The Rogue Estate

Text encapsulated culinary elitism.

I’ve been on a big shortbread kick lately.  I think it’s mostly because they are the buttery little chameleons of the cookie world.  I can be digging around on the spice shelf of our pantry and get about two dozen ideas for accessorizing a basic shortbread recipe, and then the challenge simply becomes choosing which one I want to make first.

Over the New Year’s Holiday, I stumbled across a recipe for a Parmesan shortbread with rosemary.  Savory and herbaceous, it sounded like a lovely alternative for all of the sweet I usually generate in the kitchen.  I decided to swap out the Parmesan for three-month aged Manchego cheese, which is a sheep milk cheese from Spain.  I pressed a whole blanched almond into the top of each shortbread round, though in retrospect, I wish I had had some Marcona almonds on hand instead.  The finished product was light and buttery, and deliciously herbaceous, with a nice little touch of texture from the almond.  I took it a step further and spread some quince paste on them as I ate them and it was quite a delicious homage to a country I have yet to visit.  The shortbread were accompanied by a glass of Juan Gil Jumilla, some jumbo olives that I stuffed with the aforementioned Marcona almonds, and an assortment of Spanish goat and sheep milk cheeses for an evening of tapas with friends.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese (or any Spanish cheese of your choosing)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon water
• blanched almonds (or Marcona almonds)
• quince paste (optional, for serving)

Put the flour, sugar, rosemary, salt and Manchego into a bowl and whisk until combined.  Add the butter and cut it into the flour mixture until a soft dough forms.  You will likely need to add the water to get it to hold together.

There are a couple of different ways to prepare your shortbread for baking.  The first method is to put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, forming it into a loose log.  Roll the dough log in the plastic wrap and twist the ends securely, then chill it in the refrigerator until it is firm – about one hour.  After it has set, cut the log into 1/4″ to 1/2″ disks, placing them on a cookie sheet.  When I prepared the dough, I simply rolled tablespoon-sized balls of it, setting them on a cookie sheet.  I placed one blanched (or Marcona) almond on the top of each ball, then pressed them flat with the floured bottom of a glass.  When they were all prepared, I set the cookie sheets in the refrigerator to let them set for one hour.

Bake the cookies in a 375 degree oven for about 12 to 14 minutes.  The edges will just begin to turn golden brown.  Cool the shortbread on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Spread with quince paste before eating.

The cookies will keep in an airtight container for about a week.

~Sara

R. Samurai

Welcome to my introductory post on preparing all things wild. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Pat, aka Redneck Samurai. I have been an avid grocery shopper of the great state of Michigan’s woods, fields, lakes and streams for most of my life. I have enjoyed many of Michigan’s specialties and have developed a bit of knowledge through trial and error, that I’d like to share with you. I’ll do my best to guide you through the basics of preparing wild game. In future posts I’ll share my favorite recipes and techniques for preparing your quarry.

Here in Michigan we have wrapped up another beautiful hunting season and many of us have a few pounds of something scrumptious in the freezer. Unfortunately, some of my fellow outdoor shoppers don’t know how to prepare their game and the flavors of the wild get lost. Either in the old “hide the gamey flavor” recipes from mom or burnt to a crisp because “ya gotta cook it good, it’s wild after all.”

There are three things that you need to keep in mind with wild game. First, you can hack any of your favorite recipes that call for a store bought kin of your game. Second, don’t be afraid to experiment, find an interesting recipe and run with it. Third, try to find recipes that will complement your catch and not over power or cover its natural excellence.

Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years that have helped me decide what to prepare. Most wild game will have significantly less fat than their “farm” raised cousins. This is due in part to the fact they actually get to live a real life. Oh yeah, and they aren’t shot up with hormones seven times a month to ensure massive muscle growth. This is an important piece of information when preparing wild game. In most cases you’ll have to add some kind of fat/grease or oil when hacking it into a recipe designed for farm raised fare. A good example of this is wild turkey. Your store bought Butterball has more then enough fat, water and “additives” throughout the bird to keep it moist for its full six hour bake. With a wild bird you’ll need to supplement by either packing bacon, bacon grease or duck fat under the skin (any excuse to use bacon). Or you can also rub it down with bacon grease, duck fat, butter, olive oil or peanut oil and keep it covered longer. You’ll also want to procure a good thermometer. You don’t have the room for error that you have in store bought birds. Once that bird hits temperature pull it.

The flavors of your harvest can differ greatly based on where your quarry lived and what it had been feeding on. For example, venison harvested from an area that is mainly farm land or orchards has most likely fed on corn, soybeans, apples or what ever the farmer has planted that year. They will have a lighter, sweeter flavor then one that comes from a heavily wooded area. Venison harvested from a forested location have fed on acorns, wild fruits, berries, grass and vegetation resulting in a stronger nutty, earthy flavor. In both cases this is typically what most mush mouths would refer to as the “gamey” flavor. Venison with a more robust flavor is well suited for recipes that call for lamb, pork or goat and marry well with more intense spice and seasoning palettes. They work well in Middle Eastern, Central American, Mexican or any rich flavorful cuisine that can complement its unique essence. They also pair well with aromatic cheeses and herbs. Venison from farmlands work well with lighter styles of cooking. Stir fries, grilling with light glazes or reductions and (American style) shish kabobs with fresh vegetables. They tend to work well in place of beef, veal or pork. Remember don’t hide that delicious flavor, enhance it with your spices and seasonings.

One of the most common misconceptions with wild game especially venison is that you have to cook the holy shit out of it. That is absolutely true if you want to gnaw on a wedge of flavorless leather. As I’ve mentioned before wild game is lean, which means it cooks fast and if its over cooked it turns tough, dry and flavorless. As with any meat it should be brought to an appropriate temperature. However, that does not mean you need to turn it to coal. Venison should be prepared no more then medium. I prefer medium rare. If I’m grilling or broiling half inch to one inch think portions of venison it should only see heat for three to four minutes a side. That will result in a nice brown outside with a gorgeous juicy pink inside. As with all meat but especially wild game, let it rest. I know its damn near impossible to not jab a fork in that beast and grab a bite right when it comes off the grill but…… Wait 15 minutes and let all that meat cool a bit and let the juice stay in the meat not on the plate.

Until next time,

DO NOT FEAR FLAVOR!

A superior coffee brew

My first visit to Chazzano Coffee Roasters in Ferndale, MI took an unexpected turn. I arrived, not knowing quite what to expect from this new offering in town and I discovered what can only be described as a love story.

19 years ago, owner and Master Roaster Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo began roasting coffee for his own enjoyment in his garage. The first cup ignited his passion and love of coffee roasting – the art, science and magic of the craft and all the nuances and processes therein.

Much like Chazzano’s neighbors B Nektar Meadery one half mile to the south, Frank’s home-grown passion has grown into a full fledged business, serving amazing cups of coffee, educating and sharing his love with regulars and new customers alike.

I walked in and asked Frank and his Barristas Claire and Elena to start at the top and take me on a coffee tour, which they obliged. Each cup, drawn from a french press was unique to it’s origins, exquisite and satisfying.

Other preparations include an espresso machine and a method called siphoning, shown in the photo above. Like adding water to Scotch, siphoning can create an entirely different flavor experience from that of a french press from the same type bean. The siphon is also a lot of fun to watch if you’re a process nerd like me.

Of the many things you will refreshingly not find at Chazzano are drip coffee makers, decanters, or flavored syrups. The coffee is made only upon order and specifically for you. Your cup of coffee will always be literally as fresh as it can possibly can be. The dedication to the art is astounding. Also missing – walls of gear, or any of the other annoyances commonly found in st*rbucks type places. Chazzano is blissfully fac to face personal, classy and comfortable.

All of this set up brings us to the star of the article: The coffee.

My first cup, a Papua New Guinea Purosa, is one of Chazzano’s most popular – and for good reason. A wonderfully complex coffee with a wonderful nose of cinnamon and chocolate notes and a full bodied mouth feel that would make any morning feel like a lazy Sunday.

My tour continued with a Citrusy Nicaraguan Maragogype, an amazing Ethiopian Harrar with a floral taste and a nose of wood and tobacco, a Sumatra Manheling that immediately reminded me of a well stocked humidor and a delightfully smooth mouth feel and full bodied flavor, A Guatemalan Comel with vanilla and caramel notes and a naturally decaffeinated Sumatra with a nose like fine dark chocolate and a taste as smooth as silk, I would never guess it to be decaf, and neither will you.

There are other varieties to sample and Frank is always searching for amazing new experiences to share with his customers. Each of the coffees I enjoyed on this visit could probably warrant their own posts. And perhaps as I learn more of the vocabulary and enjoy more of the fruits born of Frank’s expertise, I’ll undertake that task.

If you are a coffee lover or would like to become one, head on out to 1737 E. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, MI and pay Frank and his staff a visit, or place an order online. You will not be disappointed – and you may just fall in love.

-///

We’ll be doing a menu overhaul where I work next month so I came up with six new dishes to go on the new, more Japanese focused menu. As it stands, the hot items are a little out of place on a Sushi menu. (see the Lamb chops with a mediteranian marinade and a south american sauce…) This is one of the dishes that stood out at the tastings I’ve done for it so far.

For the scallops:

1 pound U21/25 or U10 scallops
1 cup light olive oil or blended oil such as canola and soy
1/4 cup fresh crushed garlic
1/4 cup fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup finely grated lime zest

Procedure:

Just place the oil, garlic, ginger and lime zest in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Toss your scallops in the marinade and set aside, or refrigerate overnight. If using the U21/25’s you’ll get 5-6 servings, if using the U10’s you’ll get 10.

Sushi Rice:

2 cups Nishiki medium grain white rice
4 cups water
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tblspn Kosher salt

Procedure:

Rinse the rice under cold running water, stirring continuously, until the water runs clear. Place the rice in a lidded pot and cover with water. Place the pot over high heat until it reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes and remove from heat. Allow to stand for another 10-15 minutes covered. That means leave it be! Don’t go poking your nose in the pot until it’s time! Meanwhile, mix the other ingredients in a bowl to have ready when you turn the rice out. When it’s time, put the rice into a wooden bowl if you have one. Any bowl will do however. With a rubber spatula gently fold in the vinegar mixture while the rice is still hot. When completely folded in, and there’s no more visible liquid in the bottom of the bowl, set aside to cool to room tempurature.

Avacado Sauce:

3 whole avacados, pitted and peeled
1 cup water
2 Tblspn Hon Dashi Bonito soup base
2 Tblspn Yuzu or Lemon juice
2 Tblspn of a light oil

Procedure:

Put the water and Dashi into a pot and bring to a simmer to disolve the soup base. It should taste quite fishy and salty when finished. Set aside to cool. With the back of a ladel or spoon, push the avacados through a fine mesh strainer into a mixing bowl and whisk in all other ingredients, oil last and slowly.

To finish:

Place 2 saute pans over high heat and lightly coat the bottoms with oil. If using the smaller scallops, using your hands or a trianglular mold, form the rice cakes into triangles about three inches on each side. If using the U10 scallops, just mold the rice into round cakes of the same diameter of the scallops. Very lightly season the scallops with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and season the rice lightly with salt alone. On small round plates make a ring of Chili Oil just inside the rim. Fill these rings with the avacado sauce, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon until the oil has just reached the inside rim of the plate, or until the pudle of sauce is big enough to leave a 1/2 inch border around the rice cakes. When wisps of smoke are just starting to come up from the pans place the scallops flat side down in one, making sure not to overcrowd them. There should be at least a 1/2 an inch of space between them. Place the rice cakes in the other. Allow both to brown, about 2 minutes, then flip and continue for another 2 minutes. When finished, remove the scallops to a paper towel and place the rice cakes in the center of the avacado sauce. Arrange the scallops in a pyramid on top of the rice cakes if using the U21/25, three on the bottom in the points of the triangle and one on top in the center. Garnish with micro Shiso (micro celery is pictured), finely shredded red shiso, thinly sliced scallion, chives or even chive flowers. Serve!

Hope you guys dig that one. The Avacado sauce took me a week to perfect, going through many different incarnations. In the end, as with all Japanese cooking, the simplest turned out to be the best. If you try this one at home let me know how it came out! If you wanna try mine, head up to Ignite middle to end of next month, the new menu should be up and running by then!

Later all!

Jack

Welcome to the debut post of “Where in the World is  Brent’s Tongue”. We will be embarking on a worldwide adventure, tasting wines that my tongue has enjoyed from different parts of the world. I will move from country to country with each post so as not to get stuck in any certain area or style of wine.
I am by no means an expert on wine. I only know what I like and after drinking a whole bunch of wine over the years am fairly confident I can recommend a great bottle of wine and give a fair representation of what to expect.
As far as my rating and descriptions go, I think for now I will just give my honest reaction to what I’m tasting, then a ranking on the “Brent’s Tongue Scale” between 1 and 11 ’cause this knob definitely goes to 11. I am not going to spend any time rating wines I don’t like, maybe when distributors start sending me free bottles… hint… hint, so my ratings will be at the higher end of the “tongue scale”, but hopefully after a few posts one can get a good idea of my tastes and thus your own tastes and be able to always drink a splendid bottle from anywhere around the world.

Finally, the wine. For this post my tongue is dragging across the soils of Sonoma County California. I think I got a taste of hippie in my mouth — gross. We’ll be easing into this nice and easy with a decent zinfandel. As far as my own personal take on California wines; they don’t excite me particularly. That is not to say there are not thousands of  fantastic wines in California or throughout the U.S.; I just have personal difficulty finding California wines that truly interest me so I have to look a little harder. That is why I chose this “Zin” for my first post. My tongue wants to represent all regions of the world fairly regardless of my own personal preferences. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Scherrer wines and their newest zinfandel peaked my interest. Scherrer’s non vintage Zindandoodle is what they’re calling it. The wine is a blend of the ‘06 and ‘07 vintages, something a little different that’s why I was attracted to this “zin”. Scherrer Zindandoodle represents zindfandels very well, it has all the great characteristics of a good zinfandel: juicy, bold, a little spicy, ripe with great texture and color. The Scherrer Zinfandoodle may not be the wine drinkers wine, but it would be perfect for pouring at a party where the majority of people are not avid wine enthusiasts. This wine should play well with the masses and great with what I would call party foods and believe it or not would probably cellar well for a  few years. One could find Scherrers Zinfandoodle for around $20 on-line or at markets with better wine selections. Brent’s tongue gives this a 6 on the 11 point tongue scale. Something simple and easy, not too complicated and should go over well when entertaining.