Marinades/Sauces -

by gansie

It’s Raining Meat, Hallelujah!

Editors Note: I love matzah ball soup, I love begals and cream cheese and lox, and I love latkes. One thing I don’t love: brisket. Now I know my Oma made a killer beef dish at all of our Holiday feasts, but I stuck with the chicken and mashers. Who knew that it might take a Brit to convince me to retry this particular cut of cow. Here is Britannia’s take on Brisket with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce (though not a Kosher combo.)

My house mate, 30MinuteAbs, was having a birthday and he wanted a party (nothing new there). I’ve never really cooked for more than twelve to fifteen people before, but on this occasion I was set a challenge–a party for fifty people.

Usually my vegetarian friend from Brooklyn would take on the duties, but this time the guest of honor wanted meat and he wouldn’t cook with meat…So, I was set to task. I considered the variables: oven space, cost, time, quality of product. The best option that I could come up with was brisket: it’s easy, it’s reliable and it’s not steak.

4 x 5lbs of brisket is what was cooked, yes my math got that to 20lbs too! I was unsure on how this was going to turn out. Using the logic that cheese makes everything better (and so the meat wouldn’t dry out,) I made a Gorgonzola cream gravy to go with it. I had gone to a friend’s party two nights before the event and there was a filet topped with blue cheese, this was my inspiration for the gravy. I have to say this was one of my finer culinary moments, catering company anyone?!?!

The recipe is for forty servings; maybe divide everything by 4 or 8 depending on people, for normal usage. Recipe post jump.

by gansie

I Resolve to Stop Resolving

I’m sure you noticed, but ES did not take part in any New Year’s resolution crap. Know what 80 and I did New Year’s Day – we sat at a bar and drank, went to dinner and drank, went to another bar and drank, and then went home and drank. There were no salads involved and the only exercise we got was stumbling from place to place.

Sure, I used to make a resolution. Same one every year, in fact – lose ten pounds. I’m old now, though. I’m done resolving. But, as I still live in America, with ab-fucking-surd standards for women, I’m forced to eat right ~~sometimes~~ and work out ~~once in a while~~.

Pictured above is my first healthy meal of 2008. Recipe is post jump.

in Fowl / Recipe 16 comments

by gansie

The Sword and the Fish

BS and I totally act like we’re the messiah when it comes to cooking. Well, there’s one person that can top us every time.

So I don’t think we’ve really talked about it in this forum, but in the old neighborhood, back when BS was a District resident, we held Iron Chef-like contests. The rules changed a bit each time, but the basic scenario was 80P and my old house-mate Julie would pick three ingredients. They would then text them to the contestants at about 5:30 (post-work) and we’d have to use each ingredient at least once over two courses – no recipe/internet searches allowed. We’d then serve our creations, later that night, to the gathered neighbors, explaining dishes and methods. At the end of the delicious meal, the diners would vote.

BS and I both had our unfair share of wins, but Vio would always kick our ass in some sort of fashion. She’s a master: she bakes, fries, grills and experiments with crazy taste combinations. I hate her, of course, because everything she cooks is absolutely awesome and gorgeous. Her downside – we’ve yet to convince her to join the blog.

Last night during our weekly Project Runway dinner and watch parties, she grilled (yes, taking advantage of the warm January weather) an amazingly tasty swordfish. And since she won’t blog, I’ve stolen her makeshift recipe:

Coconut-Curry Swordfish

Marinate the swordfish in: lite coconut milk, red curry paste, minced garlic and ginger and just a pinch of salt. (The garlic and fresh ginger were pulverized in her new toy – the mini Cuisinart.)

Let it soak up the mixture for about 30 minutes on each side and then throw it on the grill, making sure you char on cross-hatches.

in Fish 2 comments

by gansie

Eastern Market

It’s cold out. That means a few things here in the nation’s capital: false predictions of snow, networking functions disguised as holiday parties, and the seasonal closing of farmers’ markets. While the first two remain hallmarks of D.C., there is hope for the District foodologist (the term “foodie” is sooo over)—historic Eastern Market (7th and C Sts., open Tues.-Sun.).

When a better part of the South Hall—the area designated for food vendors—burned earlier this year, shoppers were saddened by the loss of both the community dwelling and the delicious crab cakes from the Market Lunch. Luckily, with the help of many devoted advocates, including federal and local elected officials (they can create change!), Eastern Market’s food vendors continue to sell their goods in the newly created East Hall.

The interior of the market conveys a different feel now: The bright white walls, floor, and ceiling of the new structure is in stark contrast to the original dingy-yet-homey atmosphere. Fortunately, much of the food remains the same, with fresh produce and unusual cuts of meat. So while D.C. collectively holds its breath until spring for the rest of the region’s markets to reopen, check out what the Market’s top vendors have to offer in their new digs:

in Bacon / Cheese / Desserts / Fowl / Pig / Red Meat / Veggie 9 comments

by BS

Too Hungover to Think of a Pun About Chicken

On my last trip to Chinatown, I picked up a bottle of Sriracha, the tasty red garlic-chili sauce with the rooster on the bottle that is often placed on the table in Chinese and Thai restaurants. It is not to be confused with Sirichi, which is also pretty amazing.

I started out simple, adding the Sriracha to a stir-fry and spicing up some spring rolls with it (more on that another day). Of course, I quickly wanted to do something a little crazier, so I came up with the idea to add Sriracha to a basic breaded chicken recipe that I’ve made before. Pretty easy – just dip chicken breast pieces in milk and then breadcrumbs – saute to brown it and then bake.

This time, I dipped them in Sriracha as well to add a little bonus kick. It worked well, giving the breaded chicken a unique, spicy spin.

Recipe and some more glamor shots after the jump.

in Fowl 0 comments

by 80 Proof

A Better Butter Sauce

You know how nutritionists say that home cooking is healthier since it allows you to control your portions?

Well, what if you have no self-control, what happens then? I’ll tell you what, you end up making pasta sauces made with butter, parmesan cheese, and more butter. Portion control my ass.

Chef Gansie this past weekend made the long trek across DC to Eastern Market do some ‘research’ (check out her article in the Onion next week!). Over there at the Market, there is a wonderful Italian food and Pasta station with all the varieties you could think of. When I lived over on the Hill I would drool over the 12 kinds of tortellini, admire the colorful ravioli, and then go home and order Al’s Pizza.

But this time, my wish came true as Gansie returned with some Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Ravioli. These fresh-made pasta squares also contained ricotta, romano, sage, nutmeg, and tumeric. Needless to say, these aren’t your mama’s ravioli. But at a cost of 6.75 for six pieces, your mom might have to help pay for them.

in Uncategorized 6 comments

by gansie

We’ll Pretend It’s 8 AM

Editors Note: One of our fav ES fans, Britannia, offered to cook us an authentic English Breakfast, with even the bacon shipped from England. Here is his account of the night. And, thanks again, Brit, lovely “dinner.”

It was my first outing cooking for the great Gansie, 80 Proof and BS, the pressure, the stress, what to do! I’m not a fancy cook, well, I can be, but if I tried and then messed up I’d never live it down. There was only one thing I could do, something I grew up with all my life, and I had the supplies. An English Breakfast.

The Meal: Eggs; scrambled and fried, bacon, sausage, baked beans, tomato, mushrooms, toast, brown sauce, and apparently vodka (special drink to be detailed in later post.)

Bacon, it’s from a pig. American bacon is cut from the under belly of the pig, this creates a more streaky meat, more fat. English bacon is cut from the back of the pig, this provides more meat, almost like a ham quality. English bacon (and I’m ready to duck, here) is far superior than American bacon — it just is. No further discussion. The only problem is I can’t get it here, this is a problem unless of course you have a kind mother who is willing to FedEx it overnight to you, or you have a friend visiting to bring with.

I cooked the bacon on a broil pan, cooking this way helps maintain its flavour, less greasy than a frying pan but not as healthy as grilling.

Read on for the rest of the breakfast-as-dinner meal.

in Bacon / Breakfast / Eggs / Pig / Recipe / Veggie 7 comments

« Previous