Amuse Bouche

Bits and Bobs

Just a few bits and bobs before I return with some more food.

I bought this ginger 2 months ago at Russo's.  It had some nodules sticking out of it and it was damp and fresh so I took a chance to see if I could grow it.  Julia had written about trying to grow it in her garden before with some success.  Well, things got away from me and it just sat on the counter.  After a few weeks the nodules started to sprout the leaves and now the one nodule is starting to grow.  She said she didn't really have luck growing it in a pot, but I'm going to give it a shot.  Not sure if I should grow it in an orchid mix (very light and airy full of wood and leaf matter) or in a potting soil (more dense), but I'll do a bit of googling and see I can find some info on the enviornment where they normally harvest it.

Last weekend we went to Maine to see Mom and SD and to bob in the water with a couple of noodles.  It was heaven.

 We practiced CPR (Catch, Photo, Release)

 

Exhasted Samoyed puppies slept in strange positions after long boat rides.  It's tiring to be bow puppy.

 I wasn't leaving without picking up some local eggs so I decided to drive over to Mt Vernon to show husband the amazing general store, if they don't have it, you don't need it. 

On the way we went through Belgrade and Rome and on the road to Mt Vernon there is a farm at the top of the hill that has a little shack with a cooler and a sign that reads EGGS and an old Folger's coffee tin as the honesty box.  Mom and I call it Joe Cocker farm. 

There is a barn with the doors open and 1970's radio is always playing. Joe Cocker's With a Little Help from my Friends was playing the first time we went. We have never spoken to anyone and there is no sign naming the farm so that is how we refer to it. Outside the barn are all sorts of cages with birds and rabbits, goats and pigs.   

Here are some pics of some of the residents.

He kept rattling the cage hoping we had brought some snacks.  Next time I'll bring some carrots with me.

Is he a pheasant?  I'm not sure who he is but he is handsome.

Just hanging out listening to 1970's rock.

There are 3 or 4 white peacock and 1 gorgeous multi color one.  There were some mighty ugly birds wandering around outside the cages I was wondering if they were the pea hens.

And last, if it works, a little snippet of my favorite sounds on the lake.  We have a platoon of loons this year.  Up to 9 or 10 of them swanning around, fishing in the morning, calling out from cove to cove in the evening and at night.  I was grilling and I recorded this snippet, the noise in the background is Mom in the kitchen and my SD watching the Red Sox.

 

Download Loon call

 

Porchetta or Pork Butt(shoulder) on the Spit

Porchetta (pork butt on the spit)

This is a 10 minute of prep time recipe that will knock your socks off.  Big flavor, incredibly moist (even as leftovers!) and it will make your neighborhood smell like an Italian street festival minus the ubiquitous peppers and onions if you live in New England.

In a food processor toss in 12 or so peeled cloves of garlic, 2 TBS of fennel seeds that you toasted lightly in a pan until they were fragrant, 1 T kosher salt, 1T ground black pepper, 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary.

Puree this all up in the food processor and then add enough olive oil to make it a paste.  Rub this all over your 5 - 6 pound pork butt (shoulder) preferably butterflied open like a book so you can spread the flavor everywhere.  Once it is nicely rubbed roll it up and tie it in a nice bundle and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

I have a Weber kettle grill so we started 1 chimney full of hardwood charcoal and when it was ready we laid it on either side of the grill leaving the center open.  We tossed on a few longer burning charcoal briquettes to keep the fire going.  I speared the pork onto the spit and started it spinning.  When the chimney cooled enough to handle we lit another chimney full and added more coals on each side.  We put an aluminum disposable roasting pan down under the roast to catch the drips and prevent flare ups.  The lid went on and it did it's nice slow spin, spin, spin for about 2 hours. 135F - 140F is your magical temperature for delicious porkie doneness. I happened to have my iphone by nearby and not my usual camera so these pictures are not the most brilliant in color, but you get the idea right?

We took it in and let it rest for 15 minutes and sliced.  See the delicious juice!  not only was this good for dinner, but unlike most pork it was great and still moist as leftovers.  I made staff lunches with sliced porchetta, apple/jalapeno jelly, mayo and romaine.  I just had mine on a salad. 

Don't be afraid of throwing a big roast on the grill!  For those who are spitless and need to cook this in the oven the recipe is based on this if you need oven directions.

Weekend Farmstand Haul

A sunny Saturday and the top down. I went out rte 119 to Groton, back to Pepperell and Littleton and then a stop in Concord.  Here is a paleo girl's haul of goodies and delights.

John Crown Farm for another free range chicken, a rib eye, some grass fed ground beef, and a lovely bunch of red onions.

Springdell Farm for some of their goat for curry, beef tenderloin for his majesty, he who only likes the tenderest part of the cow, and a few packs of pork chops.  I also grabbed one of their punnets of cherries.  There is a little sign that says they come from a local gentleman's tree.  I bought one last year and I don't think it made it home intact.  I spent the ride popping cherry pits along 119 like a crumb trail.  This time it made it home and The Stig, as you can see, enjoyed them as well.

Spring Brook Farm for milk for husband, cream, fresh garden peas, a few ears of corn on the cob (yea, not paleo I know, but Native Americans were HUNTERS AND GATHERERS. 1 ear people, I had 1 ear), Cabot cheddar from the wheel for his majesty the cheddar lover, a yellow tomato, eggs and a few zucchini.

Again Stig would like to show you how good the peas were.

Last stop was Concord Fish & Prime for some steaks for the grill and more goat which was absolutely divine.  Really people you need to climb aboard the goat train it's delicious and unlike goat cheese can do goat meat does not taste like a goat smells.  

Later I'll tell you about the porchetta we did on the spit on Sunday.  The Stig was waiting for me to finish.

 

 

 

Korean Radish Salad or Banchan with a twist

 

First seed you attempted to grow? RADISH!

Large contents of your CSA box until at least August? RADISH!

You've had them with butter in a sandwich, you've added them to every salad, you've kept a bowl of them in your fridge in cold water ready to dip in salt and snack? RADISHES!

Now what? You ask.

Looking for something snappy to have with that fatty delicious barbecue?  I've got just the simple ticket.

Of course normally you would make this with a Korean white radish or maybe if you were feeling cross cultural and adventurous a daikon.

This weekend presented a plethora of Korean barbecue at my house from Kalbi to lip smackingly delicious short ribs.  I served this beside my favorite hands down favorite banchan , David Chang's scallion sauce.  Dear lord it is good. (Recipe found in the kalbi link above).

Pardon my iphone snap, but there was dinner to eat!  Just trust me and make this.  Absolutely lovely.

Koread radish salad (American style)

6 - 8 radish, washed and cut into sticks like carrot sticks

1 tsp salt preferably kosher or sea

1T sherry or cider vinegar (i like the sharpness sherry vinegar brings)

2 cloves of garlic minced fine (or if you are me 3 and maybe, just maybe,4 cloves)

1 - 2 T Korean pepper (Gochugaru) very inexpensive but has a distinct taste and heat level.  Order online if your local Asian bodega doesn't stock it - pop it in most anything.

1/2 t raw honey (if you are paleo) or sugar

1 scallion, cut thinly white and green

1 - 2 t toasted sesame seed

Sprinkle salt over sliced radish and let it rest for 10 minutes or so.  Drain off the water that exudes out of the radish.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Stir.  Taste for salt and heat and vinegar snap and adjust accordingly.  Chill.  Serve as one of many sides with barbecue.  Cuts right through the fatty deliciousness of pork.