Radio Kitchen

October 30, 2012   #1108    A Primer on Venison

As a boy, I loved hearing stories about Robin Hood and his Merry Men, sitting around their Sherwood Forest campfires wolfing down platters of roast venison.   I didn't have clue what roast venison tasted like, but I figured it had to be pretty bold and savory stuff.  Decades later, I can say that I had it right.

And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Waterfront Kitchen knows, you can still harvest your deer with longbow and arrow, but there are easier ways of getting it.

Jerry's favorite source these days is Highbourne Farm, just across the line in PA.   Highbourne specializes in red deer, as opposed to the feral white-tail we all know.   Red deer are larger and meatier, and if kept under a controlled feeding regimen, will have superior flavor.   Deer pretty much has all the familiar cuts that beef does, but Jerry has his favorites:  t-bone steaks, tenderloin and deer shanks for venison osso bucco.

Another favorite things is to make venison jerky, a staple of the American frontier.

Spicy and Sweet Venison Jerky

(I like the contrast of heat and sweet when you make this jerky. Feel free to go as heavy on the hot as you can handle!)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of molasses
• 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper
• 6 lbs venison loin or roasted sliced into ¼ inch pieces

Combined all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and place the pan in an ice bath.   Cool the marinade down as quickly as possible with occasional stirring.

Place the venison in a few zip lock bags and evenly distribute the marinade throughout the bags.   Seal and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Place a cookie sheet on the lower rack of an oven set at 160 degrees F.   Lay the strips of venison on the rack above the cookie sheet so they are not touching.

Allow to dehydrate for 24 hours or until the desired consistency has been achieved.

Store in a covered container at room temperature.

October 16, 2012   #1106   Fundamentals of Rice
 
When I had the chance to dine with my cousin and her Persian husband last month, I was treated to a dish of saffron rice, carefully prepared in their Persian rice steamer.   The results were impressive, and shamed my haphazard ways of cooking rice.   So I decided to do a little research and see if I couldn't improve my performance.   Here are some issues, and some answers.

Washing the rice:  You should pour the rice into a wire strainer, and wash it in no less than four changes of water.   You will notice the water getting clearer with each washing.   Use you fingers to stir it around; this will remove excess starch.

Soaking:  Leaving the rice in cold water for about 30 minutes is good for older rice, and especially Basmati.

Parboiling:  For steamed rice, one common step is to bring the washed rice to a boil and let it cook for a few minutes until it just begins to soften.   Drain that rice, wash it once more, and then you can put it into the steamer.

To stir or not to stir:  If you are making a short grained rice, and you want it to be sticky, by all means stir it.   This is mandatory for risotto.   But if you want your grains to not be sticky, then do not stir at all.   Just dump it in the pot and leave it.

To cover or not to cover:  If you maintain a boil, you should cover the pot, keeping in as much steam as you can, otherwise the water will evaporate before the rice is cooked.   If you bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer - the water is still hot enough, but it will not evaporate as fast, thus you can leave it uncovered.   Look for little holes or craters to form on the surface of the rice:  this indicates that nearly all of the water has been absorbed.   Everyone agrees, after you have cooked away the water, kill the heat, cover it up and let it sit for about 20 minutes.   Once you do cover the rice, no peeking!   Keep the steam intact and let it do its thing.

How much water:  ratios vary from 1 1/2 to 2 times the volume of rice.   My personal experience says use 2x.   One trick I've seen repeatedly is to pour the rice in first, level it out, then cover it with water to a depth of one inch above the rice.

Infusions:  Gordon Ramsey suggests using cardamom pods and star anise to enhance the fragrance of rice.   Other ideas:  lemon or lime peel, saffron, coconut, green tea, cilantro, lavender.

Al's Perfered Technique for Basmati Rice

1.  Wash rice in 4 waters.

2.  Use 2x the volume of water.

3.  Add pinch of salt, drops of olive oil.

4.  Bring water and rice to a boil, do not stir.  Reduce heat to lowest simmer, then cover and let it simmer/steam for 20 minutes.

5.  After 20 minutes, remove from heat and let it stand, covered, for another 20 minutes, then you can fluff it with a fork.  You will have perfect Basmati rice.

October 2, 2012   #1104   Peppers
   
All summer long we've been gazing fondly at the pepper tables of our local farmers markets.   If you love color, texture and intricate shapes, then you can't beat peppers for sheer appearance.   We don't know exactly how many varieties we grow here in Maryland, but peppers seem to thrive.   One thing is certain:  you can put an entire spectrum of color and flavor into your dishes by using peppers.

One of the most interesting is a regional heirloom variety called "fish peppers," which were prized by African-American cooks back in the 19th century.   When they are young, the peppers are creamy white.   As such, they were used to give flavor and heat to white sauces used with fish (hence their name).   Their foliage is quite attractive, and when the smallish pods mature they become a brilliant red... well liked by landscapers.   The fish pepper is hot but not scorching hot, so a little of it in a recipe can kick up the flavor.

We have a large number of sweet peppers growing in Maryland.   Of course the Bell Peppers, which come in green, yellow, orange or red, have not a trace of heat but offer a sweet crunch to dishes.   Also, easy to find are the yellow banana peppers, and the long yellow-green Anaheim peppers.

A touch hotter are the pablano peppers, which are dark green and fat.   They do ripen into a hot red variety, and they are often smoked or dried... becoming ancho peppers.   Closely related is the chipotle pepper, which is a dried and often smoked jalapeno.   You can go hot with raw jalapenos, which are moderately hot, but not scorching.   Or you can go full bore with the notorious Scotch Bonnet pepper... pretty, and tiny, and fiery hot.  

What to do with peppers:  aside from cutting them up and serving them raw in salads, or skewering them for kabobs, there are a lot of ideas.   Grilled peppers retain their sweetness and acquire a richer flavor, and are great side dishes.   And some of the larger, mild peppers are perfect for stuffing... often with ground meat and spices.

There are tons of Indian curry recipes that call for peppers with all degrees of heat.   They are often mixed with other vegetables such as squash, onion and potatoes to make a complex stew

Finally, one of the most classic uses of peppers is to create a Mexican mole.   If you haven't encountered a mole, we're talking about a thick, ultra-flavorful sauce that is arguably more of a condiment than a pure sauce in the French sense.   Mole recipes are often quite long, and require considerable cooking time... but the results are stunning.   Do a little research into Mexican cucina, and give it a try.

Here's a nice recipe perfect for this time of the year that is made largely from ingredients found in Maryland markets.

                Al's Pepper Pot Stew
            A Radio Kitchen Original Recipe
(Note:  when cleaning hot peppers, wear rubber gloves and do not touch your eyes.)

Ingredients:

1 each:  red, yellow, orange and green Bell pepper, de-stemmed, de-seeded and cut into 1" pieces
2 long yellow banana peppers, de-stemmed, de-seeded and cut into long strips
2 jalapeno pepper (or any other moderately hot peppers) de-stemmed, de-seeded, and chopped into a medium mince
1 poblano pepper, de-seeded and cut into coarse chunks
2 small sweet yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tbs olive oil   
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tbs ground black pepper
kosher salt to taste
1 cup chicken broth
12 small yellow fingerling potatoes, cleaned and quartered lengthwise
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut up into bite-sized pieces
2 cooked andouille sausages (or similar dried sausage) cut up into one inch pieces

Directions:

1.  In a heavy non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, and toss in the peppers and onions and the seasonings.  Stir and evenly cook until they are tender and start to sear.  Remove from heat, and set aside.

2.  In a large, deep sauce pan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer and toss in the potatoes.  Just as they start to become tender, add in the chicken and sausage.  Keeping the heat low, cook for about 10 minutes uncovered.

3.  Add the peppers and onions to the stew and continue cooking for about another 15 minutes over low heat.  Keep the pan uncovered, and allow the liquid to evaporate and thicken.  Check the flavor and adjust seasoning

4.  Prior to serving, heat the stew up again and gently stir the ingredients.   Serve over Basmati rice.

September 18, 2012   #1102   Olive Oil   

One of the most commonly found ingredients in a kitchen is also one of the most important.   Today, we cannot begin to imagine cooking without olive oil, but there was a time a few decades ago when it wasn't at all easy to find in the American kitchen.   The popular Mediterranean cuisine centers on olive oil, and thousands of recipes that we Americans love require it.

We often see the term "extra virgin olive oil" in recipes or on store shelves.   In Europe the term means something very specific; in the US it is much less so.   In the olive oil industry, debate rages as to just how stringent the American definition of "extra virgin" should be.

Essentially, the term "extra virgin" applies to oils that are mechanically pressed, that have no chemical additives, nor undergo any chemical refinement.   The nominated oils must also pass tests that insure that they are within exact standards in terms of acidity and organic compounds essential to olive oil, and they must pass a tasting panel to insure quality on the palate.

Today, premium extra virgin olive oil is a relatively small part of the market.   It is the hands-down choice for an oil that is used to finish a dish, or be a principal ingredient, as in a sauce.   If you are going to saute, you can and should use a lesser quality oil, since its primary function is to act as a lubricant and a heat transfer medium.   But when the actual taste of olive oil is critical, it pays to use high grade extra virgin oil.

Baltimore has an important olive oil connection.   Pompeian Olive Oil is a local business, and they were the first to import (in 1906) high quality extra virgin olive oil into the United States.   The top of their line, the extra virgin, is a very good olive oil that toes the line on carefully monitored production techniques and taste evaluations.   The company is planning to open a new tasting room and museum at their Pulaski Highway site in coming months.

And Radio Kitchen now has a very important connection to Pompeian:  our own Chef Jerry Pellegrino has been named a national spokesman for Pompeian Olive Oil, and is already producing a television series with the celebrated actress and health enthusiast Suzanne Somers.

You can visit the Pompeian website at www.pompeian.com.