YumSugar

'Wich of the Week: The Smokey Sherm

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:13:31 -0700

As I've mentioned before, one of my favorite sandwich shops in San Francisco is Estela's. The sandwiches are huge, fresh, relatively healthy, and easy to re-create at home. That said, I just couldn't resist bringing you one more sandwich from my recent Estela's excursion.

Unlike the vegetarian-friendly Carrot sandwich, today's 'Wich of the Week is designed with barbecue lovers in mind. Called the Smokey Sherm, it combines smoked turkey, smoked gouda, and barbecue sauce for a sandwich that's just slightly decadent but not too heavy. To find out how to make it, read more.

This sweet, smoky sandwich is easy to make at home with products you can find at your local supermarket. Just be sure to buy good strong gouda, since that is the dominant flavor. Here's what you'll need:

1 telera roll or other soft white roll
3 to 4 slices of smoked turkey
2 to 3 slices of smoked gouda cheese
About 1/8 cup of barbecue sauce
2 slices of tomato
2 pieces of red leaf lettuce
4 to 5 dill pickle sandwich slices
Thinly-sliced red onion, to taste
About 1/4 of an avocado, sliced
Mayonnaise (optional)

Slice the roll horizontally and coat the bottom slice with barbecue sauce. Layer the smoked turkey on top, followed by the smoked gouda, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and avocado. Coat the top slice of the roll with a thin layer of mayo, and close the two pieces together. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwich into two halves to enjoy alone or share.

Today's Special: Smoked Turkey and Couscous Salad with Lemon-Chive Vinaigrette

partysugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 07:58:31 -0700

Isn't it lovely when, every once in a while, you find yourself home alone for a few days? I woke up this morning and found myself in that exact situation, which means I can have anything I want. So I'll do what I normally do when I'm home alone - head to Whole Foods and browse the aisles for inspiration. I like to check out what they have in the premade section and usually purchase a few things to jazz it up. Hopefully they'll have spicy cooked turkey breasts because I'm in the mood for a fresh couscous salad. Whether you're home alone or not, pick up some cooked turkey or chicken breasts at your local grocers and make this scrumptious, savory salad for dinner. Get the recipe now, read more

Smoked Turkey and Couscous Salad with Lemon-Chive Vinaigrette
From Food Fit

For the vinaigrette:
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped chives
For the salad:
2 1/2 cups couscous, toasted Israeli if you can find it
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup canned artichokes, drained and cut into wedges
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped scallions
1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey breast, sliced into thin strips
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Toss the onion with the 4 tablespoons olive oil, the balsamic vinegar and season heavily with pepper. Spread the onion slices evenly on a baking sheet and roast until softened and caramel-colored, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the couscous: rinse the couscous in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the couscous to 3 cups boiling salted water. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Cover, remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes. All the liquid should now be absorbed. Return the couscous to the sieve and rinse under cold water for about 3 minutes, until cool. Drain and place in a large bowl.
Toss the couscous with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Make the vinaigrette: in a mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator for 1 day.)
Add the chives.
Assemble the salad: toss the couscous with the onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, scallions, turkey and lemon-chive vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, and serve. If the salad is too dry, spritz it with lemon juice and olive oil.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

'Wich of the Week: Turkey-Parm Focaccia

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:15:19 -0700

It's been a while since I've visited Estela's Fresh Sandwiches, one of my favorite sandwich destinations in San Francisco. But when I found out a friend of mine is moving, I insisted that she simply couldn't leave the city without ever having gone to Estela's.

Though I normally shy away from sandwiches served on focaccia, this bread was perfect: pillowy soft and flavorful but not at all oily. What I really loved, however, was the giant mound of shredded parmesan, which gave the sandwich a sharp, cheesy crunch. Find out how to re-create it now.

Do You Enjoy Eating Meat Caveman-Style?

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:45:15 -0700

During the Sparks, NV, Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, I had a Flintstonian moment while eating an oversized beef rib. Although I enjoy biting into meat right off the bone (smoked turkey leg, I'm looking at you!), a co-worker told me should would have been disgusted by gnawing at any kind of bone, let alone a giant one. How about you?

Let's Dish: What Foods Do You Look For at The Fair?

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:50:54 -0700

Next month, some of my friends are making the trek out to Sacramento from the Bay Area to hit up the California State Fair, where a number artists - including one of my favorite country music stars - is performing. But the state fair doesn't have to put on an elaborate musical production to get me to show up; I'd be there for the food alone! After all, who can say no to mile-high strawberry daiquiris, elephant ears, garlic fries, and those giant smoked turkey legs?

My personal can't-miss item at any festival or fair is the funnel cake, which I always get because I'll never make it at home. What do you enjoy at Summer fairs?

Source: Flickr User Jamiesrabbits

What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:30:00 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Gordon Ramsay apologizes for calling an Australian TV host a pig.
Take advantage of the barbecue and make a memorable Summer drink, smoked lemonade.
For added flavor - and health benefits - toss turmeric into your favorite dishes.
The best way to enjoy morels is to serve them simply in a scramble with eggs, spring onions, and asparagus.
Slashfood talks to the host of Bravo's new Top Chef Masters, Kelly Choi.
Make an Italian-inspired turkey burger that's short on the grease, but not on moisture.

Source

Thanksgiving Tip: How to Select the Right Turkey

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:27:11 -0800

You may have perfected your Thanksgiving menu, including a mouth-watering recipe for Herb-Butter Turkey, but do you know how to choose the perfect bird to serve at your big feast? Have you figured out how big it should be? Do you know the difference between frozen and fresh? If you'd like the answer to these questions, then keep on reading, I've compiled a few tips to help you out.

To figure out how big of a turkey you should buy, a good rule of thumb is about 1 lb. per person, more if you want leftovers and less if those people are children (unless they're children with adult appetites!). If the turkey is prestuffed, up the amount to 1.75–2 lbs. per person.
Generally speaking, the younger the bird, the better the flavor and tenderness. Fryer (also called roaster) turkeys are less than four months old and the most tender turkey you can buy. Young turkeys are four to eight months old and have soft, smooth skin. A yearling is a 12-month-old turkey and is reasonably tender. A mature (also called old) is one that is older than 15 months. The meat is tough and it is not well suited for roasting.

Discover a few more tips, just read more

Although a fresh turkey costs more than a frozen, it's generally considered a superior bird. Fresh turkeys have never been cooled to a temperature lower than 26°F, whereas frozen turkeys are flash frozen. If you buy a fresh turkey, try to arrange to pick it up as close to the eating date as possible. Storing a fresh turkey in your freezer may cause it to deteriorate quickly (home freezers don't have the same cooling capability as commercial ones).
Some other labels you might see on a turkey include: smoked - ready to eat as the process has cured and cooked the meat; organic - one that is only fed organic feed; natural - no artificial ingredients or coloring are added; self-basting - injected with various ingredients that keep the turkey moist while roasting.

If you have any great tips or questions on how to select the perfect turkey, let us know in the comments below!

Source

Thanksgiving Tip: How to Roast a Turkey

partysugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:23:30 -0800

Although there are many alternative ways to cook a turkey - grilling, smoking, deep frying, etc. - the most classic way to cook the Thanksgiving bird is in the oven. Here are some tips that will help you roast your turkey:

Invest in a roasting thermometer.
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey's thigh. Make sure the thermometer does not touch the turkey's bone because it will throw off your reading.
When the thermometer reads 160°F–165°F the bird is properly cooked. Take the turkey out of the oven and let sit, untouched tented with foil, for 20–30 minutes. The turkey will continue to cook while it rests, increasing the temperature to around 180°F.
Depending on the shape and size of your bird and its temperature when it enters the oven, the turkey should take anywhere from 1.5–5.5 hours to cook.
Follow the recipe you are using to set the oven temperature and determine whether or not you should baste the turkey. Generally turkeys roast at about 300–325°F.

Hope this helps! If you've got another turkey tip, please share your secret with us below!

Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:00:44 -0800

With rich flavors, luxe ingredients, and complex cooking techniques, this delicious Thanksgiving menu is sure to wow your foodie friends. Start with brioche toasts topped with foie gras, date purée, and pomegranate seeds. Caviar with cream cheese on peppered crackers is another hors d'oeuvres option that comes together easily with elements from a gourmet grocery store. A slow-smoked turkey with cane syrup-coffee glaze is a showstopping centerpiece to the main event. Before being smoked, the bird is braised in a mixture of coffee, apple cider vinegar, and cane syrup, so make sure you have a pot large enough to hold a whole turkey.

A decadent stuffing with bacon, sage, and fresh-shucked oysters is a delightful accompaniment to the smoked bird. Sweet potatoes reach new heights when served in souffle form stuffed inside a phyllo dough. To get these recipes for the more advanced home cook, read more.

Foie Gras With Date Purée and Pomegranate
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1/4 pound Medjool dates (packed 1/2 cup), pitted
1/2 cup boiling-hot water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 large brioche loaf or challah loaf (1 to 1 1/2 pound)
1 (6 1/2-ounces) block foie gras, chilled
Garnish: pomegranate seeds (from 1 pomegranate)

Directions

Soak dates in boiling-hot water (1/2 cup) in a bowl 10 minutes. Transfer dates with a slotted spoon to a mini food processor or a blender along with 1 tablespoon soaking liquid. Add pomegranate molasses and purée until smooth.
Preheat broiler.
Cut enough 1/4-inch-thick slices from brioche to cut into a total of 32 (1 1/2-inch) squares (without crust).
Broil brioche squares on a baking sheet 4 to 5 inches from heat, turning once, until pale golden, about 1 1/2 minutes total. (Watch carefully; brioche toasts quickly.)
Dip a sharp paring knife in hot water, then dry it and halve foie gras lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 16 slices (32 total), dipping and drying knife after each cut. Put each slice as cut on top of a brioche toast, then top with a small dollop of date purée and a few pomegranate seeds.

Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres.

Make ahead: Brioche can be cut (but not toasted) 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Date purée can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Print recipe with images | without images

Slow-Smoked Turkey With Cane Syrup-Coffee Glaze
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 gallons water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ground coffee, preferably chicory coffee
1 large onion, halved
12 large thyme sprigs, tied together
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 cups light brown sugar or 3 cups cane syrup*
One 11-pound turkey
About 3 cups hickory chips
Vegetable oil, for brushing

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 1 gallon of the water to a boil; keep warm. In a large stockpot, combine the cider vinegar, coffee, onion, thyme, salt and peppercorns with 1 3/4 cups of the brown sugar and the remaining gallon of water. Bring to a boil.
Holding the turkey by the legs, carefully ease the bird into the hot brine, neck end down. Add enough of the hot water to the stockpot to cover the turkey and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Carefully remove the turkey from the stockpot. Strain 2 cups of the braising liquid into a heatproof bowl and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Discard the remaining braising liquid.
Meanwhile, light a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. A few minutes before the turkey has finished simmering, add 2 cups of the hickory chips to the coals. When the chips start smoking, brush the turkey breast with oil.
Set the turkey, breast side down, on the grill. Cover and smoke over a low fire or flame for 15 minutes. Baste the turkey with the reserved braising liquid; turn it breast side up and baste again.
Cover the grill and continue smoking the turkey for about 40 minutes longer, basting occasionally with the braising liquid and adding more coals or hickory chips to the grill as necessary.
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165°. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Serves 10 with leftovers.

*Cane syrup is available by mail order from Steen's.

Print recipe with images | without images

Oyster Stuffing
From Saveur

Ingredients

11 cups 1⁄2" cubed white French bread (about 14 oz.)
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1⁄4" strips
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for
greasing the pan
6 shallots, thinly sliced
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
40 medium oysters, such as bluepoints, shucked (about 1 lb.), with 1 cup of the liquor reserved
1 cup chicken stock
1⁄4 cup madeira or port
1⁄3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp. chopped thyme leaves
2 tbsp. chopped sage leaves
1⁄2 tsp. Tabasco
1⁄4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 250. Arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
Put bacon into a 12" skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp and its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes.
Add 4 tbsp. of the butter and heat. Add shallots and celery, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add oyster liquor, stock, madeira or port, parsley, thyme, sage, Tabasco, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and stir in the bread cubes and oysters. Set aside to allow the flavors to come together for 10 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400°. Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-qt. oval baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue baking until golden brown and crusty, about 30 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Sweet Potato Souffle Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, pierced with the tines of a fork
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup melted, plus more for pan
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more if needed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
9 sheets phyllo dough, (17 by 12 inches) thawed if frozen
Pinch of cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes until tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle.
Peel potatoes, and press through a ricer into a large bowl (you should have about 1 cup); let cool completely. Stir in ground ginger, vanilla, salt, egg yolks, and brown sugar; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat milk and fresh ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just under a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in milk mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 1 minute. Stir into potato mixture.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan, and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
Stir 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl.
Brush 1 phyllo sheet with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Fold in half crosswise; brush with butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon-sugar mixture, and fit into prepared pan, folded side in, allowing a 2 1/2-inch overhang. Repeat, overlapping sheets to cover bottom.
Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.
With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Whisk one-third of the egg whites into potato mixture. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg whites.
Pour over phyllo; fold overhang over filling. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture (if needed, combine 1 to 2 tablespoons more sugar and a pinch of cinnamon).
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake pie until puffed and just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until slightly cooled and center has fallen, about 20 minutes.

Serves 10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Top Chef 3.6 - Freezer Burn Recap

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:22:18 -0700

Did you guys catch the ~~Bertolli commercial~~ new episode of Top Chef last night? It was super-sized with an extra 15 minutes of fun, and this time around, I feel confident enough to say I finally know who everyone is. When the cheftestants head to the kitchen, they are met by Padma and Rocco Dispirito (you might remember him from his own reality show The Restaurant). Instead of a normal quickfire challenge, Rocco and Padma are hosting a "culinary bee." Each person has to identify food items either by taste or sight. If they get it right they go to the end of the line, if they get it wrong they're out. Surprisingly, six of the ten chefs are out after round 1, leaving Howie, Brian, Hung and Casey. In his defense, this is what Joey had to say about getting axed so soon, "You got Padma looking at you looking all sexy today, and then you got this asshole right next to her, and your mind just goes blank." Raight... totally blank.

To find out who won the quickfire, what they had to do for elimination (hint: think "brrrr!") and who had to pack their knives and go, read more

After 6 rounds of the culinary bee - which sounds like so much fun, anyone interested in hosting one? - Casey emerges as the winner with roasted red bell peppers. Oh and my favorite part of the quickfire round? That would have to be when Hung, who could have tasted his ingredient, was too cocky to taste it, said it was one thing, then decided to taste it and realized he was wrong.

Once the quickfire is over, the cheftestants are presented with a bag of Bertolli frozen dinner and a sales pitch by Rocco, who happens to be Bertolli's spokesperson. They then draw knives in order to separate themselves into groups of two, and are told that each pair must create a new Italian-style Mediterranean frozen pasta meal. They have two hours to cook and get things into the freezer and a hour to assemble the next day.

This is where they should have been paying attention. They have a full hour the next day, so obviously the judges think they will need time to do something. Out of all of the teams, only Tre and CJ thought to individually freeze the items - so that the pasta would not absorb the sauce - and ultimately this worked in their favor. Their dish of Black Truffle – Parmesan Linguini with Grilled Chicken, along with Casey and Dale's Turkey and Pork Meatballs proved to be the best dishes. In the end it was Tre & CJ's understanding of the freezing technique that put their dish in the lead and won them a trip to Italy!

If there are winners, there must be losers. In the bottom we had the can't get-along gangs of Howie & Sara M. and Joey and Hung. In one group there is constant bickering, Sara doesn't seem to "do anything" while Howie is just irritated that someone is second-guessing him. Meanwhile Joey plods along doing what he wants and ignores Hung, which was quite costly being that Hung knew they needed to freeze everything individually. Ultimately the frustration between the partners causes both groups to perform poorly and their dishes suffer for it. In the end, in a move I found slightly shocking, Joey is asked to pack his knives and go.

Now, for a few things to discuss:

Trip to Italy?! Man those earlier winners got the shaft with a stack of books and some wine, don't you think?
Does Bravo need to work on their editing or what? I knew half way in that Brian and Sara N. were neither winning nor losing, they just didn't get any screen time.
Was that clip of Sara M. smoking in the hot tub odd to anyone else?
How difficult was it to watch Joey break down and cry?
Do you think Joey should have been sent home? I really thought it was going to be Sara.

Image Source