun, they too should be picked over.  I’ve prepped boxes of the stuff and, without fail, find tough stems and the occasional ‘strange’ piece of vegetation that should not make it to the table.

So, to recap:  A food editor from the Washington Post once asked Chef Francois Dionot, founder and president of L’Academie de Cuisine, to name the most important tool in the kitchen.  “Hands,” said he,  “hands are the chef’s most important tool.”

For related recipes:
See:  Korean Chicken
See:  Curry in a Hurry

Costco is selling imported Indian vegetarian side dishes that are quite tasty and also work well as cooking sauces.  Pictured is the Madras Lentil selection with tomato, red beans,onions,chilies and lintils in a thick sauce, all in a boil-and-serve pouch.  Try ‘em.

Our tagine has been gathering dust atop the fridge for a couple months, so it was time to use it for a quick dinner.
Here’s the dish:

1.  Take the skin off of six chicken thighs, rub them with salt and pepper, and brown them in a couple tablespoons of peanut or grapeseed oil in the cast iron tagine bottom. (Don’t do this in a clay-bottom tagine.  If you have one of those, sauté the chicken separately.)
2.  Remove the thighs, carefully drain off the browning oil and then return the thighs to the hot tagine bottom.
3.  Halve about eight small red potatoes and place them around the thighs.
4.  Pour a pouch of the Indian veggie sauce over the thighs and potatoes.
5.  Add about a half cup of low salt chicken broth (not too much or the tagine will spurt all over the stove top, while cooking).
6.  Set the burner to simmer, put the top on the tagine bottom and set the timer for 50 minutes.
7.  At the 30 minute mark, lift the top and add some asparagus, as shown.
8.  When done, serve in heated shallow soup plates.