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Chef Tim Love Loves His Animals

partysugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:50:49 -0700

After falling in love with his Texas accent and cowboyish ways on the first episode of Top Chef Masters, I was more than happy to RSVP to a special luncheon hosted by chef Tim Love at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Love spent the entire night before the lunch slow-roasting three whole animals - goat, lamb, and venison - over a mesquite wood grill. He applied a different technique and application to each one. Love filled the lamb with mirepoix and wrapped the venison in bacon. He made a trio of dishes that paired with Belgium beers. Marc Stroobandt, a master beer sommelier, was on hand to teach guests how to properly pour the brews - creating a nice heady foam is a must! Love's trio included a goat crepinette with braised lentils, lamb tacos with Texas salsas, and venison sliders with a aioli. To take a better look at the lunch, read more.

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All the News That's Fit to Eat - Oct. 15, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:30:19 -0700

A panel of wine experts puts $12 and under wine to the test. - Boston Globe
Try one of these taste-tested cornbread mixes to go with your chili. - San Francisco Chronicle
What kitchen essentials are worth investing in, and which ones you should pass up. - Los Angeles Times
Time-strapped? Here are some tips for conjuring up homemade soup flavor. - Chicago Tribune
Lots of doors open for producers who sell to the exclusive French Laundry. - Washington Post
Famed rancher Bill Niman is back with a new venture: raising goats. - New York Times
If you've got 15 minutes, then you've got time to throw together Jamaican chicken. - StarTribune

Source

52 Weeks of Baking: Goatbread Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 08:58:11 -0700

Toot! Toot!
That, my friends, is the sound of me tooting my own horn. A few weeks ago I bought some of the amazing goat butter from the folks at Meyenberg and loved it so much that I wanted to use it for everything. I had eaten it on toast, over pasta and on crackers, but at some point I decided, actually make that knew that I had to make shortbread cookies with it. Nevermind the fact that I had never actually made shortbread cookies, nor actually even liked them that much, neither of those things were going to stop me - I was going to make goatbread cookies (aka shortbread cookies made with goat butter)! To see how they turned out (toot! toot! I freaking loved them) and see the recipe that I more-or-less concocted on my own, read more

Once I decided I was going to make the goatbread cookies (that name sounded best to me), I started pouring through a bunch of cookbooks in order to check out their shortbread cookie recipes. I knew that the goat butter would lend a savory quality, so I knew that I shouldn't add anything like vanilla extract and I didn't want the sugar's sweetness to over-power the goat flavor either. Ultimately I ended up taking a piece from that one (rice flour from Test Kitchen), a piece from this one (temp from Bon Appetit) and just winging it the rest of the way. The bf was worried that all the amazing goat butter was going to be wasted, and to be honest, so was I. However the end result turned out fantastic - although I think that's just a testament to how fantastic the goat butter is. The goatbread cookie was crumbly, but cohesive, had a bit of a sweetness to it, and a nice goaty aftertaste. The recipe is far from perfect, but it's definitely a good launching point. I definitely cannot wait to try more goat butter creations.

Goatbread Cookies
From YumSugar

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) goat butter (cut into 1" cubes)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup rice flour
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 300F. Move oven rack to top 1/3 of the oven.
In large bowl, or stand mixer, whisk salt and sugar together.
Add butter, mix well. I mixed in stand mixer on medium until butter was completely blended and creamy (about 2 minutes via mixer). Note: this can be done by hand also.
Sift flour together.
Slowly (on low speed if using mixer) add flours to butter mixture. I added 1/3 at a time. Scrape sides with spatula as needed.
When flour is fully incoporated you will be left with a sand-textured mixture. Try and form a ball with your hands. If the dough is not holding together, add a few drops of water (I added about 1 tbsp). Do not add too much water. The final result should be barely cohesive.
In a 9" cake pan, lined with parchment paper or well-greased, place dough and spread out as evenly as possible.
Take another 9" cake pan (you may want to grease the bottom) and place it on top of the dough. Apply even pressure to form the dough into an even-sized disk.
Remove dough from pan and place onto baking pan lined with parchment or silpat.
Using a knife and fork, score & design shortbread (I definitely needed some help in this department).
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and top is even golden color.

Remove from oven and let sit on pan for about 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Note: It is extremely important to cut into wedges before it cools completely. If you wait until it cools, it will crumble.
Serve and savor!

Note: Next time I will completely skip the pan part and try my best with creating an even square by hand. Until I get really concerned with presentation (gotta master flavor first!), I think it was more of an unnecessary mess. However, if you skip this step, make sure that your goatbread has an even thickness - this way you'll ensure even baking throughout.

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2007 Winter Fancy Food Show - Part 2 (Goat Cheese!)

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 14:54:40 -0800

Trendspotting: Goat Cheese and Friends
Like I mentioned earlier, we ate a lot of cheese at the Fancy Food Show. But oddly enough, we ate more goat milk flavored items than cow milk flavored items. Now there's nothing wrong with goat cheese (in fact, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the stuff), but it seemed as if goat milk products far outnumbered cow milk products. And I know that goat milk has been a trend for a little while (in fact I'd seen a lot of these products before), but it was still surprising to see so many of them under one roof.

There were too many products to actually keep up with, but here are a few that garnered my taste bud's full attention:

Goat Milk Butter from Meyenberg
This was one of my favorite things at the show. It was a rich creamy European style butter but with a rich goaty flavor. I had to go back for seconds... actually thirds.
Creamy Goat Cheese from the Vermont Butter & Cheese Company
This was a nice and spreadable goat cheese that was available in three flavors: Classic, Roasted Red Pepper and Olive & Herb. I thought it might make a nice alternative to cream cheese in the morning, or tossed with pasta.

Four more and a photo gallery, so read more

Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre
I was happy to see that my current favorite cheese was there in full force. It's creamy and lucious with a nice tangy flavor. I could eat this by the buckets full. I would probably end up with a pretty wild tummyache, but I bet I could do it. The other cheeses from Cypress Grove were also really nice, including the Lamb Chopper (a sheep's milk cheese) and the fresh herbed chevre.

Goat Milk Yogurt from Redwood Hill Farms
This yogurt is a nice offering for people who can't digest cow milk. However, I found it to be quite strong in flavor and rather "goaty." But, if you're into that, then seriously look for this stuff, it's delicious, but I just couldn't see myself eating an entire container in the morning. Oh, and they get bonus points because they stop milking their goats in the winter so that they can provide milk to the babies. It causes a "yogurt shortage" but it sounds well worth it to me.
Echo Mountain Cheese from Rogue Creamery
This blue cheese is actually a goat and cow milk blend. The result was creamy, yet potent. I'd say it's a truly American flavor and one that I want to eat over and over again.

Marin Chevre Blue from Rouge et Noir
Another goat style blue, but this time it was a goat milk Brie that has a traditional Roquefort culture mixed right into the milk. It had a nice tang, but was smooth and creamy from the goat's milk.

Sadly, I heard there was a goat milk frozen yogurt somewhere, but somehow I missed it. With over 1,100 booths, I guess that's easy to do, but I still would have enjoyed trying it.

Oh and word of advice to cheese companies, don't serve your cheese on an overly salty or potent cracker. How am I supposed to know what the cheese tastes like?

Check out some of the goat milk products we encountered:

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Say Cheese! Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:55:37 -0700

Earlier today I teased your tastebuds with a goat cheese quiz, so it's only fair to share my current favorite goat cheese recipe: tomato and goat cheese tarts. Goat's milk has a high amount of fatty acids (much more than cow's milk) that provide the cheese with its characteristic tart flavor.

Goat cheese most commonly comes in a soft, spreadable, crumbly form, although there are hard aged varieties that have a consistency more like feta. Since goats are hardy animals that can survive in areas where cows cannot - parts of the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean - goat cheese is the world's most widely consumed cheese.

I love the salty and creamy flavor of goat cheese and almost always have it in my refrigerator. To see how I paired the tangy cheese with ripe tomatoes to make this easy tart, read more.

I'm a huge fan of Barefoot Contessa's recipes, and this is another winner! The tart dough is simply puff pastry, but she adds layers of flavor with caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. I've served this tart many times, both as a main course and a side dish, in individual portions and as a slab. Sliced into smaller pieces it could even work as an appetizer.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge.
Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions.
Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 4 individual tarts.

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What Do You Know About Goat Cheese?

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:50:24 -0700

While reading Gourmet on the bus yesterday, I came across an article about National Goat Cheese month. It happens to be now, August, so naturally I thought it would be the perfect time to test your knowledge on creamy, smooth, and tangy goat cheese. Although goat cheese has been around for a long time, it only became a widely known popular ingredient in America in the late 1970s. Do you know why? Find out now and take the quiz.

Take the quiz

Fast & Easy Dinner: Arugula Salad With Mushrooms

partysugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:05 -0700

Do you eat enough salads? I don't, that's why I'm making a conscious effort to have a huge, hearty salad for dinner at least once a week. I'm starting with this arugula, mushroom, walnut, and goat cheese salad. The recipe calls for one pound of mixed mushrooms, so use whatever mushroom type you enjoy and can afford.

Although it may seem like a lot of steps to flash-marinate and broil mushrooms for salad, it adds a necessary depth to the dish. Also, when serving salad as a main course, it's nice to have a variety of textures, flavors, and temperatures. If desired, serve with a slice of toasted bread. To look at the recipe, read more.

Arugula Salad With Grilled Mushrooms
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry white vermouth
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mixed mushrooms- oyster, shiitake, portobello and cremini
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon very finely chopped shallot
4 ounces baby arugula
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (scant 1/4 cup)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the vermouth with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Trim the root ends of the oyster mushrooms, leaving them attached in small bunches. Discard the shiitake stems and leave the caps whole. Stem the portobellos. Wipe off the cremini. Add all of the mushrooms to the vermouth marinade, then toss and let stand for 20 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
Light a grill or preheat a broiler. Drain the mushrooms; reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade. Grill the mushrooms or broil them over high heat until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Thickly slice the grilled mushrooms.
Add the vinegar and shallot to the large bowl and whisk in the reserved marinade to taste. Add the arugula and walnuts, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Transfer the arugula salad to plates, top with the grilled mushrooms and crumbled goat cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

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Mac Attack! Goat Cheese and Pesto

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:15:41 -0700

You love pesto, I love pesto! I have to admit I was giddy when I found a recipe that combines the comfort of mac and cheese with pesto. It also uses another one of my favorites, goat cheese. Since I had already eaten a lot of elbow macaroni, I picked up a box of orecchiette. They are said to be shaped like small ears, but I think they look more like little bowls; a perfect vessel to fill with sauce!

The combination of goat cheese, Parmesan, and pesto is insanely creamy. For a great crunch and texture, the mac and cheese is topped with panko. Rather than make a big pan, I cooked it in easy-to-serve individual ramekins. With a little planning this recipe won't take much longer than a box of Kraft - except it's a million times more rewarding. If you want to wow your friends and family with scrumptious mac and cheese, keep reading!

52 Weeks of Baking: Lemon Goat Cheese Cheesecake

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:13:33 -0700

Last weekend a bunch of gals were coming over to chat and drink some wine. I planned a quick array of things to nosh on - cheese, crackers, grapes, strawberries, etc. - but really wanted to make something. That's when I remembered the Goat Cheese Cheesecake that TeamSugar member Mokona posted a few weeks ago. Goat cheese + cheesecake? How come I hadn't tried it already?

The flavor was sweeter than I anticipated, but the lemon really balanced out the "goatiness." The crust - which is made from Animal Crackers - also added the perfect texture and flavor. If you're looking to stray from the classic recipe - and I highly recommend that you do - then give this one a try! For the recipe, read more

Lemon Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Cookie-Crumb Crust
Crust from Cook's Illustrated Fall Entertaining

5 oz Animal Crackers
3 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp unsalted, butter, melted and warm

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
In food processor, process cookies to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds (you'll have about 1 cup). Add sugar and pulse two or three times to incorporate.
Add warm melted butter in slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses.
Transfer mixture to 9-inch springform pan; using bottom of ramekin or dry measuring cup, press firmly and evenly into pan bottom, keeping sides as clean as possible.
Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap outside of pan with two 18-inch-square pieces heavy-duty foil.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake
From Whole Foods Market

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into pieces
3 (4-ounce) packages fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs

Preheat to 325F.
Place cream cheese, goat cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. With an electric hand mixer, beat until just smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
In two or three additions, beat in sugar until mixture is creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating and scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Continue to beat until mixture is very smooth.
Pour batter into prepared crust.
Bake until edges of cheesecake look set and the center is still soft and slightly jiggly, 50 to 60 minutes.
Place pan on a rack to cool completely in the pan. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Note: My cheesecake cracked on the one side. Instead of panicking, I sliced some figs, and covered the crack. Voila! Crisis averted!

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Killer App: Figs in Blanket

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:15:55 -0700

Figs are one of my favorite late Summer, early Fall fruits. Thus, after making bacon-wrapped dates, I looked for a similar recipe that used fresh figs. To my delight, I came across this Sandra Lee recipe that combines figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Inspired by her recipe but wanting to keep it simple, I came up with my take on her killer app. Rather than heat up the house, I decided to throw these tasty little bites on the barbecue.Although any variety of fig will work, I used Calimyrna and found that the easiest way to remove the flesh is with a melon baller. This delicious appetizer is perfect for a party because it can be prepped ahead of time and only requires a few minutes on the grill, so you won't miss any of the fun. With the salty prosciutto, sweet fig, and tangy goat cheese center, these nibbles are full of flavor and texture. If you want to impress your guests with figs in a blanket, keep reading.