Blue Prawns with soy vinagrette, pickled mango, finger peppers and escarole

I like to take a dish and plate it as many different ways as I can think of. This was a dish I did for deepplate.com.

Triple Play

There are three different seafood's here: pan-seared scallops, crispy fried clams, and crab pancetta tortellinis. Underneath them is parmesan butter(which is fantastic!), start butter reducing in white wine, shallots, garlic, peppercorns, and parmesan rinds. You have to stay on top of the rinds and continually move them around or else this pan will be no fun to clean. Add a little cream next and let it come down till its really thick, then whisk in whole butter cubes strain and that's your butter sauce. Learning how to make butter sauce well is something every cook should master.

I finished it off with Meyer lemon pudding and fresh arugula. Fresh, bright, and clean with different ranges of texture.

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Scallop Crudo

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You know what really grinds my gears....

This is a forum for sharing and getting information out to people. I get that. Today I like it more than other days.

I have not posted in a while.....been out of town, not really sure where to go with things etc. then dumb things happen. Call me a cynic, I don't care, this is just plain ridiculous and people need to know about it. Brooklyn Dem Felix Ortiz wants to ban use of salt in New York restaurants. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/11/2010-03-11_assault_on_salt_an_insult_chefs.html#ixzz0hw7cw68t

Talk about an abuse of civil liberties and which amendment? I am ashamed to call myself a New Yorker if this jerk gets any press. Ban him, shun him, join the groups against him, and just shut this ignoramus up already.

"It's time for us to take a giant step," Ortiz said yesterday. "We need to talk about two ingredients of salt: health care costs and deaths."Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/11/2010-03-11_assault_on_salt_an_insult_chefs.html#ixzz0hw8oqG7n

Really.....So it's our fault...the people who are trying to bring healthy, sustainable food to the mainstream. How about the corporate machine that pumps out high fat, high sodium garbage and puts it just a drivethru away or on the shelves for 99 cents a can?

Please don't buy into this nonsense....that's all I really ask. I started writing a blog about vegetarians and the good, the bad, and the ugly, on the matter.......it's all trivial. Most real cooks are getting that now. Chefs like Dan Barber and Sean Brock, I read about. WE CARE more about the respectful health of the dining public than self serving politicians....and to the powers that be, stop pointing fingers already......
We should be mad and let it be known.....
It just makes me sad that things like this even need to be said. I miss Entrains....

Guilty Pleasures.....

I called it "The Completely Unnecessary Pizza." This bad boy ended up being lunch today, a good use of leftovers from specials. Cappicola cream base, pork shoulder, cherry peppers, onions, and fingerling potatoes. If you don't feel the need to take a nap after two slices I'll be impressed.

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Hot and Cold....

Which one is which??

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Seared Tuna, Cracked Fingerlings, Chilled Peperonata Cappicola Pan Sauce

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Pork Shoulder Plate.....

This tasty block of pig turned out wonderfully, a little pan sear and baste with brown butter makes it almost sinful. Paired with fennel orange marmalade, chestnut puree and natural jus.

So let me elaborate a little.....this is a long, planned out process. Most of the blogs I read have all had a post or two about the love affair with braising and slow cooking in general, I need my turn. Its weird that I feel like an incredibly impatient person but I find great pleasure in this process, even rushed at times.

Truly...this cooking method is for people who LOVE to cook.

I read Bluechefs post about brining a couple of weeks ago and decided that I had neglected this technique for far to long. We brined the pork shoulders in honey, balsamic, fennel, orange (of course water, sugar, salt, molasses). I can't tell you the specific amounts because honestly I didn't measure them. Maybe its a huge flaw, but I cook from the hip often. What I did measure were times.....36 hours of brining, 6 hours at 275 braising time, and about 24 hours of pressing. The transformation is a beautiful thing, a product that often is ground for sausage or smothered in BBQ sauce now becomes something refined and substantial. Not to take anything away from those applications but thats what creates levels in the hospitality industry.....how well do you utilize the resources you are given?

The picture makes it look a little dry I think but it really is succulent. No knife needed, just a fork and an appetite. I could break this dish down a little more and make a more intriguing plate but at Tomasso's we live off of simplicity. That means we must make sure our technique is sound.

I paired the dish with fennel marmalade, its very simple:
julienne a fennel bulb, saute, deglaze with orange juice, add sugar and reduce.

The chestnuts were roasted in brown butter and then pureed in the vita prep with some cream, a little water, and a sprinkle of xanthan gum. If you are looking to get into hydrocolloids, xanthan should be where you start.

The last thing I will say is that the pressing is a brillant part of this process, proof that chefs are not mindless glorified line cooks. This is what chefs have become, men and women who manipulate ingredients to work how they see fit. I took Brennan's advice and put all of the braised shoulder in a 200 pan with another on top and a sheet pan on top of it. Then I added the weight, two cases of heavy cream(about 50 lbs.). The sheet pan allows even pressing.

This was a rewarding dish........



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Pork shoulder

Brined, Braised, Pressed.....check back soon for the finished product..

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On the ninth day, He was wicked hungry and said "let there be Pho", and it was good...

I really can't rightly talk about my love affair with tacos without bringing up the other staple. Years ago a colleague of mine was rambling about where to eat in this town and mentioned a seedy dump in a Ramada Inn serving Pho. Who, I asked? I have long since been obsessed with Asian food cultures and spent many a long and sometimes uncomfortable afternoon scouring the shelves in Asian grocery stores pretending to know what I was looking at. The more I read, the more I became familiar, the more I ate, the more I cooked, the more things I would buy. Now, most of the times in whites, I stroll around and they don't look at me so weird.

But at the time, I knew the name but couldn't tell you 1st thing about Pho. So, intrigued, I packed up my wife, a little courage, and went off in search of a seedy looking Ramada in a seedy part of town, to Pho Kali. After perusing the hourly room rates, we entered the dragon.

Plain tables, plain walls, 1 TV playing soaps, the occasional random toddler running here and there, and a short Vietnamese guy standing in the middle of the dining room looking at us curiously. We sat. I saw chop sticks, spoons, sriracha, chili sambal, hoisin, and a boat load of napkins. Confidence growing. Easily numbered menu subtitled in english. Confidence still going strong. "I'll try the #4, the fried spring rolls." "No, you have fresh spring roll." "Uhhh, exactly my good man, what you said." It's always a plus when you are told what you will or will not have! On to the main objective. Pho. Shaved rare beef, brisket, tripe, tendon, beef ball.....let's start easy and say, just rare beef. Maybe I'll upgrade to the brisket and tennis shoe next time. And the size. Small, medium, large. Why not go big?

As we waited, I shopped around, eyeing the scene. Not much talking going on. An older couple and a young couple with a little kid all slurping up some mystery from punch bowls. The spring rolls arrive. Shrimp and pork spring rolls bursting with fresh, I don't know, life I guess. The punch of Thai basil and cilantro. A bit of some sweet mirin dipping sauce. Confidence finally steamrolled through my veins and we were ready to throw down on whatever magic was in the steaming bowls.

Next came a plate with beautifully fresh bean sprouts, thai basil, cilantro, onion, limes, and sliced chilies. And the main event. A word of warning if you have never had Pho and before I forget to mention it. Don't go big. You have to work your way up to it. For real. Placed before us were mini bathtubs of rice sticks, scorching broth, and a mountain of shaved meat.

It's a blank canvas....ok, not blank but more like a choose your own adventure book. Someone provides you with all of the elements for something brilliant and what makes it truly such is that you are sole author of the creation. Add some bean spouts, a couple torn basil leaves, some cilantro, a squeeze of lime on the meat, soy/fish sauce, then try and outwit yourself. Reach for the chili sambal, drop in a spoonful, double dog dare yourself and add two more. Maybe a dash of hoisin; never really was a big fan. Then mix it all up, watching as the beef just barely cooks through, and debate the first bite. Chopsticks or spoon? You do have two hands. After you dive in and your body has a chance to catch up, relish in the goodness before chili sambal has you overrun with tears, sweating, and night terrors.

Pho is one of those easy to recreate meals with just a little ingenuity. The broth is simple yet rich and complex. Beef bones, onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, star anise, clove....that's a start anyways. But honestly, from a cook's perspective who works a lot and comes home hungry and impatient, you can find perfectly good Pho in a cube. Let's say that you don't mind a little MSG and a little spike in your sodium intake. Check out your local asian grocery store. Phillipino owned and operated are my favorite in JAX. There you can get just about everything. Rice sticks, sambal, sriracha, bean sprouts, thai basil, fish sauce, and the elusive Pho in a cube. Really. Looks like bouillon cubes and says Pho. They make fresh rice sticks and the local grocery owner swears by them. Becca says they are too starchy. She has a point. Besides, dried rice sticks cook in about 2 minutes when covered with steaming broth. Drop by Winn Dixie or Wegmans for some protein, limes, and maybe some mushrooms, and you're all set. Par freeze your protein so you can shave it wicked thin, make your broth, and assemble.

All cooks have an approach, a perspective to food and the world they see. I have always been fascinated with the relationship of food and history. There is so much to be learned about the world, it's people, and it's past and it's brilliant how people have captured those things through utilization of our senses. You can taste, smell, and see history and a respect for culure in a rocking dish of food. There are wonderful and exciting options out there, in every town. Challenge yourself to try something new, maybe a little outside of your comfort zone. We all live on a budget, it doesn't always have to be some cutting edge, refined cooking either. There is much to be said for cuisines that have been around for thousands of years. They've had a lot of time to practice, screw up, and try again

Sharpening the saw....

Finally a day off and I'm spending it in the bookstore perusing through cookbooks. I've got to continue to fuel the fire though. I'm excited that Kiawah is heading into its busy season and I will get my first chance to really see and feel the food culture of my new town. Check out Nathan Thurston's blog in the Brain Bacon section, reading his latest post got me really fired up for the spring, its time for me to get to know the local farms a bit better, can't wait....

State of the Blog Address......

Well what do we think................Is what we are doing worth reading?? Do we have something to contribute?? OR.....is it all nonsense???

.....I don't think so, I started this blog after developing a strong affinity for the kings of this realm(if you don't know who they are just take a peek at the top right of the page). What I do like is the transparency of this blog....we tend to keep our emotions on our collective sleeve. Mike made the point a couple of weeks ago that we shouldn't just state what ingredient we used and what we did with it......but add some character and approachable reality to what we do........and I think that is a good point. I'll be honest, Mike almost quit the blog a week ago based solely on his passion of making his point the way he thought it would be most affective, that is the beauty of Foodbros. Three different aspects, styles, outlooks, and philosophies.

As far as the state of the blog....I think its blooming and I see nothing but blue skies ahead......I will add this however, we are looking to develop a logo so any of our artistic readers feel free to contact us about your ideas, also we will..."sooner than later".....hopefully....offer catering.

Anyways, Mike is in Florida, Brennan is in Georgia, and I am holding down the fort in South Carolina...never hesitate to contact any of us......more to come soon...

What were you thinking about Ray?

Something like that anyways....Once again, no pictures. We just successfully pulled off the 1st batch of marshmallows. Unbelievable how simple some things are that you never consider trying on your own. No hocus pocus or molecular doodads just water, sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, and flavor. Too bad they don't make candy thermometers a bit more durable. Mine lasted about 20 minutes out of the package.
One of my guys had smores on the brain. He took crepes I had made and tried different stuffings. With much collaboration we unravelled Smores into graham cracker crepes, fresh marshmallow inside, hot cocoa in a espresso cup...still working on the rest of the components. Just excited that marshmallows are so easy. Now I want to work on savory meringes like the cooler Voltaggio brother made the one time.
For the marshmallow recipe, no plagiarizing. I used Alton Brown's. Lot's of his recipes work well actually.

One of my favorite things ever

Pickled Apples:

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar


• 1/2 cup apple juice


• 1 vanilla bean


• 2 sprigs rosemary


• 3 tbsp. sugar


• 2 tbsp. salt

Pickled Grapes:

• 1/2 cup Banyuls wine vinegar


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 tsp. Worcestershire


• 1 tsp. brown sugar


• 3 tsp. granulated sugar


• 1 tsp. salt

Soy Pickled Cucumbers:

• 1/2 cup tamari


• 1/4 cup yuzu or lime juice


• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar


• 1 tbsp. honey


• 1 tsp. chili sambal


• 1/4 cup water


• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Pickled Fennel:

• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar


• 1/2 cup water


• 4 tbsp. sugar


• 3 tbsp. salt


• 3 crushed cloves of garlic


• 3 sprigs of thyme


• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

I survived nuclear holocost, biological warfare, desecration of the gene pool by the Jersey Shore cast, and all I got is this crummy teeshirt...

It got your attention yes? Well it's better than calling this post Taco Night, which is what it is. I like tacos. They are in many senses of the word a perfect food. Nutritious, delicious, and a ridiculous number of possibilities. Becca and I.....thanks again for the post Becca, quite well put; we have been scouring the realm of Taconess for almost a year now. At least once a week if not more, I get home in time to peel off the whites in favor of PJ's and explore salsas, chilies, and spice mixtures through the drone of Cash Cab and Jeopardy and a wife who is definitely smarter than me.
I finally broke down and bought the tortilla press I have been eyeballing at Food Lion for the last 2 years. Just couldn't stomach the $16.99. Man, I suck. But it's here and it's awesome. The beast weighs like 5 pounds.

So, where do we start? Proteins. Fish tacos? Really? This may knock one more nail in my coffin but I don't care. Fish tacos sound disgusting. Perhaps in uber fresh and fancy KaliforniaLand, they use quality but over here, I see fish tacos on a menu and I think frozen Talapia. Maybe carbon monoxide Barbie Dolled Mahi or Tuna with ooooohhhh blackening seasoning. That's fancy! What a healthy treat! So yeah, not a fan. Apologizes to those who are, someone steer me in the right direction or Fedex me a proper fish taco and I will gladly rethink this one.

On to meat. MEAT. Specifically beef. Chuck, sirloin, top round, bottom round, side round, ground round, run around..it's beef. Fatty goodness but maybe not the optimum choice for my taco today. Hard to compete with a beautiful, fresh Pico and you feel like your going to die or rupture like the guy in Alien after just a couple. No cute alien pops out either. Just cholesterol.

Pork? Maybe...Small diced pork loin. Kinda dries out quick. Little bit tougher than we might like in a soft shell. There's always tenderloin. Absorbs marinades well. Nice moisture content. Nice texture. Something to think about. Lastly in porkness there is the butt or picnic cuts and the braise. Cook low and slow. Pop in a Harry Potter book on tape and 380 hours later perfection. Shred it. Great for tacos but unless you planned the day before, you're kinda screwed if you get home at 6:30pm and want to eat by 8pm.

How about chicken? Ground chicken ok but pricey. Chicken breast fajitas....totally overrated. Sizzling plates don't excite me. Now if the waiter came out with a sizzling plate and his head was on fire, that's exciting. Anywhoo, you can buy a whole fryer bird for $6, braise it for 90 minutes, get all the meat, light and dark, and shred it. That's a nice taco.

Then there is turkey. You have listened to all of this so far and you still say that sometimes, maybe most of the time for comforts sake or speed, you just want ground meat filled taco goodness. Turkey is the path to enlightenment. 90/10 is kinda pricey, 85/15 has cheaper and has great flavor, and if you have the means, buy a bird and grind it yourself.

Fresh or hard shells. Pico or salsa. Limes. Cheese. Beans. Rice. Avocado. Hot sauce. Diced Chilies. And what to spice the meat with? Well, we've opened the door.

A friendly suggestion. Lettuce never fits. Chop some romaine. Put it on the side to prop up your beauties during construction then when half of the goodies have fallen out all over your plate, instant salad to be scooped up with fingers stinging with serrano and lime juice. What a night. Eat six more and go comatose till Conan comes back.

Lastly, I talk a lot of smack about this here part of Flordida I've been the last 7 years. But when it's the 3rd week of February and I'm outside at the Green Turtle, in the sunshine, with a pretty girl, a NewCastle, and good live music, all is well in the world. Nighty night.

Corn Pops!!

Corn leek soup with corn cracklin....

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Dinner at the Georgian Room

A few weeks ago Courtney, me, Mike and Becca sat down to eat at the restaurant that I spent the past three years cooking at. It was a little strange and intimidating being on that side of the restaurant as a diner instead of back in the trenches with my fellow cooks. I loosened up after the first couple of coursed though. It was, by far, the best dining experience I've ever had. The guys threw down for us. Nine courses and, in my opinion, the perfect amount of food. Just enough to where the sight of the mignardise makes you hold your belly and sigh, but in a happy way. Thanks again to everyone in the Georgian Room, if you guys read this. The experience was the perfect way to complete my journey at the restaurant.

OMG!! Does he, like, cook for you at home, like, all the time?!

That is probably the single most asked question I get after I tell someone that my husband is a chef. Don’t be embarrassed if you have asked me this before, I know you just can’t help yourself. :)
Well, here it is….YES, in fact, he does. And yes, it is awesome. The next reaction I get is almost one of relief when they subtly imply, unintentionally for the most part, that I can’t cook. Which I can, but we won’t get into that (just ask Mike about my meatballs! lol).
The truth is that being married to a chef is pretty great. Aside from the fact that I get to spend forever with my best friend and an awesome human being, I am always learning/experiencing new things from him. I grew up in Texas where we had amazing Mexican food-seriously amazing. La Nopalera is ok in a pinch, but ultimately not even close to being in the same league as real Tex-Mex food. In fact, I would kill for some Chuy’s, Pappasitos, Taco Cabana, or even Casa Ole (I know Michele is with me on this one :) ). My sister still lives in Houston and she knows how to send me in to a jealous rage with a simple text informing me that she is having lunch at Chuy’s right this very minute! Oh to live in a city that has a food scene!
I wouldn’t say that I was incredibly food cultured when Mike and I started dating. I have traveled a bit, so I wasn’t scared of ethnic or adventurous cuisine, but I was leery of things that I would come across that were on my will-not-try list. He would tell me stories about some of the things he had eaten over the years at previous jobs, or while in France and I would politely nod my head, but would secretly cringe at the thought. Really, goose liver?! How could that ever taste good?!
But, that in itself is why it is great to be married to a chef. Food that you once thought unimaginable and disgusting is all of a sudden not so terrible anymore, delicious actually. It’s amazing the technique and respect that goes in to preparing ingredients that the average person would deem, well, gross. Take foie gras. When he explained to me that it was goose liver, I was a little repulsed. Side note here- It can be incredibly insulting to a chef that has painstakingly prepared something that someone will not even try before ‘poo-pooing’ it. Not that they would ever tell you that but trust me, it can sting a little. So, after realizing my faux pas, I agreed to at least try the smallest bite I could get away with. To my surprise, it was delicious. I should tell you that I’m not some renegade chef’s wife that will try anything and everything. I’m not trying to put myself over by any means- I still draw my lines in the sand and there are some things that I absolutely will not try for now anyway.
Mike and I have had some pretty amazing meals at some pretty amazing places; Opus 39, Babbo, WD 50, Morimoto, The Georgian Room and of course Zaitoon to name a few. Most would be surprised to read that our favorite meal actually happens at our house once, or sometimes twice, a week. Yep, I’m talking about the wonder that is Taco Night. There is nothing better than when Mike gets to come home early during the week and make tacos. I’m not talking about the McCormick’s Taco seasoning packet or the Taco Bell box-o-meal that you get on the ‘ethnic food’ isle at the grocery store. We are on a ground turkey kick right now, which makes for great tacos. Ground turkey paired with freshly made salsa or pico de gallo is pretty fabulous.
This part is for the single ladies/guys out there that are ready to pounce on the next dude/chick they see in chef whites. So far I’ve painted a pretty rosy picture, right? This is my one and only warning to you. Be ready to never enjoy another meal out again. I’m serious. Don’t even get me started on when you have two or, God forbid, three chefs together at one meal. They will pick apart every single detail. I’m not going to lie, it can be pretty annoying at times, especially when it is your birthday dinner at a nice place (yes I’m referencing a specific event-you know who you are-lol). How do you overcome this one might wonder. Simple, you must ally yourselves with those chef’s significant others. Not only will they make eating out together fun, but it will also serve as your support group.
The support group comes in handy because the downside of the chef profession, especially if you are part of the resort world, are the late nights and you can forget about holidays. Valentine’s Day that is actually celebrated on Valentine’s Day? Um, what is that? I think I have gotten one real Valentine’s Day with Mike the whole time we have been together (and by real I mean actually on 2/14). We are lucky that Mike works for a privately owned restaurant so we get to share most major holidays together like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Having worked in the restaurant world for six years, I remember all to well having an early Thanksgiving dinner with my family so I could rush to work to serve the other half that couldn’t be bothered. To each his own, but for me, I couldn’t imagine not cooking at home for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Maybe it’s because I know how much it sucks to work on Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving just so you can have Christmas Day off. The key is to surround yourself with people in the same boat.
In closing, I think I speak for Courtney and Kristin when I say how proud we are of our boys. I have watched them for the past six years (God we are getting old!) go from working a pantry station, to working sauté (Thank God they finally got over themselves-lol. you know how you boys were on that station), to working at different restaurants on the same property. Then it was different restaurants in different cities, now in different states. This blog is a terrific way for each of you to showcase how far you have come. You knew it would get sappy with a chick writer. Sorry. :)

P.S. It says posted by Mike, but he doesn't get the credit for this one. :) - Becca

Flounder sandwich......

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A minor retraction

This is what I get for quoting recipes I have written down 25 miles from my computer. If anyone tried my bread recipe or may be thinking about it, I have modified the final recipe. I mis-quoted measurements and forgot about olive oil. But I fixed it. Till next time...