Avocado and Crab Sandwich

Recipe: Avocado and Crab Sandwich
Page: 101
Date Cooked: January 11, 2011

So after my brief hiatus (vacationing in Florida over the winter holiday), I am back to State College and my usual routine. With my fridge completely empty, grocery shopping and another Jonathan Waxman recipe made the most sense. And after a long day, I wanted something quick, tasty, and filling. Luckily for me, the "Avocado and Crab Sandwich" was just the thing.

Ingredients: sweet onion, cilantro, avocado, Anaheim chile, lime, salt, lump crabmeat, multigrain bread, garlic cloves, and olive oil

Step One: Chop everything. The onions. The cilantro. The avocados. The chiles. And of course the limes were juiced. 

From Left to Right: Minced onions; chopped cilantro; diced avocados; stemmed, seeded, and minced chiles

The onions, cilantro, chile, and lime juice were mixed together. Salt was added. Finally, avocados were placed in the bowl and all the ingredients were mashed together.

Avocado Mixture

And that was all "hard part." I toasted the bread in the oven, and rubbed each slice with a garlic clove half. I had never done this before and initially didn't see how this would even make much of a difference, nonetheless the heat from the bread pulled the garlic flavor out. Each toast slice was then sprinkled with olive oil. One slice was topped with avocado mixture and then the crab. Finally ready to eat!

Avocado and Crab Sandwich

The sandwich was delicious. It felt light but filling and every component made sense. And it was super easy! Like I mentioned earlier I was unsure about the step that required rubbing half of a garlic clove on the toast, but it really made a difference. I ended up eating the same sandwich the next day but this time I skipped the garlic step. And it just wasn't the same. Disclaimer: I love garlic and put it in most of my cooking. But really it seemed to add another dimension to the sandwich that I truly appreciated.

Overall, it looks like I've been having a successful run with the last few recipes. And this is another ingredient combination I will keep under my belt. I also began to think how great this would be for an appetizer or cold finger food, by putting the same ingredients on those tiny pepperidge farm breads (seriously not an endorsement for this particular brand of bread) or something along those lines. Regardless the sandwich was exactly how Jonathan Waxman described it, "a purist sandwich."

Example of tiny bread.

Enjoy!

Mussel and Littleneck Clam Chowder

Recipe: Mussel and Littleneck Clam Chowder
Page: 63
Date Cooked: December 19, 2010

First off, this is not your traditional clam chowder and as you read this it will become increasingly apparent. To me, it was a really great update on the classic. Not at all what I was expecting. Instead it was just better.

Ingredients: onions, garlic, serrano chilies, ginger, coconut, littleneck clams, mussels, olive oil, dry white wine, orange, saffron, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, cilantro, sage, lime, heavy cream, salt, and pepper 

As usual, I began with getting everything in place. Onions were thinly sliced; garlic and chilies were minced; and the ginger was peeled and cut into strips. The olive oil, onions, garlic, and chilies were cooked together until the onions got soft. Wine, orange zest, ginger, and saffron were then also added to the pot.

Olive oil, onions, garlic, chilies, white wine, orange zest, ginger, saffron cooking

In the meantime, the mussels and clams were cleaned and placed in the fridge. Additonally, the shredded coconut was toasted in the oven.

Toasted coconut

Once the onion mixture was cooked to time, the mussels were added to the pot. After about a minute the littleneck clams were also added to the pot. This specific part of the instructions struck me as interesting. I never knew that mussels took longer to cook and open up than clams. Once the mussels and clams opened up, they were removed with a slotted spoon.

Left: mussels and clams cooking in the onion mixture
Right: opened mussels and clams

The meat was removed from all the shells, placed in a container, and kept in the refrigerator. The onion mixture was also placed through a strainer and the cooking liquid was reserved. Then it was on to round two of the chopping and simmering. Potatoes were peeled and sliced; carrots and zucchini were diced; tomatoes, cilantro, and sage were chopped. The potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes were then added to the strained cooking liquid and simmered. Once the vegetables got tender, the cream, coconut, herbs, saffron, mussels and clams were added.

1. Strained cooking liquid
2. Cooking liquid with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes
3. Simmering vegetables
4. Cream, coconut, herbs, saffron, mussels, and clams added

Once the chowder was cooked through it was time to eat.

Mussel and Littleneck Clam Chowder

Though I may have given the punch line away in the intro, I think it is necessary to state once again: This is not your typical clam chowder. The vegetable combination and the saffron lend an exotic flavor to this chowder. Ever bite I took I enjoyed it more and more. I think it would be safe to say that this is another recipe I plan on making again. Another thing that struck me as I enjoyed this chowder was how simply it would be to make for a vegetarian - just nix the seafood. Heck make one batch, split it into two and add your desired meat in the chowder. All in all it was just good.

Enjoy!

Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad

Recipe: Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad
Page: 82
Date Cooked: December 6, 2010

My favorite part of this project is buying ingredients I have never bought before. I'm sure we all have this experience, you cruise down the grocery store isles and look at something, comment to yourself how interesting it is, and then make a mental note to come back to it. However, more often than not, you never seem to pick it up, despite the numerous mental notes.

I can say this about many ingredients required for the recipes I've made thus far and it holds true for this one as well. Dandelion has remained an ingredient that I consumed only when served to me at a restaurant. Many times, it is also presented in small quantities. With this recipe, I got a good sense of the flavor and texture of this leaf. And all in all, it made for an interesting salad...Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad.

Ingredients: Butter, small potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, bacon, dandelion greens, shallots, sage, olive oil, mustard, sherry vinegar

The potatoes were the first items that needed preparation. They were cut into slices and spread in a roasting pan. The garlic was peeled and smashed and added to the pan. Finally, melted butter was drizzled on top of the potatoes and garlic. The pan was placed into the oven till the potatoes were golden and tender.

Pan of potatoes, garlic, and melted butter to be roasted

While the potatoes roasted, the bacon was cut into "lardons"; the dandelion stalks were removed and the leaves were cut; the shallots were minced; and the sage leaves were chopped.

1. Lardons of bacon 2. Dandelion greens 3. Minced shallots 4. Chopped sage

Once the potatoes were done, the garlic was discarded, and the warm potatoes were tossed with the dandelion greens. Bacon and olive oil were placed into a skillet and cooked till golden. The bacon along with some of the rendered bacon fat was tossed into the dandelion greens. In the meantime, the shallots cooked in the remaining bacon fat just until softened. And just like the warm ingredients before it, the shallots were tossed into the greens.

1. Only potatoes 2. Potatoes, bacon, and bacon fat 3. Potatoes, bacon, bacon fat, and shallots

And of course no salad is complete without dressing. So as the warm components continued to wilt the dandelion greens, the dressing was prepared. Mustard and sherry vinegar were added to the pan and whisked well. Then the sage was added. Finally, on low heat, the mixture was whisked with some olive oil until the dressing emulsified.

Left: Mustard, sherry vinegar, and sage mixture
Right: Completed dressing 

The dressing was poured over the dandelion greens and tossed. Finally, the salad was seasoned with black pepper.

Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad

I would categorize the Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad as one of those not so healthy salads. I mean come one people - butter + olive oil + bacon fat does not equal a healthy salad. Despite the non-diet disclaimer, the salad was delicious. Every ingredient played off of each other. The slight bitterness of the dandelion greens, the fat of the bacon, and the crisp earthiness of the potato made it a perfect combination.

I was surprised to find that the bitterness of the dandelion greens was indeed mild. Jonathan Waxman hits on this point in the introduction of this recipe - describing how warming the dandelion leaves three times (potatoes, bacon and bacon fat, and shallots) wilts the greens and removes some of the bitterness.

My one and only complaint was that I found the dressing to be a tad oily. I felt that not as much olive oil was needed in the last step of the dressing preparation. Despite this one hiccup, I would make this salad again. I mean, I did end up eating two servings in one sitting.

Enjoy!

Three-Tomato Salad, Version 1

Recipe: Three-Tomato Salad, Version 1
Page: 73
Date Cooked: November 27, 2010

While this recipe is called a "Three-Tomato Salad," Jonathan Waxman makes note of this misnomer. In actuality, it's the "Multiple-Tomato Salad, Version 1." I may be giving away the punchline....this salad was soo good yet so simple.

Ingredients: Red tomato on the vine, yellow tomato on the vine, orange tomato on the vine, Kumato tomato, grape tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, basil

The tomatoes were sliced and arranged on plates in alternating colors. The olive oil and vinegar are whisked together. The salads are sprinkled with salt and pepper. The vinaigrette was spooned on at the last moment. Finally, basil was placed on the top.

Three-Tomato Salad, Version 1

The tomatoes speak for themselves and I was lucky to pick out some really great ones. The Kumato tomato was something I had never tried before and am now a believer. They definitely have more of a sweetness than regular tomatoes and were delicious.

This salad was simple and delicious. Not to mention, I personally think the colors and presentation look so wonderful and impressive. The salad was actually eaten with Bacon and Gruyère Burger with Guacamole and paired very well. The heaviness of the meat from the burger and lightness of the tomatoes and basil just went together superbly.

Enjoy!

Bacon and Gruyère Burger with Guacamole

Recipe: Bacon and Gruyère Burger with Guacamole
Page: 112
Date Cooked: November 27, 2010

"A burger is a miraculous meal in any guise."  Jonathan Waxman starts off the Bacon and Gruyère Burger with Guacamole with this line. I find it difficult to disagree with this statement. And considering that an average American eats 100 burgers a year, I doubt many people could disagree. Considering an overall fondness for burgers, this one looked like a winner. Bacon - good. Gruyère - Good. Guacamole - Good. How could you go wrong with all these delicious ingredients on a burger?

Ingredients: Ground chuck (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio), salt, pepper, bacon, avocados, sweet onion, olive oil tomato, gruyère, kaiser rolls

Jonathan Waxman gives you the option of preparing a medium grill fire to cook the burgers or cooking them in a cast-iron skillet. Considering it was a 30 degree Pennsylvania night - the cast-iron skillet seemed to make the most sense. The beef was mixed with salt and pepper and shaped into 4 burgers. Considering the recipe called for 2.5 pounds of meat, these were pretty large burgers.

Beef shaped into 4 burgers.

While the bacon cooked in the cast-iron skillet, it was on to making the guacamole. The guacamole included avocados, onion, and olive oil.

Left: Bacon cooking in skillet
Right: Finished guacamole

Once the bacon was cooked, the burger were added to the skillet and cooked, dare I say, perfectly. They were then topped with cheese and removed.

Right: Burgers being cooked
Left: Finished burgers topped with gruyère 

The rolls were lightly toasted. The burger was placed on each bun, topped with guacamole, bacon, and tomato. And ready for consumption:

Bacon and Gruyère Burger with Guacamole

The verdict: Too much meat. I know for many this may seem impossible, but really it was just too much meat. You couldn't appreciate the flavors of the cheese and the guacamole because of it. I ate it all as did my dinner guests and I can say I liked it. But it wasn't that perfect burger I was hoping it would be.

However, the next day, the left-over burger patty was sliced in half and made into 2 burger. This time around it was delicious. I was able to get a bite of every component and appreciate all the flavors.

Leftover burger with half the amount of beef

So all in all, I think the burger has definite potential, if you scale back the amount of beef. 2.5 pounds for 4 burgers is A LOT of beef. But the flavor combination is without a doubt successful.

Enjoy!

Warm Squid Salad

Recipe: Warm Squid Salad
Page: 84 and 102
Date Cooked: November 14, 2010

Squid is food item I truly enjoy but rarely cook on my own - after this recipe however it may become part of cooking repertoire. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same about making the aioli (it appears that the third time was not the charm).

Ingredients: fresh bread crumbs, endive, escarole, frisee, squid, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, white wine, rice wine vinegar, egg yolks

When I read through the recipe and ingredients, I immediately noticed that Jonathan Waxman called for making aioli. Still high off of my previous mayonnaise making attempt, I decided to make the aioli first. This time around, Jonathan Waxman calls for the use of a blender, as opposed to using a whisk like the times before. Of course, when I read this portion of the directions, I was somewhat relived. I figured, "Oh yeah...using a blender will make this much easier!" Unfortunately that wasn't the case. The first time I tried to make aioli, I put the eggs and garlic in the blender and added the olive oil super slowly as the motor continued to run - it just became a liquidy mess.

Aioli making attempt #1

The second time I blended the eggs and garlic first in a food processor, placed that into the blender, and then added the olive oil as the motor ran. It was soo close, but the aioli seemed to "break." Nonetheless I used the outcome of the second attempt to finish the recipe.

Aioli making attempt #2

Luckily for me the rest of the recipe was much simpler and I tried to let go of the frustration from a failed aioli. I made some fresh bread crumbs and let them toast in the oven and then washed, dried, and tore the greens. Jonathan Waxman makes explicit note of the fact that frozen squid will not suffice for this recipe. Luckily for me, my grocery store carries fresh squid on a regular basis and it was already cleaned! The squid was sliced into 1" lengths and laid on paper towels to dry. I made sure to use a mixture of both the body and tentacles.

Squid

The squid was salted and peppered and then placed in a skillet of olive oil. Once all the squid was cooked (had to do 2-3 batches at a time). Garlic was added to the skillet and browned. Both the squid and garlic were placed in a bowl and covered to keep warm.

Cooking the squid

The skillet was then deglazed with some white wine and reduced. Vinegar, olive oil, and the aioli were all added in to make a sauce. The sauce was poured over the squid and garlic mixture, along with half of the toasted bread crumbs.

Squid, garlic, sauce, and bread crumbs

Finally, the squid mixture was tossed with the greens. The salad was put on plates and garnished with the remaining bread crumbs. The final product...

Warm Squid Salad

Despite my aioli disaster, I really enjoyed the salad. Every component balanced each other. The crunch of the greens, the flavor of the breadcrumbs, and then perfectly cooked squid it was just wonderful. I ate the left-overs the following night, and of course the squid was no longer warm, but the salad still tasted delicious.

I can only imagine what it would have been like had that gosh darn aioli come out right. So people of the blogosphere: You have to help me out with these mayonnaise/aioli recipes. They are beginning to drive me crazy. Nonetheless, I will keep on trying!

Enjoy!

Note: Jonathan Waxman calls for the aioli recipe on page 102. However, he later refers to the aioli as red pepper aioli. The aioli was never flavored with red peppers. It didn't call for it. Looks like I found a typo.

Shrimp BLT

Recipe: Shrimp BLT
Page: 105 and 236
Date Cooked: November 5, 2010

I am a firm believer that a good sandwich can make your day and can be had for any meal. It's a perfect vessel to get a number of flavors in between two wonderful pieces of bread, making it oh so satisfying. Having expressed my love for the sandwich, I can also say that a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich isn't really my thing. While I love bacon, the BLT was never quite my it sandwich and seemed to disappoint. I was always wanting more. Luckily, Jonathan Waxman led me to the solution.....Shrimp BLT.

Ingredients: Bacon, shrimp, tomato, salt, sourdough bread, lemon, corn oil, olive oil, egg yolks, butter lettuce

The best part of this sandwich was of course its simplicity. The bacon is cooked slowly in a large cast-iron skillet. It is then removed from the pan and the shrimp are added to the remaining bacon fat until they are cooked through.

Top Panels: Bacon cooking slowly
Bottom Panels: Shrimp cooking in remaining bacon fat

While the bacon and shrimp cooked, it was on to making the mayonnaise. Now this was my second try at making mayonnaise, and well the first attempt wasn't too successful. This mayonnaise recipe was also slightly different from the first. It didn't require as many flavorings (i.e garlic and parsley) and also required two types of oil. 

The lemon juice and egg yolks were whisked for a few minutes and the oil mixture was added slowly. The whisking continued until all the oil was used. And the result....success! Well, at least a far better mayonnaise texture than the first time! If anything it was a step up and I'm hoping the next time it will fully have that mayonnaise feel. Nonetheless, it tasted good.

Finished mayonnaise!

With the bacon shrimp, and mayonnaise ready, the sandwich was ready for assembly. The tomatoes were sliced and lightly salted. The bread was toasted and mayonnaise was spread on each side. Some lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, and shrimp were added to make the final product.

Shrimp BLT

The sandwich was delicious. It tasted fresh and the marriage of the shrimp and the bacon with those veggies = yummm! I suggest that if you try to make this sandwich find bigger bread slices (the bakery I went to only had this size of sourdough). Moreover, I may have become a mayonnaise convert, fresh mayonnaise that is. I have no other explanation other than it just tastes better. All in all, perhaps a BLT is the sandwich for me, with shrimp of course!

Enjoy!

I want to thank Pansy and Bramjot Uberoi for assisting me in making this sandwich. Thanks to Pansy for letting me use her kitchen and Bramjot for putting some manpower behind that mayonnaise whisking.