Beard Awards Blathering

The James Beard Awards - often referred to as the "Oscars of the food world" - were given out just a few days ago; the winners in writing and television categories were announced this past Friday evening, with the chef, restaurant, and wine/bar programs being honored on Monday night.

These are bestowed by the enormously prestigious James Beard Foundation, whose "mission is to celebrate, nurture, and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future."  Here is the organization's philosophy:

"Food matters. You are what you eat not only because food is nutrition, but also because food is an integral part of our everyday lives. Food is economics, politics, entertainment, culture, fashion, family, passion ... and nourishment. The James Beard Foundation is at the center of America's culinary community, dedicated to exploring the way food enriches our lives."

Thus, the Beard Awards are a huge, huge event for those who are fortunate enough to be in the inner circles.  They're also a very big deal for obsessive geeks like me who sit in front of their laptops watching a live stream of the ceremony (since the Food Network inexplicably doesn't show it).

So, what did I think?  Do I have some opinions about the winners, non-winners (it sounds so much kinder than "losers"), and everything else?

Why, of course I do!  I'm the same girl who once ridiculed the absurdity of Gatorade flavors and ranted about wedding cake - or, rather, a lack thereof at a friend's niece's wedding.  Of course I have notions to share and pontificating to do!

So pour a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, depending upon the time of day, and let's chat.  Here's the list of winners for you to peruse, in case you haven't seen it yet, so that you can contribute to this cause in the comments.

In no particular order:

- I acknowledge that big cities tend to have the greatest opportunity for, and ability to support, world-class restaurants.  But the finalists and winners were very New York- and Chicago-centric.  Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin ... they all represented a bit.  But overwhelmingly, those other two nabbed the attention.  I adore both cities - I was born and raised in New York!  But there's a wide world of culinary excellence beyond their skyscrapers.

- I didn't even like Ted Allen on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," one of my very favorite shows in its early incarnation (before they started to whore themselves out to sponsors and were heavy-handed in mentioning brand names).  Ted was supposed to coach the poor schlub guests about cooking and dining.  And one time he actually expected some clueless guy - because, of course, they were all clueless guys who needed to move on from their frat-boy status into adulthood with the help of the gay community's fabulousness - to learn how to cook (cruelly) and eat (messily) a lobster, rather than teaching him how to prepare something simple and classic and neat and tidy.  It was so unfair and embarrassing!!!  So now I see him on "Chopped," for which he won two - two!!! - Beard Awards.  He is the antithesis of dynamic, and so ungifted in stating the obvious; Jeremy and I groan when we watch him, because he is utterly superfluous on the show and makes his lack of necessity painfully evident.  And he - Ted Allen?!? - won two awards???

- I'm very sorry that no chefs from Michigan restaurants made the short list of nominees. (Grant Achatz - culinary superstar, multiple Beard Award winner, inductee this year into the Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America" - was raised in Michigan but owns restaurants in Chicago).  Three had been named as semi-finalists: Luciano Del Signore of Bacco Ristorante in Southfield; David Gilbert of Forest Grill in Birmingham; and Matthew Millar of Reserve in Grand Rapids all received acknowledgement of their gifts and talents in the early rounds.  I'm also sorry that the Michigan-raised nephew of a good friend/co-worker - Max Sussman of Roberta's in New York City - didn't make the final list of nominees for "Rising Star Chef of the Year."  His winning would have been so, so cool!

- I was so happy to see the warm and wonderful Laurie Colwin welcomed into the Cookbook Hall of Fame, many years posthumously.  She writes as though she's chatting while the two of you are making dinner ... precisely the tone I strive for.  Nothing glamorous or complicated, just simple lovely recipes.  If you haven't read her work, I highly recommend her collections of food essays - Home Cooking and More Home Cooking - in addition to her fiction.

- Why was everyone wearing black or grey, with the exception of Duff Goldman who wore a mustard-colored t-shirt which was inappropriately informal for the occasion despite being worn under a dark suit?  Yeah, it was New York and it was a semi-formal affair.  But still!  When I go to the awards ceremony some day - when, not if!  Be positive! - I will wear pink.  Maybe red, maybe purple, but most likely pink.  With sparkles, of course ... :)

- I love that there are awards specifically for newcomers - such as the afore-mentioned "Rising Star Chef of the Year" award that my friend's nephew should have won (though it was no surprise whatsoever that Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar, famous for her addictive Crack Pie, won that prize) - as well as for those who are well-established and have produced and served at a consistently exceptional level for a minimum of 5 or 10 years (depending upon the category).  Everyone gets a chance.

- The ceremony didn't run very smoothly, and there was a fair amount of "down time" between presentations.  The show needs some form of transition ... possibly a band, so they also have a means to play off the long-winded folks (though there were thankfully very few of them).

- I'm so impressed that the winner of "Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic," Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama, is also an academic with a doctorate in Medieval Spanish history.  However, she was one of those long-winded winners who needed to be played off the stage.  I, of course, say this as someone who would also undoubtedly get played off the stage.  Judge not, lest ye be judged.

- It's so important that while there are many accolades for sophistication and pretense, there is also celebration of comfort food and old-fashioned favorites, acknowledging culinary and style diversity while appreciating talent and fabulous flavor wherever they may be found.

- And that leads me to my favorite category of the evening: "America’s Classics."  This category honors establishments ranging from steak houses to back woods shacks that are "beloved in their regions for quality food that reflects the character of their community."  This year's honorees are:

Jones Bar-B-Q Diner (Marianna, Arkansas)

Nora's Fish Creek Inn (Wilson, Wyoming)

Shady Glen (Manchester, Connecticut)

St. Elmo Steak House (Indianapolis, Indiana)

The Fry Bread House (Phoenix, Arizona)

Each link features the video that was shown at the awards ceremony, demonstrating how cherished these establishments are in their towns, letting you meet the owners who give so much of themselves each day and who maintain valuable traditions.  I highly recommend that you watch each segment - they're only about 2 minutes long.  But if you only watch one, watch the one for Jones Bar-B-Q Diner ... I intend to make a pilgrimage there some day.  Others go to Mecca, I'm going down to Marianna, Arkansas, for some seriously old-fashioned, "if it ain't broke why fix it?", secret recipe, this is how it's done barbecue.  And I love that an older couple - the barbecue joint's owners - from a podunk town of 4000 right smack in the middle of the state was wined, dined, and celebrated in the big ol' city!  This was my favorite award - and my favorite recipient - of all!

"Chopped" Challenge - Mini Carrot Latkes with Chocolate Rum Caramel Sauce

Rachel at Diary of a Chocoholic is a girl after my own heart!  Here is her dare for my "Chopped" challenge: "Dessert (because it's my favorite!)? Carrots, Chocolate and Rum!"


Well, how can we go wrong with chocolate and rum, and with a hint of nutrition to delude us into thinking we're behaving ourselves?

Today is sadly the last day of the challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating a dish for a specific course of a meal.  It's been so much fun!  But at least we're going out on a sweet note.

I knew immediately that I didn't want to resort to making carrot cake with the suggested ingredients.  It is one of the great foods in the universe, absolutely!  But it's too obvious.  I debated candying carrot sticks, turning them into gorgeous translucent rum-scented dippers with a chocolate fondue-like sauce.  But adapting a candied orange peel recipe for a vegetable with a different consistency seemed to have too many variables to predict success - too soft or too hard or too gumdrop-y?  A noble notion to tinker with some day when I have time to play.

So, being a girl with a Jewish soul and appetite, I then thought of latkes.  They don't always need to be made with potatoes, and they don't always need to be savory; carrots offer an inherent sweetness that could be played up for dessert.  The combination of mini spiced treats with a luscious chocolate sauce started to sing a Siren song to me.

These little pancakes have a fabulously enticing fragrance, and are utterly enhanced by the addictive sauce.  (Pour it over ice cream and it thickens like fudge ... sigh.  I'm almost - but not quite! - ashamed to admit that I made a full batch of the sauce, ate and enjoyed it with a few of the latkes, and then simply took a spoon and ate the rest of it "as is." )

Thanks to Rachel, we can all be chocoholics today while still eating our vegetables!


Mini Carrot Latkes with Chocolate Rum Caramel Sauce


Latkes:
1/2-pound carrots, peeled, finely shredded
4 ounces sugar cookies, crushed fine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil, for frying

Combine carrots, cookie crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt, and eggs in a large bowl.

Heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add batter by the tablespoon and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely golden brown.  Remove from pan, drain on paper towels, and continue with remaining batter.  Makes 16 latkes.

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup half-and-half

Melt butter, brown sugar and rum together in a small saucepan over low heat.  Add chocolate and stir until melted.  Slowly stir in half-and-half.

To serve:
Whipped cream

Drizzle chocolate sauce over 4 dessert plates.  Place 4 latkes onto each plate, and top with whipped cream.

Serves 4.

"Chopped Challenge" - Spiced Potato and Bacon Pasties

My very good blogging buddy Angela - who features lovely simple but sophisticated recipes on Seasonal and Savory - offered the following for my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating dishes:

"Hmmmm...how about harissa, oranges, and bacon"? 

Since no course was mandated, I thought about making an appetizer of roasted chickpeas with crumbled bacon in a coating of orange and harissa ([hah-RIH-suh] = a very spicy, vibrantly colored North African pepper sauce).  I gave serious consideration to making a sweet, spicy and salty dessert.  But then I had a new idea ....

Angela spent some time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("da U.P., eh?" as they say up there with their quaint Finn-Canadian-ish accents).  Thus, she is well acquainted with the requisite Northern dietary mainstay: the pasty [PASS-tee], a hand-held pie that miners could bring with them for lunch.

Now, no self-respecting Yooper would serve a pasty flavored with harissa - it would be a sacrilege.  Chopped beef, potatoes, onions, rutabaga, salt, and pepper - that's it for the filling.  But I'm a troll: someone who lives under the bridge - south of the Mackinac Bridge, that is - in the state's Lower Peninsula.  No one expects me to know how to make a proper pasty anyway, so why not have some fun with it?

Pasties are dry ... very dry.  You'll note that the above listing of essential ingredients doesn't include any kind of liquid to bind them together.  And those starchy vegetables are served in a crust.  This serves a practical purpose, of course, to make them more transportable.  But "dry" is an understatement when talking about pasties, as is "bland."  The harissa was very welcome for livening things up a bit.

Ketchup is the usual accompaniment to pasties, though sometimes gravy is served.  Rather than incorporating the required oranges into the main course itself, as I was doing with the harissa and the bacon, I thought they would lend a brightness to a sauce which, as far as I'm concerned, is a mandatory condiment for this dish.

So for my 500th post (wow!), I offer you a hearty winter meal with a nod to Michigan's history but featuring a unique flair!  Everything turned out perfectly, with great flavor.  I like to call these "Troll Pasties," with love and affection for both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas!

 

Troll Pasties

Filling:
1 large baking potato, cut into 3/4" dice
1 large rutabaga, cut into 3/4" dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon harissa powder (or use 1 tablespoon prepared harissa and eliminate the water)
2 tablespoons water
6 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped


Preheat the oven to 400F.  Stir the potato, rutabaga, oil, and salt together in an 8"x8" baking dish.  Stir together the harissa powder and water; pour over the vegetables and stir to coat.  Bake for 1 hour or more until the vegetables are golden and very tender.


Cook the bacon in a large skillet; dry bacon on paper towels and crumble.  Drain most of the fat from the skillet and saute the onion just until translucent.  Stir the bacon and the onion into the potato mixture; cool to room temperature.

Crust:
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cold water
1 egg


Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the shortening until the mixture resembles meal.  Add the 1/2 cup of water bit by bit; mix with your hands until the dough holds together well and forms a ball, using more or less water as needed.  Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 350F.


Divide the dough into 6 portions.  One by one, roll a portion into a 10" circle.  Place 2/3 cup of the filling onto half of the dough.

Lightly dampen the dough around the filling, then fold dough over to form a semi-circle.  Trim the rough edges, then crimp the edge of the dough; press the edge with a fork to seal the pasty.

Place onto a greased baking sheet.  Repeat to make the remaining 5 pasties.  Combine the egg and 1 tablespoon water; brush over the pasties.


Bake the pasties for 50-55 minutes until lightly golden brown.


Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups chicken stock

juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and salt; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly add the stock, incorporating each addition before pouring more.  Add the juices and zest; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until thickened.

To serve: Place 1 pasty onto a dinner plate and serve with gravy.

Makes 6 generous servings.

"Chopped" Challenge - Piccadillo

It's Day 4 of my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating dishes.  Today's dare came from Sarah, giving me a grand Michigan-inspired challenge:

"Oh this is so much fun! My husband and I joke that so often our kitchen resembles a 'Chopped' kitchen since I will go to the pantry and come up with something, even when it seems like there is nothing in the house that could even resemble ingredients for a full meal. I have ... come up with the following challenge - for the dinner round - orange Faygo pop, ground turkey and barley. I can't wait to see all of the scrumptious dishes that you come up with!! Time starts now . . ."

Well, I wasn't just told to use plain ol' orange soda; I was specifically given Faygo as one of the secret ingredients in my basket.  Faygo is a Michigan classic, the company having been founded in Monroe in 1907.  So immediately my thoughts turned to incorporating other foods from my state into whatever I was going to make.

I started thinking about Michigan's beautiful fruits, the tart cherries and blueberries that we are so noted for, which are grown primarily on the west side of the state.  Perhaps a barley pilaf that would feature a touch of sweetness and color?

As I considered possibilities for combining the required ingredients with the dried fruit that I was now determined to include, I had an epiphany one evening: picadillo.


Picadillo [peek-ah-DEE-yo], which translates to "make mincemeat of," is a dish that can be found throughout Latin America, with variations from one country to the next.  According to Wikipedia: "Cuban versions include peppers, onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato sauce, stock, olives and on occasion raisins, potatoes, and capers, and is usually sauteed in olive oil and white wine, depending on the region."

According to Epicurious, "Picadillo is ... made with ground meat, tomatoes, and regional ingredients."  Well, how much more regional can it get than to use the Faygo orange soda instead of stock, as well as substituting blueberries and tart cherries for the traditional raisins?


I cooked with some Michigan wine - Leelanau Cellars' semi-sweet Winter White - and served the picadillo over the required barley rather than over rice.  Each bite brings a little sweet, a little salty, a hint of spice, a unique melange.  It's a fabulously flavorful dish with a Great Lakes State flair!


Picadillo


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 19.2-ounce package ground turkey
juice of half lemon
1/2 cup Faygo orange soda
1/4 cup + 1 cup semi-sweet white wine
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1/4 cup green olives with pimiento, chopped
3 cups water
2 cups quick-cook barley

Make the picadillo: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the onion, garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to soften the onion.

Add the turkey and the lemon juice; cook for 10 minutes until the turkey is no longer pink, stirring to break up the meat.

Add the soda, 1/4 cup of the wine, the blueberries, cherries and olives; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Make the barley: Bring 1 cup wine plus the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the barley, turn heat to "low," cover the saucepan, and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and let barley rest for 10 minutes until the liquid had been fully absorbed.

To serve: Place barley onto a serving platter and top with the picadillo.

Serves 4-6.

"Chopped" Challenge - Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Risotto

My fabulous blogging buddies Judee (Gluten-Free A-Z Blog) and Judy (Cranberry Morning) suggested feta cheese and basil pesto, respectively, as items they wanted me to use in creating an appetizer for my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating something wonderful to eat.

In addition to sharing a name, despite the spelling variation, they also both eat gluten-free diets.  So I thought that this was a match made in cyber-Heaven and that I should unite my friends' items into one great dish!

I didn't want to offer a recipe for pizza or noodles or anything that could contain gluten.  Sure, there are breads and pastas which would accommodate this dietary restriction; but there are also so many, many foods without gluten that it seemed better to showcase them rather than to use substitutions.

The ingredients I was challenged to use made my thoughts immediately travel to the Mediterranean.  In Italy, it is customary to eat dishes in succession, with pasta or rice - a "primo piatto," or first course - served before the main meat dish.  So a creamy risotto, enhanced with the vibrant flavor of pesto and the zesty addition of Feta, sounded like the perfect antidote to a winter day.

I must say, this dish is simply, richly, and addictively delicious; I was so disappointed when I finished the last of it!  And isn't flavor the most important ingredient in any dish?


Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Risotto

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Arborio rice (the high starch content contributes to the creamy texture of the dish)
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
2" rind of Parmesan cheese (see note below)
3 tablespoons basil pesto
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup Feta cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the rice in the oil.

Heat the stock and the wine.  Add the liquid to the saucepan in small increments, stirring the rice until the liquid is mostly absorbed and then adding a bit more liquid.  When half of the liquid has been added, add the salt, pepper, Parmesan rind, and pesto.  Continue to add liquid to the rice, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been used up.  Test the rice to make sure it is just tender; if it's a bit on the crunchy side still, add a bit more liquid and continue to stir.

Once the liquid has been almost entirely absorbed and the rice is creamy, remove the Parmesan rind.  Stir in the lemon zest, 3/4 of the Feta, the red peppers, and the spinach; cook just until the spinach is wilted.

Place onto small serving dishes and sprinkle the remaining Feta on top.

Serves 4-6.

Note: Buy hunks of good Parmesan cheese, and always save the rinds!  With the last scraps of cheese on them that are beyond being grated, they add flavor and creaminess to risotto, to sauces, and to soups.

"Chopped" Challenge - Meatballs in Mole Sauce with Swiss Chard

It's Day 2 of my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked my blog readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating an appetizer, an entree, or a dessert.

My fabulously wonderful blogging buddy Jenn, of Jenn's Food Journey (who guest posted about Runza Bites in honor of the Michigan-Nebraska game this past fall), took me up on the project with the following dare:


"Oh my gosh, what a great way to challenge yourself!! Wow, let's see.... I'll suggest dark chocolate in the appetizer round. :) Good luck!!!" 

Well, chocolate - of course! - is usually reserved for sweets.  I had visions of a rich and decadent mousse, of decorative chocolate drizzles tucked into whipped cream, of melting the lusciousness and sprinkling it with lovely little tidbits like glaceed cherries and candied orange peel to make small and sophisticated candies.

But while those would have made exceptional desserts, they didn't qualify as appetizers, did they?

So then my mind meandered down to Mexico, where dark chocolate is a regular ingredient in savory sauces.  I, myself, have been known to toss chocolate into chili, so this wasn't too far-fetched to me.

I started to do some research, and found the following information about pipián sauces, which are a type of mole, at bellaonline.com:

"A pipián is a sauce thickened with ground seeds or nuts and Mexican food at its most historical and authentically pre-hispanic. It belongs to the family of the great 'moles' of Mexico, and while the actual word mole, derived from the Aztecs’ Náhuatl language, simply means sauce, today it is almost invariably a sauce containing chillies .... (This sauce is) richly flavoured with spices and dried chillies, and further enhanced by the acidity of tomatoes or tomatillos."

I also found this on Wikipedia:

"The term mole is most often associated with thick, dark, brownish-red sauces, but the term is really more general than that ....  Pipian is a type of mole which mostly consists of ground squash seeds. It does not contain chocolate (though other moles do) ... (and is) served with poultry and pork, and sometimes with fish or vegetables."

And so, armed with this information as well as a tendency to put my own spin on foods by respecting tradition but tweaking it a bit, I started to create my dish.  Some pepitas would be necessary ... some peppers, perhaps chipotles in adobo sauce ... some tomatoes ... and don't forget the requisite chocolate!

I somehow had a notion about wanting to serve something small, like meatballs, rather than strips of meat; but I also didn't want to just serve boring ol' rice, or stuff the filling into a tortilla that would just be a drippy mess with the sauce.  Some red chard looked gorgeous at the market on the day I did my shopping, and so it became the accompaniment.  (Yes, that really is how it works sometimes in my brain - no plan, just whatever strikes my fancy!)  It definitely paired well with the sauce and with the pork.

Jenn loves both spicy food and her signature sauces.  So I tried to stay true to her spirit with these tender meatballs and their fabulous accompaniments.

Meatballs in Mole Sauce with Swiss Chard

Sauce:
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup roasted, salted pepitas, coarsely ground
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup beer
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, cumin seeds, and pepitas over medium heat; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Combine the tomato sauce and chipotle peppers in a blender; puree until smooth, then pour into the saucepan.  Stir in the salt and beer; bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to "low," then stir in the chocolate until melted.

Meatballs:
1 pound ground pork
1 medium scallion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon oil

In a large bowl, combine pork, scallion, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder; combine well.  Form generous 1" meatballs.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the meatballs and cook for 6-7 minutes until well browned on all sides and slightly firm.  Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering sauce, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

Swiss Chard:
1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces red Swiss chard, torn into strips
pinch of kosher salt

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chard and the salt; cook just until wilted.

To serve: Place the chard onto a serving platter.  Top with the meatballs and the sauce.

Serves 6 as an appetizer.

"Chopped" Challenge - Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

Today is the first day of reporting back about my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients I'd have to use in preparing appetizers, entrees, or desserts.

I had originally intended to just pick four options to write about; but I received several extra suggestions that were just too much fun to resist.  How could I leave anyone out?  So I'll be offering my concoctions this week and part of next, as well - everyone's ideas were used for inspiration!  Thank you for making me go beyond my culinary comfort zone; it's easy to get into a rut sometimes.  This really was a lot of fun.

Because this is Day 1, I'm featuring Jeremy's suggestion: to make an appetizer using shrimp, bacon, and Co-Jack cheese.  It doesn't get much more treyf [TRAYf] - non-kosher - than this!  Bacon is taboo.  Shellfish is verboten.  Mixing meat and dairy products is a violation of the Jewish dietary laws.

And yet, they are all required ingredients.  Good thing I don't keep kosher, huh?

Jeremy loves comfort foods, particularly macaroni and cheese.  So I thought I'd make him a soup based upon that dish, incorporating the shrimp and the bacon and the Co-Jack into a luscious, creamy starter to a meal.  Of course, this is so rich that you might not even need the rest of your dinner by the time you finish a serving!

The smokiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the shrimp combine beautifully with the mild Co-Jack cheese; Pepper Jack and cayenne pepper sauce contribute just a hint of a kick.  And the macaroni adds substance, because Jeremy doesn't like soups that are primarily broth.  Whether serving a cup of this as an appetizer or making it the mainstay of your meal with a larger portion, this is a perfect solace on a cold winter evening.

This soup readily passed Jeremy's exacting standards - he loved it, and even thanked me for making it!


Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups skim milk, divided
generous splash cayenne pepper sauce
8 ounces Co-Jack cheese, shredded
3 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups macaroni

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until just lightly brown but not crisp.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the salt and pepper.

Slowly add 2 cups of the milk, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it.  Add the cayenne pepper sauce and heat just until small bubbles start to appear.

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the rest of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the remaining 1 cup of milk.  Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

While the soup heats, prepare the macaroni according to package directions; stir into soup.

Serves 8-10.

Note: If this isn't served right away or if there are leftovers, you can eat it as macaroni and cheese or you'll need to thin it a bit for soup; the macaroni absorbs a lot of the liquid.

My "Chopped" Challenge

My very sweet friend Maureen had once told me she wanted to host a party that featured a home version of the Food Network show "Chopped."  She invited me to judge the competition while other friends prepared the food to be tasted.  I was thrilled, as it sounded like so much fun!

Unfortunately, the entertainment has been postponed.  But I understand completely - this would have been difficult to coordinate.  And, of course, how many dirty dishes would there be to deal with by the end???  Spare the stress, grab some popcorn, and just watch the show!

But the notion of a personal spin on this game has rather struck my fancy, after finally watching a few episodes; I hadn't yet seen it when Maureen first discussed the plans with me.  I had to get a t.v. in order to watch baseball playoffs and football games this past fall, not to mention the upcoming Oscars - the only things I bother with besides royal weddings!  So then I gave "Chopped" a few viewings, since the opportunity was finally available.

For those who are unfamiliar with the premise, here 'tis: four chef contestants are given surprise baskets of goodies with which they have to prepare an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert in successive rounds.  They may use other ingredients available in the pantry, but they must use the required elements and, ideally, transform them somehow into something fabulously creative.  Oh, and by the way, they're given only 20-40 minutes to prepare their dishes, depending upon the round.  For each course, the chef who offers the least enticing creation is chopped - eliminated - until only one contestant is left to win the $10,000 prize at the end of the show.

Each time I've watched the host recite the required items - say, combine licorice, frogs' legs and popcorn to make an appetizer - I've tried to determine what I might do with them.  I'm tickled when one of the chefs makes my idea, though truly, in real life, I'd be there for the full 20 minutes trying to figure out my options before I could even start cooking!

"Chopped" reminds me of the suspense of receiving a weekly farm share, and never quite knowing what one might find in the bags each week - potatoes? leeks? basil? corn?  What's in season?  What's had a difficult time because of weather, vs. another item that thrived in those very same conditions and is in peak form?  You take the produce home and only then can try to decide what you'll have for dinner.

So I've been trying to figure out how to do my own version of "Chopped," but without terrible expense or having to fly to Mongolia to acquire a particularly unique ingredient like yak's milk.  (I would actually love to visit Mongolia, which strikes me as a fascinating place; but my passport has expired and I'm phobic of flying anyway.)  We've got good grocery stores and lots of ethnic markets - Middle Eastern, Indian, Brazilian, Polish, African, Latin, Asian -  in the Ann Arbor area, as well as lots of gourmet specialty shops.  I know I can't get everything here, though.

But I think I've come up with a basic premise, which is subject to my whimsical changes if I find there's something I should have considered but didn't.  So here's my "Chopped" challenge:

1. I'll take suggestions for ingredients to use in a dish - 3 items per round, please - for an appetizer, an entree or a dessert.  (You can comment below, on my Food Floozie Facebook page, on my personal Facebook page, or by email.)  I'll then rack my brain and test my skills by trying to create a fabulous and delicious offering with these items.

2. Let me know which course you're asking me to make with your suggested ingredients.  I would likely presume that hot dogs belong in an appetizer or an entree, but you might very well have wanted to laugh at me while I tried to incorporate them into a sorbet.

3. I'll take all of the suggestions and pick randomly to make 4 different dishes for Monday through Thursday posts.  (Friday, of course, is Frugal Floozie Friday!)  Today is Monday, February 6; I'll pick my challenges on Friday, February 10.  If only four people take me up on the challenge, then I've got my four dares already without having to risk anyone feeling left out.  I hope I get a better response than that, though!

4. I'll aim to get my posts about the dishes ready for the last week in February, depending upon how hard you make this for me and how many brain cells pop while I try to figure out how to make something edible with a bizarre set of foods.  I reserve the right to maybe post in March, though I'll try valiantly to stick to my schedule.

5. While still suggesting intriguing items, please don't demand anything terribly expensive or outrageously exotic; there are limits upon my time and funds when it comes to seeking out ingredients.

6. Although our recent weeks of 40-50 degree weather and utter lack of snow would tend to make me seem like a liar with this next statement, we actually do, theoretically, get a winter in Michigan.  Therefore, "fresh seasonal produce" essentially means "oranges flown up from Florida."  Grocery store basics - apples, bananas, citrus, lettuce, broccoli, onions, dried fruits, etc. - would be readily available.  Something like peaches, though, would be either non-existent or they would be rocks shipped in from South America ... or they would come in a can with heavy syrup.

7. Don't necessarily suggest the obvious - I'd like to be nudged into thinking outside the frying pan a bit with unusual combinations.

8. However, that having been said, I'm not interested in eating anything like crickets.  They may be an important source of protein in some places, and they may be readily available at pet supply stores, but ... ewwww!!!  Be nice.  You can make me think and you can make me work, but please don't make me gag.

9. I have no food allergies.  I'm neither a vegetarian nor a vegan, and I don't keep kosher.  There are no dietary restrictions to bother about.

I think that's it.  I'm excited!  I can't wait to see what you suggest, and then try to figure out what to do with it all!