Every kitchen should have Old Bay Seasoning in its' spice rack. This is a truly versatile blend of peppers and salts and it can go on anything. It's not just for crab legs and shrimp but for meats , poultry and even veggies.
I recently used this the other week on Gardein's fish fillets. The flavor enhanced the seafood and left a light delicate flavor. Being impressed I looked into the blend's history as well as recipe and discovered its' interesting history as well as some equally interesting recipes.Most associate Old Bay with Maryland and the crab industry and they would be right. Yet it was created only as recently as 1939 , thanks to a German immigrant, Gustav Brunn, fleeing the Nazis in late 1930's . He ironically came from the landlocked city of Bastheim, near Frankfurt. with only a spice grinder. Herr Brunn settled in Baltimore and started the Baltimore Spice Company and soon after the most famous offering was created. It was and still is just a simple blend of celery salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and paprika, The name came from The Old Bay Line, a passenger ship line that sailed on the Chesapeake Bay, from Baltimore to Norfolk , Virginia in the early 1900's. Primarily it was used just on crab legs, mainly to season the water in which the crabs were boiled.
Now Old Bay can be used on anything and everything. You can still use it on seafood and may home chefs use it in both crab salad and crab cakes. Two teaspoons can thoroughly season a pound of lump crab meat. Additional Old Bay can be sprinkled on for a dash of more flavor and color. Bake the crab legs brushed with melted butter and a generous sprinkle of the seasoning. Lobster can also be spiked with it for taste and color. giving the meat a lovely coral color. If you're not into seafood then try Old Bay with eggs. Sprinkle over eggs sunnyside up or on top of Eggs Benedict. Remember to add it to the accompanying Bloody Mary on the last. Old Bay can also be part of a tangy barbecue sauce for chicken. Mix it into ketchup, cider vinegar, dark honey or brown sugar. Before grilling oil the chicken and brush on a layer of the spices then, add the barbecue sauce. reserve some for dipping. This would also make a great sauce for chicken nuggets and tenders too. Grilled veggies can also benefit from a dusting of Old Bay. Mix a tablespoon of it with either olive or vegetable oil in a bowl, add cut up eggplant, squash and bell peppers to it, Grill in a basket or thread on skewers and grill.
Old Bay Seasoning is the must have in every kitchen. Have a container of it for not just seafood but for other meats and veggies. It's not just for crab , shrimp and lobster.It's for everything!!!!
Monday, October 28, 2019
Saturday, October 26, 2019
A Divine Dish For Diwali
This is the end result - a tasty tribute to the holiday of lights.
Friday, October 25, 2019
A Dash Of Old Bay Seasoning
There's something about Old Bay Seasoning that gives seafood - real and fake some zing. I decided to use this mix of celery salt,red and black pepper and paprika on my Gardein fish fillets. Gardein does make really good faux fish fillets however I wanted to change it up a bit.Old Bay was the answer.
It was then dusting the pieces on both sides with Old Bay Seasoning. Don't go crazy with it. You want the fish flavor to come through.
Before I used the seasoning , I spritzed both sides of the fillets with Stop & Shop's vegetable oil spray. This helps the powdered mix to adhere better to the crust.
It was then dusting the pieces on both sides with Old Bay Seasoning. Don't go crazy with it. You want the fish flavor to come through.
The pieces were cooked in the air fryer (what else??) on one side for 400 degrees F for the first five minutes , then flipped and cooked at 370 degrees F for three minutes.
The result?
A delicately spiced fish fillet that had a nice, seafood house vibe. I served it with homemade celery salad for a summery feel.
Will I use Old Bay Seasoning again? Yes. In tomorrow's scrambled egg lunch. It's supposed to be good on everything , from chicken wings to real seafood to even egg dishes. I definitely will be zinging up Gardein's battered fish fillets with it from now on. It elevates and enhances the flavor , making them even more delectable.,
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The Perfect Meatball
Everyone loves a good meatball. It is the yin to spaghettii's yang,It is the back bone of a good hot sub. Yet there's one problem. It get s soggy and fall apart - usually in the middle of eating. Nothing is worse than mushy meat. However there is help - and the promise of a crispy orb of meaty goodness.
Alison Roman rethought this classic recipe in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She is not a fan of mushy meatballs nor is she an admirer of tomato sauce or the one that graces the Swedish kind. She gives us lightly spiced and pan fried - the last all the better for a nice , crispy exterior. There is also the absence of binders - such as the usual bread crumbs,egg or dairy. She classifies them as round sausages made with not beef or pork but with lamb. It's more of a Lebanese vibe, kind of like kibbe.What does she serve with it with? Eggplant and chickpeas. There is a yogurt sauce with it , again there's that feel of a Middle Eastern vibe.The meat balls are cooked first and then the eggplant. Since the last is more or less like a sponge, fry the eggplant slices in the leftover oil which will now be mixed with the lamb fat. This will definitely give them more flavor. The chickpeas are cooked last. It may seem labor intensive , taking forty-five minutes from start to finish -but definitely worth it.
Ms. Roman says lamb is the best for this but you can also use pork or beef. You could do a mix of all three for a more flavorful meatball. Fennel seeds are also added. This would give it a sausage flavor however there is a zing of red pepper flakes added.The meat is rolled into one to one and a half inch balls.They're sauteed in olive oil and rolled around the skillet to completely brown them.After this transfer them to a plate, leaving the fat and any browned bits behind. This will flavor the eggplant. The recipe calls for one medium eggplant sliced into 1/4 inch slices. More olive oil, about four tablespoons are added and the slices are browned on both sides. Each side will take six to eight minutes for that perfect , crisp crust. These are then transferred to the plate holding the meatballs. The chickpeas are cooked separately. They won't crisp up as the others but Ms. Roman assures that they will have a nice edge to them. This only takes three to five minutes. Before plating , smear seasoned yogurt on the bottom of a large serving plate or platter. Put the meatballs, eggplant and chickpeas on top. You could add a sprig of mint or parsley if you want.
This is the meatball recipe you want if you like to have crisp. It's an easy cook, and made even better with crisp eggplant and chickpeas. Try it and get away from those soft mush ones.
Alison Roman rethought this classic recipe in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She is not a fan of mushy meatballs nor is she an admirer of tomato sauce or the one that graces the Swedish kind. She gives us lightly spiced and pan fried - the last all the better for a nice , crispy exterior. There is also the absence of binders - such as the usual bread crumbs,egg or dairy. She classifies them as round sausages made with not beef or pork but with lamb. It's more of a Lebanese vibe, kind of like kibbe.What does she serve with it with? Eggplant and chickpeas. There is a yogurt sauce with it , again there's that feel of a Middle Eastern vibe.The meat balls are cooked first and then the eggplant. Since the last is more or less like a sponge, fry the eggplant slices in the leftover oil which will now be mixed with the lamb fat. This will definitely give them more flavor. The chickpeas are cooked last. It may seem labor intensive , taking forty-five minutes from start to finish -but definitely worth it.
Ms. Roman says lamb is the best for this but you can also use pork or beef. You could do a mix of all three for a more flavorful meatball. Fennel seeds are also added. This would give it a sausage flavor however there is a zing of red pepper flakes added.The meat is rolled into one to one and a half inch balls.They're sauteed in olive oil and rolled around the skillet to completely brown them.After this transfer them to a plate, leaving the fat and any browned bits behind. This will flavor the eggplant. The recipe calls for one medium eggplant sliced into 1/4 inch slices. More olive oil, about four tablespoons are added and the slices are browned on both sides. Each side will take six to eight minutes for that perfect , crisp crust. These are then transferred to the plate holding the meatballs. The chickpeas are cooked separately. They won't crisp up as the others but Ms. Roman assures that they will have a nice edge to them. This only takes three to five minutes. Before plating , smear seasoned yogurt on the bottom of a large serving plate or platter. Put the meatballs, eggplant and chickpeas on top. You could add a sprig of mint or parsley if you want.
This is the meatball recipe you want if you like to have crisp. It's an easy cook, and made even better with crisp eggplant and chickpeas. Try it and get away from those soft mush ones.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
The Truth About Fake Meat
Fake meat is now a big part of our lives. We're gobbling up the faux stuff more than the real. Yet there's so many out there. Which one is the best? Which one tastes like the real thing? It's time for a taste test.
Julia Moskin posed these questions and had a tasting table with fellow Food section writers, Pete Wells and Melissa Clark, Also she employed her twelve year old vegetarian daughter and Ms Clark's burger loving one. Each burger was seared with a teaspoon of canola oil and served on a potato bun. These were eaten plain and then a second one with all the trimmings , from condiments to pickles and cheese. How did they rate? Impossible Burgers ranked number one with four and a half stars. Ms. Moskin's daughter thought it was real beef, slipped in to confuse the tasters.Ms. Clark though, thought the meat too dried out .It does contain a compound - soy legheroglobin - created from plant hemoglobins - to create a bloody look. The second best Beyond Burger - which I've eaten and liked. This received four stars . It was deemed juicy with convincing texture with a lot of unami. This was from Melissa Clark. Her daughter however deemed them to have a smoky barbecue flavor , like those of barbecue potato chips. Even Pete Wells said it was a beefy experience.
What other faux burgers were good?Lightlife Burgers, out of Toronto , got four stars as well. It was considered firm and chewy thanks to it being made from a sturdy soy product called tempeh. The Uncut Burger was rated the meatiest of the whole bunch. It had a slightly chunky texture like good coarse= ground beef according to Ms. Moskin. Ms. Clark , on the other hand, felt the texture made the patty fall apart and similar to wet cardboard!. Mr. Wells deemed it bacony and smoke flavored. Then their is the artisanal Field Burger that claims "plant based artisanal meats". It has vegetal notes of onions, celery and three kinds of mushrooms, fresh , dried, and powdered. The crust had a likable crispness for Mr. Wells, but it does have a bready exterior thanks to the addition of gluten. The least favorite is Sweet Earth Veggie Burger with only two stars. It comes only in flavors so Ms. Moskin chose the Mediterranean style as the most neutral. Ms. Clark claimed it had a falafel flavor thanks to the abundance of chickpeas. It wasn't meaty tasting but nutty and grainy. It also has whiffs of cumin and ginger.
Which burger is the best? The one you like. Go with the faux burger that satisfies you with flavor and texture. That's what matters. Your tastes and preferences.
Julia Moskin posed these questions and had a tasting table with fellow Food section writers, Pete Wells and Melissa Clark, Also she employed her twelve year old vegetarian daughter and Ms Clark's burger loving one. Each burger was seared with a teaspoon of canola oil and served on a potato bun. These were eaten plain and then a second one with all the trimmings , from condiments to pickles and cheese. How did they rate? Impossible Burgers ranked number one with four and a half stars. Ms. Moskin's daughter thought it was real beef, slipped in to confuse the tasters.Ms. Clark though, thought the meat too dried out .It does contain a compound - soy legheroglobin - created from plant hemoglobins - to create a bloody look. The second best Beyond Burger - which I've eaten and liked. This received four stars . It was deemed juicy with convincing texture with a lot of unami. This was from Melissa Clark. Her daughter however deemed them to have a smoky barbecue flavor , like those of barbecue potato chips. Even Pete Wells said it was a beefy experience.
What other faux burgers were good?Lightlife Burgers, out of Toronto , got four stars as well. It was considered firm and chewy thanks to it being made from a sturdy soy product called tempeh. The Uncut Burger was rated the meatiest of the whole bunch. It had a slightly chunky texture like good coarse= ground beef according to Ms. Moskin. Ms. Clark , on the other hand, felt the texture made the patty fall apart and similar to wet cardboard!. Mr. Wells deemed it bacony and smoke flavored. Then their is the artisanal Field Burger that claims "plant based artisanal meats". It has vegetal notes of onions, celery and three kinds of mushrooms, fresh , dried, and powdered. The crust had a likable crispness for Mr. Wells, but it does have a bready exterior thanks to the addition of gluten. The least favorite is Sweet Earth Veggie Burger with only two stars. It comes only in flavors so Ms. Moskin chose the Mediterranean style as the most neutral. Ms. Clark claimed it had a falafel flavor thanks to the abundance of chickpeas. It wasn't meaty tasting but nutty and grainy. It also has whiffs of cumin and ginger.
Which burger is the best? The one you like. Go with the faux burger that satisfies you with flavor and texture. That's what matters. Your tastes and preferences.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
BJ's Brewhouse Fun And Food
BJ's Brewhouse is one of those places where you have to take friends. It offers a wide variety of different dishes and best of all - ales. The chain lives up to its' name , for sure , although it has many other offerings too.
I finally got to visit the one in my area yesterday and was not disappointed. I was always near it in the Teterboro's restaurant row even parked in BJ's parking lot when the other chains had no parking. The eatery had been on my radar for almost two years and I was excited to go. Yes, it is a chain, started in 1978 but unlike other chain restaurants it offers a wide variety of different house made beers. The most intriguing right now is their pumpkin ale (does it have the same spices as the lattes?) and Piranha ale. I'm not a beer drinker by any means , but my next visit will probably include a mug of the last, - a citrussy tasting brew. They even have hard cider - wild berry, made with raspberries and blackberries instead of apples. That's another quaff on my radar.The chain has won several awards for its' brews , including the North American Beer Awards. Another plus is their home made sodas that include root beer and black cherry. There is wine too and even champagne for those who want to celebrate a special occasion. I like their iced teas and the fact diners receive free refills even when the first large glass is only half drunk.
The menu itself is mind blowing, being more of a thick book with so many different choices. There is everything from handcrafted burgers to lighter fare called Enlightened Favorites. BJ's Brewhouse is also famed for their pizzas which come in four(!) different sizes from a mini six inch to the largest fourteen inch. There's even a lower calorie flatbread version with the same sort of topping choices. I went for the lighter fare . First it was the avocado egg rolls with huge chunks of avocados. This is a meal in itself and should be shared. I loved the tangy dipping sauce which went well with the avocado , along with the shredded carrots and cream cheese with it. Then it was the Englightened Favorites, Enlightened Lemon Thyme Chicken. I loved this dish !!!! It is two herb roasted chicken breasts rubbed with Big Poppa's Desert Gold Rub - a mix of lemon, honey and a host of spices such as garlic and paprika. What made it for me are the roasted Brussels sprouts which were many. They made the dish. There were also red peppers, onions and tomatoes over arborio rice. It was so huge that I had to take it home for a second meal. I would have liked to have had BJ's signature dessert the pizzookie, a giant cookie,brownie or monkey bread topped with ice cream, syrup and whipped cream.
Try BJ's Brewhouse not just for the house brewed ales but for the delicious dishes.There are so many to choose from. You won't have just one favorite - you'll have several as you become addicted to this fun restaurant.
I finally got to visit the one in my area yesterday and was not disappointed. I was always near it in the Teterboro's restaurant row even parked in BJ's parking lot when the other chains had no parking. The eatery had been on my radar for almost two years and I was excited to go. Yes, it is a chain, started in 1978 but unlike other chain restaurants it offers a wide variety of different house made beers. The most intriguing right now is their pumpkin ale (does it have the same spices as the lattes?) and Piranha ale. I'm not a beer drinker by any means , but my next visit will probably include a mug of the last, - a citrussy tasting brew. They even have hard cider - wild berry, made with raspberries and blackberries instead of apples. That's another quaff on my radar.The chain has won several awards for its' brews , including the North American Beer Awards. Another plus is their home made sodas that include root beer and black cherry. There is wine too and even champagne for those who want to celebrate a special occasion. I like their iced teas and the fact diners receive free refills even when the first large glass is only half drunk.
The menu itself is mind blowing, being more of a thick book with so many different choices. There is everything from handcrafted burgers to lighter fare called Enlightened Favorites. BJ's Brewhouse is also famed for their pizzas which come in four(!) different sizes from a mini six inch to the largest fourteen inch. There's even a lower calorie flatbread version with the same sort of topping choices. I went for the lighter fare . First it was the avocado egg rolls with huge chunks of avocados. This is a meal in itself and should be shared. I loved the tangy dipping sauce which went well with the avocado , along with the shredded carrots and cream cheese with it. Then it was the Englightened Favorites, Enlightened Lemon Thyme Chicken. I loved this dish !!!! It is two herb roasted chicken breasts rubbed with Big Poppa's Desert Gold Rub - a mix of lemon, honey and a host of spices such as garlic and paprika. What made it for me are the roasted Brussels sprouts which were many. They made the dish. There were also red peppers, onions and tomatoes over arborio rice. It was so huge that I had to take it home for a second meal. I would have liked to have had BJ's signature dessert the pizzookie, a giant cookie,brownie or monkey bread topped with ice cream, syrup and whipped cream.
Try BJ's Brewhouse not just for the house brewed ales but for the delicious dishes.There are so many to choose from. You won't have just one favorite - you'll have several as you become addicted to this fun restaurant.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Celebrating Coleridge
Today is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday and mine, I've always felt that the first, one of the greatest poets in the English language should be celebrated . This writer - not too much.
Birthdays now are hollow to me. No matter how much I celebrate, with all the dinners out and cake in , it's not the same without my Mom. I miss those days when she would make my favorite - risotto Milanese , the creamy Milanese dish of arborio rice, mushrooms and, of course, saffron. Nothing will ever come as close as her delicious pot of sunny yellow rice. Imagine molten sunshine and that's what the dish looked like. One day I will make it. My cooking and baking is getting to be as good as hers - I am trying - not to brag. It's a tough legacy to handle and surpass.Yet I am trying, Some of it is coming out good and I can imagine her saying "What a good cooker" a phrase she took her her aunt, my great aunt who knew a thing or two about Piedmontese cooking and was an excellent cook herself. However back to Coleridge who , unlike his latter Romantic counterparts, Byron, Shelley, and Keats never went to Italy. They probably dined on risotto, Mr Coleridge may have had only a rice pudding. the closest he'd ever get to anything with rice.
He did come from Devon which had excellent dairy and beef along with lamb and mutton.Maybe soon I'll celebrate STC with a proper cream tea. There's clotted cream to be had, this I can easily get from either Amazon or Myers of Keswick in New York's West Village. It's a thick cream created by heating full cream cow's milk over a hot water and steam bath. The result is a lovely, thick, yogurt , (its' origins may have come from yogurt, the Phoenicians ate during their trips to ancient Britain. They traded goods for tin mined from Cornish mines).It's mild tasting and delicious on hot English muffins and then topped with any jam or jelly. A variation of it is "Thunder and Lightening" , bread topped with it and a layer of honey. I'd go with the jam, preferably blackberry or the cherry one I bought from Cherry Republic, in Traverse City Michigan. That to me is the perfect way to celebrate this famed Devon author.
Another birthday for Coleridge and myself. I've celebrated him for years, with cream teas and clotted cream. It's time to bring out the last again and slather it on a hot , toasty English muffin.
Birthdays now are hollow to me. No matter how much I celebrate, with all the dinners out and cake in , it's not the same without my Mom. I miss those days when she would make my favorite - risotto Milanese , the creamy Milanese dish of arborio rice, mushrooms and, of course, saffron. Nothing will ever come as close as her delicious pot of sunny yellow rice. Imagine molten sunshine and that's what the dish looked like. One day I will make it. My cooking and baking is getting to be as good as hers - I am trying - not to brag. It's a tough legacy to handle and surpass.Yet I am trying, Some of it is coming out good and I can imagine her saying "What a good cooker" a phrase she took her her aunt, my great aunt who knew a thing or two about Piedmontese cooking and was an excellent cook herself. However back to Coleridge who , unlike his latter Romantic counterparts, Byron, Shelley, and Keats never went to Italy. They probably dined on risotto, Mr Coleridge may have had only a rice pudding. the closest he'd ever get to anything with rice.
He did come from Devon which had excellent dairy and beef along with lamb and mutton.Maybe soon I'll celebrate STC with a proper cream tea. There's clotted cream to be had, this I can easily get from either Amazon or Myers of Keswick in New York's West Village. It's a thick cream created by heating full cream cow's milk over a hot water and steam bath. The result is a lovely, thick, yogurt , (its' origins may have come from yogurt, the Phoenicians ate during their trips to ancient Britain. They traded goods for tin mined from Cornish mines).It's mild tasting and delicious on hot English muffins and then topped with any jam or jelly. A variation of it is "Thunder and Lightening" , bread topped with it and a layer of honey. I'd go with the jam, preferably blackberry or the cherry one I bought from Cherry Republic, in Traverse City Michigan. That to me is the perfect way to celebrate this famed Devon author.
Another birthday for Coleridge and myself. I've celebrated him for years, with cream teas and clotted cream. It's time to bring out the last again and slather it on a hot , toasty English muffin.
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