The Hill Country Wine and Food Festival is fast approaching, and their updated website is live and selling tickets to all of the events. Year after year, the Wine and Food Festival has been one of my favorite foodie events here in the greater Austin area, and judging by the events scheduled for this year, it will not disappoint in 2009.
If you don't make it to any other events, make sure to attend the Sunday Fair, hosted this year at the Vineyards at The Salt Lick.
20.2.09
16.2.09
Uchi Means House
Many thanks to Samantha Davidson and Uchi for hosting a Food Blogger Tasting showcasing Uchi's culinary fare and bringing Austin's food bloggers together for food and fun.
The food, as usual, was delicious and beautiful. Chef Cole's 'Japanese food for the American palette' has garnered much recognition and deservedly so. From Beet Terrine or Scallop Crudo, to (my favorite) the unctuous Braised Pork Belly, the food was artfully presented and skillfully prepared.
If you're in the mood for a playful and unique meal, Uchi is definitely a must-visit restaurant.
The food, as usual, was delicious and beautiful. Chef Cole's 'Japanese food for the American palette' has garnered much recognition and deservedly so. From Beet Terrine or Scallop Crudo, to (my favorite) the unctuous Braised Pork Belly, the food was artfully presented and skillfully prepared.
If you're in the mood for a playful and unique meal, Uchi is definitely a must-visit restaurant.
15.2.09
Exploration Made Easy
One of my favorite aspects of cooking is finding a new combination, a new flavor profile or an interesting substitution to an existing dish that pleases the palette and expands my culinary repertoire.
Food science has come a long way.
It is common knowledge that foods that share certain flavors (more specifically certain chemicals) tend to taste better together. Belgian food scientists have developed an easy, user-friendly website to take the guesswork out of culinary experimentation. Using Food Pairing, which breaks down food into it's major flavor components, you can combine ingredients in new ways or substitute new ingredients into old recipes without the 'I hope this works' trepidation often associated with exploration. Next time you're staring at a random assortment of foods, unsure of what the heck you're going to make, utilize this website and make your culinary life that much easier.
Food science has come a long way.
It is common knowledge that foods that share certain flavors (more specifically certain chemicals) tend to taste better together. Belgian food scientists have developed an easy, user-friendly website to take the guesswork out of culinary experimentation. Using Food Pairing, which breaks down food into it's major flavor components, you can combine ingredients in new ways or substitute new ingredients into old recipes without the 'I hope this works' trepidation often associated with exploration. Next time you're staring at a random assortment of foods, unsure of what the heck you're going to make, utilize this website and make your culinary life that much easier.
6.2.09
Cook the Plank
Inspiration for this week's foray into uncharted territory came courtesy of the weekly Wheatsville Coop e-mail, in which Bryan, the 'meat guy' extolls the virtues of a very interesting and somewhat rare ingredient. Ivory King Salmon.
Most wild Salmon derive their pink-ish hue from their diet that consists of carotenoid-rich shellfish. There is, however, a rather small percentage (around 5%) of the King Salmon population that do not posses, for whatever reason, the ability to absorb said pigments and maintain a white flesh instead of the signature 'Salmon' color. For many years these genetic oddballs were considered waste but they have recently developed a culinary following and have become prized for their more delicate flavor and obvious rarity.
To tackle such an ingredient, I decided to utilize a beautiful cedar plank that I received as a gift.
What follows are the quite pleasant and delicious results of this adventure in culinary novelty.
Cedar Plank Roasted Ivory King Salmon with Blood Orange Confit, Roasted Root Vegetables and Yukon Gold Coins
(Recipe Serves 2)
2 filets Ivory King Salmon, skin and pin-bones removed
Season Salmon with salt, pepper.
Drizzle with Olive Oil.
Sear in hot pan to color.
Set Aside.
For the Confit:
1 blood orange, zested, cut into supremes, juiced
1/2 Meyer lemon, juiced
2 sprigs Lemon Thyme
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
pinch Salt
Blanch orange zest in boiling water about 30 seconds.
Remove and rinse under cold water, set aside.
Heat water, sugar and thyme just to a boil.
Remove from heat and let steep about 15 minutes.
Remove thyme sprigs.
Add orange zest and juice.
Simmer until reduced to syrup consistency.
Add lemon juice, salt and reserve.
For The Veggies:
4 small carrots, washed
1 turnip, washed, peeled and diced
Olive Oil, as needed
Salt, Pepper, as needed
Blanch carrots and turnip pieces separately in boiling water for about 2 minutes.
Rinse in cold water and/or shock in ice water.
Toss with Olive oil, salt, pepper.
Reserve.
For the Potatoes:
4 small Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed
Canola Oil, as needed
Salt, Pepper, as needed
Slice potatoes using a Mandoline (for uniformity, or just use a knife if you choose) and hold in water to cover.
Blanch potatoes in boiling water for about a minute (less for thinner slices, more for thicker.)
Shock in ice water.
Set on towels to dry.
Heat about 1/4" oil in a skillet.
Add a layer of potatoes to cover the bottom of the skillet.
Cook until brown. Flip.
When both sides are browned, remove to paper towels and season with salt/pepper.
For the Plank Roast:
1 cedar plank, seasoned with oil on the top side
Preheat oiled plank in the oven (350F.)
Add seared Salmon.
Surround with oiled/seasoned veggies.
Roast in the oven until Salmon is cooked to your liking (I prefer mine medium, if you like it more, let it go longer.)
Let rest on the plank.
Garnish with Blood-orange supremes and Lemon-Thyme.
Serve and Enjoy!
Most wild Salmon derive their pink-ish hue from their diet that consists of carotenoid-rich shellfish. There is, however, a rather small percentage (around 5%) of the King Salmon population that do not posses, for whatever reason, the ability to absorb said pigments and maintain a white flesh instead of the signature 'Salmon' color. For many years these genetic oddballs were considered waste but they have recently developed a culinary following and have become prized for their more delicate flavor and obvious rarity.
To tackle such an ingredient, I decided to utilize a beautiful cedar plank that I received as a gift.
What follows are the quite pleasant and delicious results of this adventure in culinary novelty.
Cedar Plank Roasted Ivory King Salmon with Blood Orange Confit, Roasted Root Vegetables and Yukon Gold Coins
(Recipe Serves 2)
2 filets Ivory King Salmon, skin and pin-bones removed
Season Salmon with salt, pepper.
Drizzle with Olive Oil.
Sear in hot pan to color.
Set Aside.
For the Confit:
1 blood orange, zested, cut into supremes, juiced
1/2 Meyer lemon, juiced
2 sprigs Lemon Thyme
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
pinch Salt
Blanch orange zest in boiling water about 30 seconds.
Remove and rinse under cold water, set aside.
Heat water, sugar and thyme just to a boil.
Remove from heat and let steep about 15 minutes.
Remove thyme sprigs.
Add orange zest and juice.
Simmer until reduced to syrup consistency.
Add lemon juice, salt and reserve.
For The Veggies:
4 small carrots, washed
1 turnip, washed, peeled and diced
Olive Oil, as needed
Salt, Pepper, as needed
Blanch carrots and turnip pieces separately in boiling water for about 2 minutes.
Rinse in cold water and/or shock in ice water.
Toss with Olive oil, salt, pepper.
Reserve.
For the Potatoes:
4 small Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed
Canola Oil, as needed
Salt, Pepper, as needed
Slice potatoes using a Mandoline (for uniformity, or just use a knife if you choose) and hold in water to cover.
Blanch potatoes in boiling water for about a minute (less for thinner slices, more for thicker.)
Shock in ice water.
Set on towels to dry.
Heat about 1/4" oil in a skillet.Add a layer of potatoes to cover the bottom of the skillet.
Cook until brown. Flip.
When both sides are browned, remove to paper towels and season with salt/pepper.
For the Plank Roast:
1 cedar plank, seasoned with oil on the top side
Preheat oiled plank in the oven (350F.)
Add seared Salmon.
Surround with oiled/seasoned veggies.
Roast in the oven until Salmon is cooked to your liking (I prefer mine medium, if you like it more, let it go longer.)
Let rest on the plank.
Garnish with Blood-orange supremes and Lemon-Thyme.
Serve and Enjoy!
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