Celery Soup: Remade Not Bought

"Remade Not Bought" is the title of this year's presentation of stories of Sanford and Seminole County by the local Celery Soup players. These are tales of life in years gone buy as recorded for posterity, gathered from some of Sanford and Seminole County's oldest and most distinguished residents. Tales of life long ago.

This year's performances are are held at the Princess Theater in historic downtown Sanford (115 W. 1st. St., Sanford, FL 32771; 321-578-1463):

• October 18th -- November 3rd
• Friday and Saturday -- 7:30 PM
• Sunday --  2:00 PM
• Doors open 30 minutes before performance

Opening Night Cocktail Party

This year, the Friday Night October 18th opening night performance will be preceded by a cocktail party for all ticket holders at 6 PM at Gallery on First, two blocks west of the theater. At 7 PM, Jeanine Taylor, the founder of Celery Soup, will lead all invited guest into the theater through the backstage entrance.

  Wine will be provided by local resident artist Tom Abbott, and yours truly, the Lake Mary Food Critic is providing celery appetizers. Here is what I am preparing and links to the original recipes. Note that, as a lover of food, I have taken these recipes as a "guide" only and have taken some liberties with proportions and ingredients. But I hope you find them all to be good eats!

Celery Soda

• recipe by Alton Brown
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/celery-soda-recipe/index.html

Wasabi Celery Root Slaw

• Recipe by Janet Johnston
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/celery-soda-recipe/index.html

Chilled Cream of Celery Soup

• Recipe by evelyn/athens
• http://www.food.com/recipe/chilled-cream-of-celery-soup-96294

Olive Stuffed Celery

• Recipe by Catherine Herzog
• http://www.celeryrecipes.org/stuffed-appetizers.html

Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Celery

• Recipe by Helen
• http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Helen_s-Stuffed-Celery-Allrecipes

Blue Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Celery

• Recipe by Rachel Ray
• http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Blue-cheese-and-pecan-stuffed-celery-348289

Peanut Butter Stuffed Celery

1. Recipe by Taste of Home
2. http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/peanut-butter-stuffed-celery

Bacon and Horseradish Stuffed Celery

• Recipe by Catherine Herzog
• http://www.celeryrecipes.org/bacon-horseradish.html

Check back after the event for some pictures! And if you stop in, make sure to introduce yourself to me, the Lake Mary Food Critic!

Żubrów-B-Q Sauce

The other day, I made a unique barbecue sauce with a Polish twist. I took a favorite vodka BBQ sauce recipe of mine, but substituted my favorite flavored Polish vodka: Żubrów-B-Q Sauce, made with Żubrówka Vodka (It's pronounced Zhu-BRUFF-ka). Żubrówka  is also called "Bison Grass" vodka because it gets it's flavor from a grass that grows in Poland called "Bison Grass," a favorite food of Polish (European) Bison, a cousin to American Bison (or buffalo). Żubr is the Polish word for Bison. Hopefully it all makes sense to you.

But, with a play on the spiciness of American Buffalo wings, I've made this spicy BBQ sauce and christened it, Żubrów-B-Q Sauce. Here's the recipe:

• 1/2 cup Żubrówka (Polish Vodka--accept no imitations!)
• 1 Pint (16 oz) Ketchup (I prefer Hunts with no HFCS)
• 2/3 Tbsp. freshly roasted and ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. Chili Powder (the hotter the better, I believe)
• 1/2 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and let simmer 20+ minutes to meld the flavors. Cool and server. Keeps several months in the fridge--if you can get it to last that long. Recipe is easily doubled. 

Polish Fried Green Tomatoes

I don't think anyone in Poland has ever heard of fried green tomatoes. For that matter, they are not very common outside of the US south. However, I made the world's best fried green tomatoes earlier today, and I want to share my tips and techniques. And, because the best tomatoes I've ever eaten (outside of those from my Dad's garden) were from roadside stands in Poland, I've decided to call my recipe Polskie Smażone Zielone Pomidory -- Polish Fried Green Tomatoes! So here's how I did it.


First off, tomato selection is key. I much prefer green tomatoes that have the barest hint of pink to them. But use caution--if you buy them, you must use them the same day or refrigerate immediately--they will go from green to slightly pink to ripe in the blink of an eye. Why not totally green? I find that solid green tomatoes are just a bit too hard when cooked. When you get one that is just at the very earliest stages of ripening and fry it, you'll find the inside is a bit more tender and juicy. But caution, if really starting to turn, the inside will become mush. It's imperative that you get tomatoes with only the very slightest hint of a pink blush--trust me on this.


Preparation and technique are key here, and there are seven distinct things you'll need. Get them ready in advance:

1. Green Tomatoes, sliced thin and evenly, about 1/4 inch--no more! Once sliced, lay on some paper towels to dry them.
2. First dry coat: Mix equal parts of masa harina (corn flour) and cornstarch. Add some cayenne (be generous, very generous) and salt. Mix well.
3. Wet coat: Beat three eggs with a scant quarter cup of milk or buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper and add some tobasco. Then add more tobasco.
4. Breading Coat: Take equal parts of masa harina (corn flour) and find ground cornmeal. Add about a third more fine bread crumbs. Add salt and cayenne. Add more cayenne. Trust me.
5. heat about 1/4 to 3/8 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to 350 degrees. Monitor the temp--too hot and your breading will burn, too cold and your finished treasures will be oily
6. Remoulade. You need a bit of topping or dipping sauce. My preferred sauce is a quarter cup of mayonnaise, a few tablespoons of sour cream, a tablespoon or two of ketchup, and a few tablespoons of horseradish. Mix well and let sit a bit. You can make it ahead (I usually make it first to give the flavors time to meld).
7. Plates for serving.

How to put it all together:  

• Take your sliced and dried green tomato slices
• Using the wet-hand/dry-hand method, first dip in the first coating. This makes them very dry so the wet coating sticks.
• Then dip in the wet coating.
• Finally, put in the breading coating. pack it on top, make sure it's completely covered. 
• Now set on a rack and let sit. They can sit up to 20 minutes and that's good for them as it lets the dry ingredients hydrate a bit
• Gently lay in the hot, 350-degree oil. 
• Fry about 2 minutes on the first side, then turn with a tongs and fry another minute or two until golden.
• Transfer to a wire rack that's been placed on some newspaper or paper towel--this allows any excess oil to wick away and keeps them from getting soggy or oily. Do not salt at this time, unless you've been stingy with the salt in all the other layers. If you were generous enough, they'll be perfect, trust me!
• Fry in small batches. You can keep warm in a warm oven. They really need to sit about 3-5 minutes before they're cool enough to eat.
• Now, plate and enjoy. You will be amazed at the great flavor--you'll taste the corn a bit.

Now, as they say in Polish: Smacznego! Enjoy! Good Eats!

Włoskie Kanapkę Małe Gryzie

So, what are "Włoskie Kanapkę Małe Gryzie?" Well, it is Polish for Italian Sandwich Small Bites. We were recently invited to two parties on one day. Since I love to cook (and make great food), I had to think long and hard about what kind of creation I could bring. But, with the help of my friend, Tommy, I was able to come up with something. I didnt' know what to call them, so decided to give them a Polish name, hence "Włoskie Kanapkę Małe Gryzie" or  Italian Sandwich Small Bites, because I used a lot of Italian flavors and meats and made this into some small bites.

So, here's what I did:

I started with an Arnold's sandwich round. I opened it up and I toasted it a bit wth a blowtorch. Yes, I said a blowtorch! This got a bit of caramelization on the buns. For a dressing, I caramelized some onions for about an hour on the stove over low heat, just enough to really bring out the sugars in the onions. I then took about 2-3 parts of mayo and added one part of sour cream. To that I added the caramelized onions and some finely chopped, fresh tarragon. I let this side in the refrigerator for a while to marry the flavors.

Eventually it was time to make my little sandwiches. To each on I put on some of the "special" mayo, then a layer of thin-sliced radishes, and then a bit of romain lettuce, about two layers. Then I added two slices of genoa salami, a slice of smoked sharp provolone, and two slices of nice and spicy capicoolla. I topped all of this with some alfalfas sprouts and then topped with the other half of the Arnold's round, already slathered with some of the mayo mix. Finally, i topped each one with six pieces of marinated, roasted red peppers, put in toothpics, and sliced into sixths.

Then, I just stood back and watched them disappear. Everyone loved them!

Alive After Five Chili Cook-Off

Alive after Five happens every month on the Second Thursday if tht month from 5-8 PM on First Street, downtown. January's them for a number of years has been aChili Cook-Off. I attended again this year and sampled 18 of the 34 different chili's there. After careful consideration, I am ready to declare my favorite.

Admission to Alive after Five is only $7.00, and for that you get a wristband that allows you to taste food from the many merchants and vendors who set up shop on the street. And this happens every month, like clockwork, on the second Thursday of the month. It is, I'd say, the best street party in central Florida, with several blocks of First Street closed off and lined with vendors and merchants giving out food and beverage samples, $1 with wristband beer, and wristband holders get a ticket for food at an event sponsored location. It's always a great time, and this year's January event was no exception.

Some of the chili served this year was really awesome. Some was just OK. And some did not really shine. The purpose of the event, though is to have fun. Some of the cooks are home cooks, and some are professional chefs. So, before I give you my results, I want you to keep that in mind. Everyone who participated put their heart and soul into this event which sponsored by and a fundraiser for the Historic Sanford Welcome Center.

First, I must make mention of the Chile names, as two were really outstanding. The first was the chili made by the Sanford Flower Shop: it was called Smokey's Florist Fire Chili. Get it?  I love that name, and their chili was mighty fine too.  The second was prepared by Magnolia Street Market and was called Praise the Lard and Pass the Beer Chili -- it was a beer chili made with pork belly, and also very good. Overall, the two above, along with the Red Solo Cup Chili made by World of Beer came in with a tie for second place, in my opinion. They were all very, very good. In my estimation, one other chili was in the same class but barely, just barely, edged out these there. So I declare all three of the above as in a tie for second place overall for the best chili I ate at the Chili Cook Off.

My winner and championship chili for the contest, by a nose, was the Red Hot Mama's Chili from The Palette, a wine and light fare bar located inside Art Affair Gallery. First place, top notch chili. It was a true Texas-style chili, and Sherry, the chef and creator should know, she's from Texas. I asked her about it and she tells me they hand cut the chuck, roasted the peppers and skinned them, and made all ingredients fresh and from scratch. The care she took in this was evident, as it was for all the top level of chilis. Good job and congratulations to Sherri and The Palette, as well as all the top level chilis.

There were other chilis that were decent, and some not as good. I have listed all the ones I tasted below and given them a ranking. They are alphabetical within their place:

Vendor/Merchant	Chili Name	Place
The Palette	Red Hot Mama's Chili	1st
Magnolia Square Market	Praise the Lard and Pass the Beer Chili	2nd
Sanford Flower Shop	Smokey's Florist Fire Chili	2nd
World of Beer	Red Solo Cup Chili	2nd
Café Rouge	Too Hot to Trot Fire Roasted Chili	5th
Candelight Catering	Chef Sennet's Even Better Chili	5th
Taste of Thyme Café	Texas Best	5th
Café Rouge	Sweet Herb's Three Bean Chili	8th
Framing 408	Cuban Chili	8th
Gander Mountain	Gander Mountain's Gas Master's Chili	8th
Healing Laser Clinics	Sweet Heat Chili	8th
Little Fish HUGE Pond	Sancho's Silly Chili	8th
Skibo's Subs	Skibo's Steak Alarm	8th
Superior Sheds	Ken 3 Alarm	8th
Gail Williams Insurance	White Chili	15th
Gail Williams Insurance	Smokin' Chipotle Chili	15th
Harrell & Beverly	Gone in 60 Seconds Chili	15th
Tru Valu	True Valu Chili	15th

Congratulations to all participants. It was a great and fun event!

   

Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon, Ham, and Leeks

Today i came up with a new recipe to take to a gathering of friends. The jury is still out on how it tatstes, but I am expecting it to be a hit. So here's what I did.

Ingredient list

• 6 slices bacon, chopped, fried crisp, and drained
• 6 oz ham, sliced thinly in to strips
• 2 leeks, halved, cleaned, and sliced thin
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin (1/8 inch)
• 2 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 oz shredded fontina cheese
• 2 oz. shredded gruyere cheese
• 2 oz. shredded romano cheese
• 3 tsp. corn starch.
• 2 oz shredded mixed white cheeses (Sargento store-bought)
• 2 oz. butter
• 1/4 tsp. marjoram
• 1/8 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the cheddar, fontina, romano, and gruyere cheeses. Add the corn starch and toss to coat. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large fry pan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat. Add 3-4 Tbsp of bacon fat back to the pan, heat, then add the ham. Fry until slightly crisped, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the ham and drain on paper towels. Clean the pan.

Add 2 Tbsp. bacon fat and the butter to the pan, melt, then add the leeks. Add a pinch of kosher salt and the marjoram and sautee about 3-5 minutes until translucent. Set aside.

Butter a 13x9 baking dish. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom, then sprinkle with a little koser salt and 1/2 the nutmeg. Add a few grinds of black pepper. Then add 1/2 of the ham, 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the leeks, and 1/2 of the cheese, evenly spread out.

Repeat the above with another 1/3 of the potatoes, season with salt, pepper and the remaining nutmeg, then top with the remaining bacon, ham, leeks, and cheese mixture.

Finally top with the last 1/3 of the potatoes. Now mix the heavy cream and chicken broth together and pour over the potatoes. Press down. Season slightly with salt and pepper, then finally top with the Sargento cheese-mixture. Cover with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes covered at 325 degrees. Remove foil, increase temperature to 400 degrees and bake another 45 minutes until potatoes are tender (insert a sharp knife to test). Let rest 15-30 minutes. Serve.

That's all there is to it!

Leon's Kick @$$ Chili

I am making my own recipe called Leon's Kick @$$ Chili for Alive After Five in Downtown Sanford on Thursday, January 13th. Alive after Five is a "second Tuesday of every month" street party held rain or shine from 5 PM to 8 PM on First Street in Sanford. The streets are blocked off and vendors set up along the street, giving out food samples. There is always a theme and this month's is Chili. There is actually a chili cook-off going on, though I don't have the time to devote to making that much food. Still, i will be serving my chili there at Art Affair Gallery, my usual hangout. This blog post is my recipe for all those who will stop by or who have stopped by if you're reading this afterwards.

So, without further ado, here is how I made mine!

Ingredient List

• 4 # Chuck Roast, cut into 1/4 inch (or so) dice.
• 3# Ground Beef (cheap is good)
• 12 oz bottle Sam Adams Lager (or your favorite mild beer)
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 2 - 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 12 oz can tomato paste
• 1/4 can chipotles in adobo
• 4 Anaheim (or New Mexico) chiles, peeled
• 4 Poblano chiles, peeled
• 2 # dried navy (or other) beans
• 2 Tablespoons Mexene (a chili powder blend)
• 1 Tablespoon Oregano (as with all spices, I prefer Penzey's)
• 2 Tablespoons smoked Spanish Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
• I Tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 Tablespons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Chinese Five Spice
• 2 squares bittersweet (unsweetened) Baker's chocolate
• 1/2 cup brandy
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bean: soak the beans in 6 quarts of water overnight. Drain and rinse slightly. But in a large pot and cover with fresh water, add a bit of salt a pinch or two. Bring to a boil and simmer 60-90 minutes (depending on the bean you may need to adjust) until you can easily squish one between your thumb and forefinger. When you can, they are done. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the fresh chilies by roasting or charring on a grill, then let rest 15 minutes in a sealed bag. Pull off the skins, open and discard the seeds. Chop finely and set aside.

Brown the chuck in batches with a few teaspoons of vegetable oil in a medium-hot saute pan or large stock pot. Do not crowd. When nicely browned, remove to a separate dish and hold. As you are browning the chuck, begin adding the spices, some to each batch. You can adjust the spice to your liking, but remember it's hard to remove too much heat. You can always add more later, but do season each batch. Once the chuck is all browned, set aside and cover.

If your pan gets too much fond (the brown stuff), deglaze with a bit of the beer and add to the reserved meat.

Add the onion and a pinch or two of salt. Deglaze with the rest of the beer and cook until the onion is soft. Once soft, add the minced garlic and cook only 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic, you'll be sorry.... Add the ground beef and cook until well cooked, adding more spices as you go.

Add the browned chuck and all the juices to the pot, then all the tomatoes and stir. Add the chile and the chipotles with adobo. Taste but be cautious about adding too much chile power. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once simmering, add the beans and stir gently, then add the brandy and finally the chocolate. By now you should have added all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the heat with more chili powder if desired (I went light on the heat for this recipe, though I prefer more). Just before serving, taste and add any more salt, if needed.

Simmer the chili on low heat for 4 or more hours. Add a bit of beef broth if it gets too thick, or thin with some masa harina if it's too thin. It's actually better the second day and freezes well too.

To server, you can add shredded cheddar cheese, a bit of sour cream, and/or some chopped scallions. Serve with some tortilla chips, too, and your favorite cold beverage.

This recipe is definitely Good Eats. If you tried it, please leave a comment!

Krupnik

"What is Krupnik," you may ask? I would reply "nectar of the gods...."

I've heard and read about Krupnik before, and when I was in Poland this past Fall, I had some. I knew then that I had to make some. Krupnik is a honey and grain alcohol based liqueur, popular in Poland and Lithuania (where it's called Krupnikas). I've searched the Internet and found many, many recipes, each with its own variation. And so after careful thought and research, I came up with my own. I made it last night. It is wonderful.

And now, you can make it too. here it is:

Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup honey and bring just to a boil.

Add all of the following (mix or match as is your pleasure!):

• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 12 allspice berries
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split
• the peel of one Orange (use a peeler to get just the peel without the white pith)
• 12 peppercorns
• 12 juniper berries
• once chunk of nutmeg (about 1/4 of a whole one)
• 12 cloves

Bring the above just to a simmer and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Cover and let steep for 30 minutes so the flavors meld.

Warm back up to near boiling and slowly add 2 1/2 cups of good quality Polish Vodka (I used Sobieski). Be careful, alcohol and flames to not mix! Do not boil!

Once very warm, strain through a very fine strainer, or though six layers of cheesecloth, or through a coffee filter.

Krupnik is traditionally served warm, but may also be served cold. Bottle it and store it in a cool place. You'll notice some sediment may settle to the bottom, that's fine. When ready to serve, warm gently and pour carefully so as not to disturb the sediment.

That's all there is to it. You'll have about 750 ml of one of the world's most delicious drinks. Drink responsibly! Bardzo Smaczne!

Sweet Potato Pierogi

My second cousin asked me if I had a recipe for Sweet Potato Pierogi. Well, the answer is, "yes and no." You see, I've thought about this for a while now. And I think that what I've come up with in my head would also work for Pumpkin Pierogi as well. That said, here's my recipe, straight from my head.

First things first: keep in mind that this is a developmental recipe. There is not absolute, no right or wrong. I am just giving some guidelines. Above all, taste things as you go along. So, here goes.

Take about a pound of fresh sweet potatoes, make sure they're clean. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil (trust me, don't admit this or you'll be stuck in "cleanup hell"). Slice each sweet potato into large chunks, 2-3 inches apart. Then put them in a 400 degree oven and roast for 40-60 minutes. They are done when a sharp knife gets no resistance and comes out cleanly. 

Let them cool until you can handle them. Hot sweet potatoes contain a lot of sugar which gets very hot!  Once cool enough to handle, simple use a tablespoon to scoop the meat out of the skins. Put the skins on your compost pile, and the meat into a large bowl. Now you are ready to begin. 

For sweet Sweet Potato Pierogi, add the following:

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
•  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated Nutmeg
• a pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon if you like to measure things)
• The zest of 1-2 Oranges
• (optional) 1/2-1 Tablespoon of Grand Marnier
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecan chips
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (or substitute maple syrup for half of the brown sugar
• (optional) 1/4 cup chopped coconut (give it a few spins in the food processor first to make it easier to fill the pierogi)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten.

That's it. Now mix thoroughly with the sweet potatoes and chill for a bit until somewhat stiff. You can also perpare this ahead and make the pierogi the next day.

For savory Sweet Potato Pierogi:

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 clove or garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 - 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh Sage (if you are not a big sage fan, substitute Basil for the sage!)
• 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped Thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1 cup of Ricotta or Farmer's cheese
• 1 egg plus one egg yolk, beaten

This first part is optional, it depends how far into "savory" you want to adventure: Melt the butter until it foams, add the shallot and stir a minute or two until soft, then add the garlic and stir another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from heat and add to sweet potatoes.

In all cases, add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well. Chill untill a bit more firm and easier to handle. That's it.

Now, make your favorite pierogi dough and fill them with the Sweet Potato mixture of your choice. Boil them until cooked (they'll float when cooked), then drain.

For the sweet recipe, fry in a bit of butter, then serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a bit of sour cream. Yumm.

For the savory recipe, cook some butter until it foams, add a bit of sage, then add the pierogi and fry in this brown butter until a bit browned. Serve with a bit of the browned butter.

There, now you have it, fresh from my mind to your kitchen. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Stuffed Round Steak, Pyzy, and Mushroom Gravy

Based on my recent trip to Poland and some of the wonderful food I had there, I decided to try to make my own Polish meal, from scratch, with not much for recipies. I made three different things:

1. Mushroom Stuffed Round Steak
2. Pyzy (potato dumplings)
3. Mushroom Gravy

My first challenge was the gravy. I had some excellent mushrooms and mushroom sauces in Poland, but those used fresh Polish mushrooms, something you can't really find here. I tried to find chanterelles, but alas, no on seemed to have any. So I settled for baby bellas. I chopped about three medium onions and softened them in 2 or so Tablespoons of butter with a dash or two of salt, and cooked until most of the moisture was released and the mixture was starting to caramelize a bit. I added a bit more butter, then two Tablespoons of flour, cooking for a minute to make a roux. Then I added 12 oz of O'Doul's non-alcoholic beer, about a quarter cup of cream, a half cup or red wine, and a half cup of beef broth, stirring to make a sauce. To this I added about 12 ounces of quartered baby bella mushrooms. I let this cook slowly at low heat for a good half hour until the mushrooms were tender but still recongnizable. Finally I seasoned with a bit more salt and pepper. Smacznego!

I could not find a larger round steak, so settled for two pieces each about 5 inches by 10 inches. I lightly salted and peppered them, then set aside for a bit. For the stuffing I took about two large onions, halved and sliced, and sauteed them in a few Tablespoons of butter until softened, then added about 12 ounces of sliced baby bella mushrooms and cooked the mixture until tender. To this I added the crumbs of four slices of white bread (processed in a food processor) and some beef broth just to moisten a bit. It made a fairly dry dressing. To form the roulade-like "loaf," I basically made a sandwich of the two pieces of round steak with the stuffing in the middle, closing up the sides well. I tied it with butcher twine. Now to cook it.

I got a heavy pan good and hot, medium high, then added a few teaspoons of oil and seared the "roll" on all sides, top first. Once it was good and seared I left it in the pan, added a bit of beef broth, and baked in a medium hot oven (375) until done but not overdone, about 150 in the center of the dressing. I let it rest a bit on the cutting board, then removed the butcher string and sliced in half on the bias. You can see the result in the picture.

The pyzy were fairly easy as well. I took about three mediums size russet potatoes, peeled then and cut into chunks, then boiled in salted water until tender. When they were done, I drained them, then let them dry out a bit in the hot pan. Finally, I pressed them through a ricer into a bowl. To this I added about a half cup of flour, a quarter cup of mashed potato flakes, and one beaten egg, as well as a half teaspoon of salt. I took two more slightly larger russets, peeled them, then grated them on the fine setting of the grater. I drained them in a strainer and pressed to remove as much moisture as possible, then added to the other mixture. I added this all to the food processor and processed a number of pulses to combine, then added more flour until the dough was somewhat thick. I used a portioning disher to make small balls, rolled them with a little flour, then boiled them in salted water. Once they floated, I waited another 3-5 minutes to ensure they were cooked through.

Finally, I put this all together on a plate, the lices of mushroom stuffed round steak, the pyzy, and the mushroom gravy. My friend Tommy was the lucky recipient of this wonderful meal. If he spoke Polish, I know he'd have proclaimed it bardzo smaczne!

Bigos

What is Bigos, you may ask?  Well, it's a Polish dish, sometimes called "hunter stew" and often considered to be the national dish of Poland. It is not for vegetarians, meat rules in this dish along with other traditional Polish fare such as cabbage, sauerkraut, and mushrooms.

I'd had Bigos a few times at some restaurants in the area and liked it. When I saw a recipe posted online on the About.com Eastern European Foog blog, I decided it was time to give it a try. I'm glad I did.

To see the recipe you can go here. Of course, in good "Lake Mary Food Critic" fashion, it did not follow it that closely. But still it turned out good. I would not call Bigos a "pretty dish" although a few friends said it looked good. But here, you be teh judgte:

So what did I do differently and what would I do different next time? I had some leftover kielbasa in the freezer, so I cut that into about 1/2 inch slices, then quartered those. For the other meat, I had some leftover frozen smoked pulled pork in the freezer and I used that. I'll tell you, the aroma of the hickory smoked pulled pork added a wonderful note to this dish. The tomatoes I used were a bit underripe and next time I'd use a healthy dose of tomato paste in addition to fresh tomatoes, I think that would have given it a nice note. Also, I'd use fresh mushrooms next time, and more of them. The reconsitituted dried mushrooms had a bit of a spongy texture, that's all.

Overall, this turned out to be a very successful dish. I gave some to some unsuspecting friends. They thought it looked weird, but figured if I cooked it, it must be good. They absolutely raved about it, they loved it so much. And when my Polish friend Ewa tasted it, she thought I must have had her recipe--and she loved it as well. So, my word to you is, give it a try! Definitely Bardzo Smacznego--very good eats!  

Tropical Heat Salsa

I prepared a pineapple-mango salsa for Alive After Five recently, and here is how I did it:

Dice all ingredients into 1/4" dice unless indicated otherwise, then mix all of the following together the night before in a large container (makes about 4-5 liters):

• 3 fresh pineapples, diced
• 5 ripe mangoes, diced
• 4 fresh peaches, diced
• 3 jalapeno peppers, finely diced (ribs/seeds removed)
• 3 serrano chili peppers, finely diced (ribs/seeds removed)
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground allspice
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced (add a little at a time, red onion can be overpowering)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (again, start with less, then taste)
• 3 Tablespoons medium hot chili powder (again, to taste)
• A few grinds of fresh ground black pepper, maybe 1/8 teaspoon.
• A pinch or two of salt, to taste.

That's it. Toss everything together and taste as you go. Adjust the heat to your liking. Serve with tortilla chips and you have a great spicy tropical salsa!

Coco Loco Sangria

I made a new concoction for Alive After Five the other day and I called it Coco Loco Sangria. It was sangria with a definite coconut twist to it, but still plenty of fruit flavor as well. Here's how I did it:

First off, make it the night before so it has a chance to set and the flavors have a chance to meld, Put all of this in a very large container, or split into smaller containers if need be:

• 4 bottles cheap white wine. I used Turning Leaf (?) from Wal-Mart, Pinot Grigio
• 3 cups cranberry juice
• 1 can Coconut Creme (often found in the hispanic section)
• 2 cups apple juice
• 6-10 sticks of cinnamon
• 2 Apples sliced
• 3 oranges sliced
• 2 limes sliced
• 1 bottle coconut extract (I used McCormick, from the spice section)

Let all of this sit overnight for the flavors to meld. When ready to serve, but in a large container and add

• 2 2-liter bottles lemon-lime soda (I used diet!).

Pour into glasses garnished with a piece of fresh pineapple and a blueberry or two.

You will need to stir occasionally--the coconut creme contains fat and it tends to separate and also create a bit of a froth, but it also give the sangria a nice richness and velvety smoothness.

Enjoy!

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos

At this month's Alive After Five in Downtown Sanford, my friend Tommy is having the opening of his art show at Art Affair Gallery. I am making the food. We are having two things: Bleu-Be-Q Chicken Tacos and My Sangria's got the Blues. This article is about how I made the Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos.

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos are my own invention, though based on various recipes and ideas I found on the Internet. But I have upped the ante and improved on the concept. And, lucky for you, I'm willing to share my secrets.

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos consist of four distinct element, ranging in complexity from extremely simple to quite complex:

1. a Tortilla (quite simple)
2. Barbecued Chicken (very complex)
3. Blue Cheese Coleslas (complex)
4. Shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese (simple, unless you make your own cheese!)

1) For the tortilla, I wanted to make this an appetizer, a bite or two only. So I took a large flour tortilla and I used a 2-1/2 inch round cookie/biscuit cutter to cute seven rounds out of an approximately 10" tortilla. Quite simple with a bit of muscle

2) This is the complicated part. Smoke some chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on. The need to be smoked low and slow (250 degrees) for about 5 or so hours, until the meat is falling off the bone tender. You can, however, cheat. Put the bone-in, skin-on thighs on a half sheet pan, cover with strips of hickory smoked bacon, and cook in a 350-degree oven for 3-4 hours. Be careful so the grease and drippings don't overflow.

Once the chicken is cool, pick off the bacon and reserve, pick off the skin, and pull the chicken off the bones, discarding any gristle. Save all the meat.

Fry up some diced onions in a bit of fat or butter until soft, then add the chicken meat. Now's the time for the spices. Add the following (amounts are for about 5#--before cooking) of smoked chicken thighs:

• Cumin - 2 Tablespoons
• Chili powder -- 2 Tablespoons
• Smoked Paprika -- 1-2 Tablespoons
• Cayenne -- 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon
• Cider Vinegar -- 1/2 cup
• Vodka -- 1/4 cup
• Tomato sauce -- 8 oz.
• Ketchup -- 12 oz.

Meanwhile, chop the bacon up fine, and add this to the mixture as well. If you cheated using the bacon, you can also add about 1/4 teaspoon of liquid hickory smoke. 

Allow this to simmer on low heat for severa hours up to 8 hours, stirring occasionallyl

3) The coleslaw is easy if you buy a bag of mixed green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots at Publix. Or buy those things and shred them yourself. For a 1 pound bag, make the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons grainly mustard (I recommend Silver Springs Beer & Brat Mustard if you can find it--its' the best)
• About 1/4 of a fresh pineapple (cored and skinned of course), finely diced
• 4-5 oz of crumbled blue cheese. Save your money here, you don't need the Maytag brand. Any good Wisconsin crumbled blue cheese (yes, even in a plastic container) will suffice.

Mix all the ingredients together. This is best done the night before to allow the flavors to blend

4) Buy a bag of shredded sharp cheddar, or shred your own. the cheese is optional.

To assemble:

1. 1 Tortilla round
2. Place about a Tablespoon of Chicken Taco mix on it (about an ounce)
3. Place a half tablespoon of Blue Cheese coleslaw on that.
4. Garnish with just a bit of cheese.
5. Fold up like a taco and serve.
6. Stand back and accept the praise--these are darned good.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. It really is very easy to make. My best advice is to taste as you go along. Salt and pepper can be added if desired, but be careful, most chicken is already brined so you should have plenty of salt already.

That's all there is to it. Let me know what you think!

Mexican Chili Slices with Sangria de Mayo

At last week's Alive After Five street party in downtown Sanford, I made the appetizers for Julie Kessler's "Earth to Metal" art opening show at Art Affair Gallery. My fair was simple yet, so I was told, delicious: Mexican Chili Slices served with a Mexican Sangria. Here's how I made it.

For the Mexican Chili Slices, start out by making your chili several days ahead of time:

For the Chili:

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Medium Hot Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Hungarian Half Sharp Paprika
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 oz. tomato paste

In a skill, begin to brown the ground chuck, addin the onion just as it starts to brown. Cook over medium to medium high heat until all liquid has evaporated and it just begins to sizzle. Remove from heat and strain off the grease. When strained, return to the hot pan, continue to cook and add the minced garlic, cooking about aminute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, and tomato paste and mix well, then add the rest of the spices. Bring just to a simmer, then simmer on very low about two hours. If mixture becomes too dry, add a bit of beef stock, but do not let it get too thin. Once it has simmered a good long time, remove from heat, allow to cook, then cover and refrigerate for several days.

For the Vodka Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 24 oz. bottle ketchup
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon Chili powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
• Juice of one fresh lemon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Will keep several weeks.

For the Chipotle Crema:

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 whole chipotle chili in adobo with the sauce

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. If it's too spicy, you can add a bit more sour cream.

You will also need about 3-4 12" flour tortillas.

To assemble, warm the chili to just above room temperature to make it easy to handle. Spread about 3/4 cup chili on a tortilla, staying 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll up like a pinwheel, then roll in aluminum foil, pinching and twisting the ends, to make a round loaf like a sausage. Repeat, using all the chili. Refrigerate overnight to set.

The next day, unwrap the rolled chili and bias slice about 3/8 of an inch thick. You should get about 13-15 good slices per roll. Arrange on a platter and top each with a dollop of the Mexican Crema and a squirt of the Vodka Barbecue sauce. Garnish with a small piece of cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

For the Sangria de Mayo you'll need:

• 3 bottles inexpensive Merlot (I used turning Oak from Wal-Mart!)
• 3/4 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
• 1 large Red Delicious apple, cored, quartered and sliced thin
• 1 Large Granny Smith apple, cored, quartered and sliced thin
• Two large naval oranges, quartered and slice thin
• 1 Lime, quartered and sliced thin
• 2-3 fresh Lemons, quartered and sliced thin
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 12 allspice berries
• 12 whole cloves
• 1 2-liter bottle lemon lime soda.
• assorted apples/oranges/lemons, sliced thin for serving.

Put all ingredients thru the 12 cloves into a large pitcher, stir, and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, transfer 1/3 of liquid to a separate pitcher, add 1/3 of the lemon-lime soda, and serve in small glasses that are already prepared with some additional slices of mixed apples/lemons/oranges. Serve and enjoy! Repeat until you've served it all.

Polish Easter Soup

For Easter this year we had a real treat, my friend Ewa made żurek, also known as Polish Easter Soup, and sometimes called white barszcz. It's basically a thin white soup and uses a sour rye started as a base, with polish sausage and hard boiled eggs in it, among other things. At first thought, you may think to yourself "this does not sound that good." But let me tell you from experience, when done right it's wonderful, and my friend Ewa did it to perfection. It was so good that one of my friends who's not very adventurous in the food department and more of a "meat and potatoes" type of guy, after he tried a taste, he had a whole bowl, and then came back for seconds. Yes, it was that good. 

So, without further ado, and with Ewa's permission, here is her recipe for this wonderful soup:

• 1 LB Polish sausage – skinless/skinned – cut into thick half slices
• 1 large onion - chopped fine
• 5-6 baby Bella mushrooms - chopped
• 2 QT Chicken bullion
• ~ 2C Kwas (Rye sour) – see recipe below *
• 5 Potatoes – med/small chunks
• 1 large turnip - grated
• 2 carrots – grated
• 2-3 TBS marjoram
• 5-6 cloves of garlic – finely chopped/minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ C sourcream

 To garnish:

• ~1/2 LB bacon- fried, chopped
• Fresh parsley or dill – chopped
• Hard boiled eggs – quartered (1/2 – 1 egg per person)  

1. Sauté sausage, onion and mushrooms together
2. Add to combined bullion and kwas
3. Add all vegetables and spices
4. Bring to a boil and cook till the potatoes are tender
5. Add sour cream (gradually, mixing with liquid)
6. Garnish in individual bowls

*Kwas

• ¾ C rye flour
• 2 C water
• 1 garlic clove – chopped

Mix ¾ C rye flour with 2 C pre-boiled warm water. Pour into a jar or crockery bowl. Add garlic. Cover with cheesecloth and let stand in a warm place for 4-5 days. Strain before using 

That's it! That's all their is to it. Now you have Ewa's secret and can make a żurek nearly as good as hers! Bardzo smaczne! 

   

Fourth Friday Art Walk

On the fourth Friday of each month, the Sanford Welcome Center hosts and Art Walk. Area artists display works in the Welcome Center and visitor vote for their favorites. The other Sanford galleries are also open and also hold special events. Most of the venues have appetizers and wine as well. It's always a fun night and always a busy night. The Art Walk held last night was no exception.

 

My friend Tom Abbott entered a work in the exhibition. Though he did not win, all the participants and visitors were the winners because they got to see and enjoy some really nice art and rub shoulders with a lot of the artists. I especially enjoyed talking with Ken Balboni, a digital photographer, how had a photo that I really liked. He gave me some great photography advice, too. It was nice to meet some of the other artists as well. It's always a busy event, and they have wine (from the Sanford Wine Company, just down the street) and appetizers galore as well. They had a good turnout last night as usual. It's really a lot of fun and a great time.

 

I also spent a good amount of time hanging out at Art Affair Gallery, katty-corner across First Street from the welcome center. They were very busy last night. They recently moved down two doors to the corner shop, twice the size of their former location. If last night's traffic is any indication, it's a really happening place, for sure. I spend a lot of time there because my friend Tom helped Ronda open the first location, did some of the work on the new location, and has a number of his works on display at Art Affair Gallery. They have a lot of nice stuff and I am a big fan, definitely.

 

To add to the festivities at Art Affair Gallery, yours truly took along an appetizer. Now I will admit it's a rip-off of something I'd had at another party some time, some where, but I don't recall just when or where. I took a whole pineapple and--very carefully and with a very sharp knife--quartered it. Then again with a sharp knife, i trimmed out the core, cut it longitudinally most of the way through, then made latteral cuts about every inch or so, again, most of the way through. Finally, I again used very sharp cutting utensil and cut along the skin. Then I cut maraschino cherries in half and with a toothpick, put a cherry on each piece. The tootpick served to hold the pieces in place, and even where I may not have quite cut all the way through, the pieces were easy to remove. I had reports from Art Affair that people commented very favorably on this and loved it. It was fun to make and quite easy to do, actually. And as you can see in the picture, the presentation is spectacular!

Gallery on First was also open though I did not make it in there last night. Still, they also have some nice stuff--they have rooms they rent out to local artists, a big room where they have changing exhibits, and in the front they sell their specialty--southern folk art.

 

Down around the corner, Riverhouse Pottery also had an artists' showing/competition. They had a number of pieces of glasswork and glass-based jewellry. I did go and vote on my favorites. They also had some delicious meatballs, by the way! Yumm.

And not to be outdone, Little Fish Huge Pond also had an artist's opening last night. If you've never visited this quaint little bar, you really need to. The often have live music on the weekends and there is always an art show going on in there as well. It's really a fun, friendly, welcoming, and definitely avante garde place.  

I did walk up and down First street and it was generally quite busy. The main restaurants were also doing a great business, it seemed:

• Stone's Throw Bistro
• Two Blondes and a Shrimp
• Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe

They are, by the way, listed in my current personal order of preference, but don't get me wrong, they're all great places to eat and I highly recommend andy and all of them. You cannot go wrong eating at any one of them and each has its own unique charm. All have excellent food.

There! I did manage to incorporate enough about food into this post, didn't I. Downtown Sanford is a very fun place, even when there is not a special event going on. But with the special Fourth Friday Art Walk and the second Thursday Alive after Five party, it's an even more fun place. I love it. I hope you'll give it a try one of these days, too.