balut

I suppose I should say that the pictures after the jump aren't that appetizing. So if you are, in any way, easily put off, then maybe wait for another post or go look at pictures of pretty unicorns. If you are however curious, let me show the the way.

Balut isn't going top be everyone's cup of tea; I realize this. In fact it isn't a cup of tea at all. Very simply, it's an egg; as you can see from the pictures. What makes this egg different from your regular store bought egg is the nearly developed embryo inside. The duck, or chicken egg, is allowed to age for a few weeks, the ideal age I've read is around 17 days, after which the egg is boiled.

Pulling the shell leaves you with quite the sight.

I've been on the lookout for balut for some time now. Now, I'm not exactly calling around everyday, but I do ask when I'm out and about. Walking by a Filipino grocery store today, I decided to ask. To my surprise, there was balut to be had. Asking if I would like my balut cooked, or uncooked, I opted for one that was already cooked. With this being my first experience, I wasn't going to get involved with boiling it correctly..because if I had to wait too long, I might drop the idea all together. The shop owner was more than happy to sell me the egg, but wanted to know if I recently watched the balut episode of Fear Factor. Saying no, I did my best to explain that the foodie in me was dying to try it. I don't know if she understood my desire, but she did ask me to come back and tell her how it was.

The shop owner mentioned I may want to sit the egg in warm water for a few minutes so it can warm up, but once again, not wanting to give up, I dug right in. The shell seemed a bit harder to crack than a normal egg, but it could have been my passive aggressive banging. See I didn't really know what I would see, and didn't want to somehow wreck the interior. Eventually I had the shell completely off, and took a pause. By no means is balut visually appealing. Or for that matter gross; it's just not what you expect. Slicing the egg open is really where the 'oh' factor comes in. I probably should have peeled apart the pieces, instead of slicing through the embryo..but hey; live and learn right! So how was it. Interesting. With a mix of soft and crunchy bits, and everything in between, it makes for an interesting snack. Combined with a familiar, but unfamiliar egg test, I can see why many people would pass on the dish.

I actually didn't mind the egg. The texture of certain sections, was easily the worst part. The crunch of a beak, or the mental imagine of hair does strange things to the belly. I imagine a fresh, warm egg could have a stronger flavour, something the cooler temperature in which the egg was stored may have robbed, and that every egg would be slightly different (just like people and snowflakes). So it's almost hard to judge the entire balut experience based on this first attempt. And, although I'm almost curious to go back and compare...I may not be running back to the store in a hurry.

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haggis

Do you know what haggis does for me? Besides fill me up and make me happy, it always leaves me with leftovers. Leftovers that nobody really wants in on. So, with a few days to eat this two and a half pound slab of haggis, I haven't created anything new. Oh well, at least I can show you the beast I'm working on.

Oh and if you want to get in on some haggis, let me know next time. I'll be sure to have plenty. Or you can head over to Old Country Meats and Deli..that's where I get my goods.

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pantry chili

Sure you can eat a hearty bowl anytime of the year, but it seems to make more sense when the weather starts to go south. This little cooking adventure virtually materialized out of nowhere. While I was cleaning out the vegetable crisper this week, the homestead was gifted 8lbs of ground beef. It seems the very kind meat-donor, had recently purchased a side of organic Alberta beef and didn't realize how much product they would actually be receiving. So, combining the homesteads new found stash of beef with a cleaned out crisper, I set out to make chili.

With the beef basically appearing out of the nowhere, this chili was a random free for all. I browned off 2 pounds of beef, with onions and garlic, while chopping vegetables and opening cans. Eventually both my recycling bin and slow cooker were filled to the brim. Opting for the fastest route, I switched the cooker to high and patiently wait 4 hours to fill my belly. For such a gong show creation, I was actually quite impressed by the final product. Needing to keep the heat to a bare minimum for the heat-allergic homesteader, I didn't sink too deep in the spice cupboard, but fixed this after wards with a generous sprinkle of chili flakes. I almost wish I had more vegetables in the crisper, as I could have easily added another zucchini, some mushrooms, or even shredded carrots. At least I had freshly baked Pain a l'Ancienne to accompany everything.

Pantry Chili
2lbs organic beef
2 19oz cans of mixed medley beans
1 19oz can of dark red kidney beans
2 28oz can whole tomatoes
1 14oz can of hot and spicy diced tomatoes
2 8oz cans of hot and spicy pizza sauce
4 or 5 tbls of chili powder
1 tsp of basil
1 tsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp cayenne
1 can of corn
1 zucchini
1 green pepper
1 sweet onion
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 cinnamon stick

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thanksgiving turkey - the saga

What says a good time like cooking a turkey? I don't think it's always the bird, but the entire meal as a whole that gets people a little hectic. So many pots on the stove, so little space in the oven, and before you know it, the turkey is overcooked. Sure, some of the dark meat is delicious, but those lean breasts look like they need an IV. This year things were going to change. Not having to participate at a girlfriends house, I decided to not sit idle by. That's right, with the advent of high quality meat thermometers and a better understanding of proteins, this man was going to attempt his first crack at the celebratory turkey.

First things first, the brine. Look around, I'll be far from the first person to tell you about the glories of a salt water soak. Yet...many people still decided to forgo this step. In today's day and age, our turkeys our so big that it becomes hard enough to cook one of these behemoths to a juicy result. The brine soak, will help to denature some of the protein and create pockets of moisture. Look at that tip eh, get a little extra moisture in before you start cooking AND break down the meat.

I used one pound of salt and one pound of brown sugar stirred into 6 quarts of warm water. Once the salt and sugar were dissolved I let the water cool for 20-30 minutes. Finally, sink the bird into the bucket and drop in 5 pounds of ice. I put a lid on the container and placed my trusty bird in a cool, calm place (8-16 hours).

The bird needs to warm up after it's wet slumber, so remember to remove your bird about 30 minutes before you are ready to rock n' roll. Rinse the bird under cold water to remove the brine and then pat dry. You may choose, of course, to stuff the bird or not at this point. Just remember, stuffing the bird will result in a longer cooking time. The homestead bird was 4.08KG. So I figured if I factored in the stuffing, this bird would take a brief 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

I had a few loaves of bread cooking away at 450 degrees, so it didn't take long for the oven to work its way up to 500. After stuffing the bird, I rubbed her down with oil (you can use butter) for that added golden hue. Now 500 degrees might seem high, but your bird is only going to spend 20 or 30 minutes at this temperature before dropping to a more sustaining 350.

As you can see, my bird didn't exactly brown all over. Oh well, such is life. The next step of course is basting. I remembered reading about using bacon to keep the bird self-basted. So with that in mind, I covered the bird in maple roasted bacon when I dropped the temperature.

Now it's just a matter of checking in on my bird every half hour or so. Making sure a) there is liquid in the bottom of the pan, b) she's nice and basted and c) she isn't browning too much. If you do find your bird browning more than you would like, don't hesitate to place a layer of foil right on her.

Before I knew it the house was filling with the most delicious odor of maple syrup and turkey. Deciding to check the temperature just shy of 2 1/2 hours, the lowest temperature I could find on my bird was 160. So out it came for the foil-down period. I am a strong, strong advocate of this post cooking relaxation, especially with poultry. Just give your bird a layer or two of foil and put it to the side for 20-30 minutes. I promise all the juices will flow back in, and nobody will be disappointed! Plus, this gives you plenty of time to work on those last few dishes; mash, boil, steam, and stir away.

I can't help but think that the 70's and 80's were filled with so much cooking fear, that people forgot what a properly done turkey should be like. Just think about how many over cooked chicken breasts you've encounter (or dry pork chops for that matter). I mentioned at the beginning of this post about new understandings. Maybe it's not a new understanding of cooking, I mean people have been cooking for centuries. But some things have changed. From the conditions they live in to the animals themselves. Don't believe me, have a heritage bird (or pig). We have breed birds that are too heavy to bread and pigs that lack proper fat marbling as we search for the 'healthiest meat'. I don't really know where I'm going with this...It just seems no matter how many times I produce perfectly cooked and super juicy poultry products, some diners fear under cooking - 'this breast is way too juicy to be cooked'. Winning some people over, to a place where turkey doesn't have to be 190 degrees may be impossible, but I know that cooking my first turkey was neither hard, tiring, or complicated.

Brine + Bird + Heat + Rest = fantastic. Happy Thanksgiving!

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backyard bbq

I was recently invited to a little backyard soiree. It was with a group of friends that try and get together a few times each year and catch up. With people off in different directions these days, and the way stories and/or news and/or gossip fly around in our tech obsessed world, it is refreshing to catch up in person.

The theme, if you will, for the BBQ was Everybody Is Needed. Quite ingenious if you ask me. The hosts kindly asked everyone to bring a little piece of something to the party, so if you didn't show up/bring your product, the meal would haven't been complete.

For example, somebody had to brings hamburger buns and somebody else the toppings. Whoa, need sour cream and bacon bits, that's where 'insert name' comes in. How about soda pop, that was so and so's job.

Besides catching up, which was great, it was hilarious to see things unravel. One person, who was in charge of buns, ended up being an hour late, but it was OK because the person in charge of condiments was two hours behind. We waited patiently (who wants to eat a plain hot dog) and it eventually all came together. I wish we could do this more, heck we even agreed on monthly gatherings at one point, but life always has something else for us to do.

Oh, and my job...dessert. Easy as apple bundt cake if you ask me. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow!

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tyler florence bbq sauce

If there is one thing I need to make more of, it's BBQ sauce. With my pulled pork being requested almost weekly, I'm really hankering to track down a Chris-trade-secret recipe. So I figured I better start, since fellow homesteaders recently cashed in on the $1/pound pork butt sale at Sobeys, and brought home around 25 pounds. This apparently, as I'm told, leaves me no excuse not to make it. *shrug* Good thing I LOVE cooking. It's pretty much like asking me to listen to enjoy the guitar sounds of Mr. Mayer.

Before I digress any further, I started my search on Chowhound and found a few possible directions. The sauce I attempted, by Tyler Florence, had received some good reviews so I figure it was a safe place to start my journey. You may think that with the title of his show on Food Network, Tyler's Ultimate, Tyler would have narrowed it down, yet he actually has quite a few BBQ sauce recipes. I suppose with so many types of sauces out there, thick/thin, vinegar/tomato, North Carolina/Kansas City, why not. I wonder if discovering your favorite sauce is like a shot in the dark.

So with some fresh, juicy roasted chicken, I was ready to dance and dished everything into ciabatta buns. The results - not horrible, but not that good at all. We tried the sauce in multiple ways - straight up, dipping chicken right in, dipping bun/bread right in, and all together. No matter how it went town, everyone in the homestead agreed. The sauce has way to much mustard and vinegar to be enjoyed. So, while the initial flavor is good, it leaves an impression on the back of your mouth that is way too overpowering. Homestead - 0, BBQ sauce - 1.

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llama meat extravanganza

With no out-of-the-ordinary meat options at the homestead, a much over due visit to Buffalo Valley Variety Meats was just what the meat doctor ordered. Having previously picked up and cooked just about every meat product Blaine has to offer, I thought llama would cure my hankering for something different.

Figuring I would need enough llama to sample the meat in a few ways, I ended up buying 2 pounds. Right out of the package you pick up on the deep red look that I find so common in all lean, high protein game meat. And seeing as I was standing around with a handful of meat, I fired up the BBQ for a few llama burgers.

Which of course were eaten, and dwarfed, by a recent bread baker's apprentice prize..the kaiser roll. Oh how I love melty provolone!

Feeling the need for a quick protein snack the next afternoon, I browned off half a pound of the llama with mushrooms, yellow zucchini, yellow peppers and some curry spice.

Finally, with the last of my quickly shrinking stash, a pasta dish. Very simple; I added a can of whole tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, and a dash of Italian seasoning to the llama before finishing with yellow zucchini ribbons at the end.

So how's my relationship with llama. Good! A delicious and healthy meat that hints at a slightly non-beef taste. It's so subtle that your friends, relatives, and/or fellow diners would probably have a hard time picking it up. With so many choices in the meat market these days, why not step outside of Mooville and dine on the unknown.

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pulled pork kaiser

We had a few +30 days of heat around Edmonton recently so instead of heating up the house during the day, I roasted an 8lb pork butt over night. The mission accomplished both of it's objectives; 1 - don't turn the homestead into a sauna, and 2 - create a delicious meal.

Usually I'll bake off some some classic buns to act as a vessel, but with the bread baker's apprentice challenge kaiser rolls baked fresh the same day, everything was there. The pork was great, and if I had one issue with the overnight roast, it's that I kept waking up to the wafting smells of BBQ pig.

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peanut butter and bacon panini

A family favorite over the years; almost a comfort food, I dare say. Very simple, and I promise, very delicious. Fry up as much bacon you like until crispy, layer a hardy amount of peanut butter on fresh, homemade bread (I had roasted and crushed black sesame seeds in my loaf) and weigh it down in a hot pan. Serve right away, while the peanut butter is all nice and melty.

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deer and lamb meet grill

The heat has put a damper on my creative baking, and basically brought the bread oven to a halt. Somehow cranking ye ol' hot box up to 450 or 500 degrees when it's over 30 degrees outside seems foolish. What is a man to do? BBQ I suppose, but even that can feel hot when it's still hovering around 30 degrees in the evening. I digress. Hankering for some BBQ'd tubes of meat, a coin toss was had to decide between Spolumbo's offerings or Valbella's. Vabella won out, and after a quick stop in at Sunterra we had Venison Smokies and Moroccan Lamb.

The venison smokies are similar to your typical sausage. It has a wonderful smokie flavor, not overly spiced and no gameyness. It tasted equally as good coming from the microwave as it did off the grill. The lamb is a different beast all together (no pun intended) and I was the only homesteader to enjoy it. While part of the problem may be a general dislike for lamb by my fellow eaters, I actually found the spice mixed used steals away some of the true lamb flavor.

Biting into the lamb, you instantly notice the lack of snap you get from the venison (or most smokies for that matter), and pick up on the softer texture. Where a typical sausage has a dense interior, the lamb reminded me of blood sausage. I think it's almost unfair to judge the two on the same scale. The venison is so close to your typical sausage/smokie that the softer, lack of snap, lamb version almost sits limp in this comparison. I think if you were to eat the lamb by itself, with out a direct comparison, the difference wouldn't be as obvious. Regardless, both products are worth a shot, so if you want to splurge a bit, try them both like we did..just remember that these two smokies are from different leagues.

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edmonton foodie throw down #2

Last night, local food fans met in Edmonton's River Valley for a night of food and laughs. We gathered at Dawson Park, which if the weather had been a little more cooperative, is a fantastic spot. I mean if all else fails and you have nothing to say, you can always stare out and enjoy the beauty of our city.

Showing up first, meant I had a chance to look around and lay out a few chunks of yeasty goodness. I wanted people to sample some recent regular breads, so I provided both a 100% whole wheat and 100% AP slow rise bread. Nothing like a few days in the fridge to really bring out some flavor. I also baked up a New England cornmeal based bread, Anadama, and my favorite french toast bread as of late, the Greek Artos.

Kevin showed up next with some amazing moose calf. Did you know Kevin is like a jack of all trades? Seriously check out his blog.

Grace was kind enough to bring some great Malaysian chicken curry (why is it so hard to find great examples of this cuisine). I was happy to see the pot filled with plenty of meat, as I went back for seconds.

Before you know it, a flood of a food and voices filled the sitting area. Macarons from Bene and Chris. So tiny, so addictive, so 'body-friendly'!!!!

Two delicious salads (smoked paprika potato, garden greens) from Hanne and Carlo made a comfy home on the table.


Maki, added some delicious black bean crostini's. How delicious were they..so good her car seat ate some!
Brooke showed up with Vietnamese meatballs (and peanut sauce), while her partner in crime, Courtney, brought a childhood favorite, peanut butter marshmallow squares.

Top this all off with gorgeous panna cotta (very not run of the mill!) from Sharon and Mack and all we had to do was fill our tummies, and chat in between gusts of wind.

What a fantastic couple of hours. Even if the weather wasn't playing nice for our 2nd gathering, we had a great time. I for one, am already looking forward to a 3rd culinary adventure. Now, to track down a cat suit (inside joke) and contemplate what breads I should bake up next...

Check out Sharon's post for more thoughts and photo's.

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