The Gastro Gnome

06/24/2018

The gnome has been absent for quite some time as the gnome's bestie, Chef Kate has been ill. Summer recipes should start popping soon!

03/20/2018

02/01/2017

A big shout out to the Gnome's bestie, Chef Kate, on becoming the Director of Catering at Tiffin Man Global Kitchen!

01/30/2017

After eating your delicious and succulent roasted poultry, save the carcass for making stock.

Stock
Bones of poultry, beef, pork
I stalk of celery, cut to fit in stock pot
1 carrot, cut to fit in stock pot
2-4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed with side of knife
2-3 bay leaves
1 t of peppercorns (the Gnome prefers the mixed)
2 allspice berries (optional)
Kosher salt to taste

Place bones in 450 F oven just until browned.
Place browned bones, add very cold water to cover, plus 1 inch
Add veg and spices
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and partially cover pot.
Simmer 4-5 hours for brown chicken stock
Simmer 45 minutes for vegetable stock
Simmer 8 hours for beef or veal stock
The water should barely be simmering, just a bubble or two coming to the surface.

This may seem like a lot of work or time, but totally worth it. Stock may be frozen to use at a later date.

01/30/2017

Some tips on a perfect roasted chicken!

If you wash your bird (the French do not), dry it thoroughly inside and out.

The ideal temperature is 165 F, using a meat thermometer, take it our of the oven at 155. The residual heat will bring the bird up to temp in 10 minutes. This allows the bird to stay more moist.

Do nut place stuffing inside the bird, it comes into contact with raw poultry juices and by the time it comes to the proper temperature the bird is over done and dried out.

Do place aromatics in the cavity. The Gnome recommends garlic cloves, 1/4 of an onion, 1/2 of a lemon, fresh thyme if in your budget and a few fresh sage leaves, peppercorns and Kosher salt.

Using the same seasoning in the cavity, season some butter or olive oil and rub under the skin, DON'T TEAR THE SKIN! and rob on top of skin as well.

When carving poultry of any kind, take the breast off whole and slice it horizontally.

The Gnome sincerely hopes this information is helpful. You may interrogate the Gnome anytime!

01/30/2017

Some ideas for a romantic Valentine's Day Dinner.
If it's within your budget, lamb chops marinated in olive oil infused with rosemary and garlic served medium rare.

A small wheel of Brie with Kosher salt sprinkled on top, drizzled with honey and encased in puff pastry, served with a good selection of crackers or warmed pita bread. If one is feeling brave enough, use phyllo brushed with butter to encase the brie. Warm in oven until the pastry or phyllo is crisp.

If one is lucky enough to score fresh figs, cut open, place a small spoonful of goat cheese, a candied walnut or pecan, bake a few minutes to melt the cheese and drizzle with honey.

01/29/2017

One of the Gnome's favorite breakfast to serve on Valentine's Day is deceptively simple and positively decadent.

Eggs Benedict with a twist

You will need puff pastry, luckily that's available in the freezer section of your grocery store. Use the cup kind.

Bake the pastry shells per directions.
Gently poach your eggs making sure to leave the yolk slightly runny.
Place lox or smoked salmon in the bottom of the cup.
place the poached eggs on top, The Gnome likes to use quail egg as they are smaller. Conveniently located at you r local Asian market.
Prepare your Hollandaise sauce (packet or scratch) add a generous amount of hot sauce to the the Hollandaise. The Gnome likes chili lime Cholula. If you're feeling adventurous use lime instead of lemon.
Sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Voila!

01/29/2017

Valentines recipes arriving shortly. The Gnome is available to do an intimate dinner for two in your own home!

09/30/2016

The Gnome is available to cater your Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dinners, Holiday parties and more. Consider having a cooking party with your friends or co-workers. Professional instruction and a wonderful meal at the end while the Gnome cleans up.

09/29/2016

Although the Gnome has posted this before, she believes it bears repeating.

A list of herbs and spices one must have in one's kitchen:

Ground Cumin
Basil
Vietnamese Cinnamon
Bay Leaves
Smoked Paprika
Thyme
Garlic Powder
Mediterranean or Mexican Oregano
Onion Powder
Rosemary
Whole Nutmeg
Red Pepper Flakes
Coriander Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Ground Cloves
Whole Cloves
Chinese Five Spice
Turmeric
Curry Powder
Yellow Mustard
White Pepper
Cardamon Powder
Allspice Powder
Chili Powder
Ginger Root Powder

To add to this list, whole peppercorns and a grinder and Kosher salt (lowest in sodium for some odd reason)

Toodles!

09/29/2016

Fall fell fast. That would be the loud noise heard in Minnesota 2 days ago. This can only mean one of two things, you can either stew about it or you can STEW BABY!

Here are some stew basics.

The best meats for stew are the tougher cuts. They are more flavorful, but do require a longer and slow cooking method. the meat should be cut in even chunks and then dredged in seasoned flour. This will aid in thickening the stew. Brown the meat on all in a small amount of peanut or vegetable oil, does the Gnome need to tell you to use a heavy bottom dutch oven? The Gnome's bestie Chef Kate's favorites are lamb or goat with beef coming in a close third, pork is great as well. Should you prefer fish, meatier steaks like halibut, snapper, grouper are good candidates (sorry, stupid election affecting vocabulary at present).

Remove the nicely browned meaty chunks and add chopped veggies. A mirepoix is onion, carrot and celery, the "trinity" is onion, celery and green pepper. Saute until some color is achieved. This is the time to add your dried herbs and spices. When something is stewed, dried instead of fresh ALWAYS. Deglaze, yes the Gnome wrote deglaze, the pot with your liquid, Beef, lamb, fish or chicken stock, wine or beer, whatever the danged recipe calls for, scraping up the tasty bits on the bottom. Put your meaty bits back in the pot and add enough liquid to cover said protein and bring to a simmer - note SIMMER, not boil. Cover tightly and finish the stewing process in the oven at about 300 f.

Fish should be about 10 minutes, chicken perhaps an hour and beef, lamb, pork and goat up to 2 hours. Again, read the recipe. May I remind the readers that one must read a recipe all the way through before even starting. Saves wailing and gnashing of teeth, temper tantrums and food waste. Not to mention another trip to the market for more stuff.

Crusty bread, good company and some rockin' tunes complete the scenario. If you have a fireplace use it!

Enjoy my lovelies.

07/26/2016

Another lovely thing during a Crohn's flare is variations on mashed potatoes. Although the Gnome does not approve, ahem, of instant, they do come in handy for something quick. Here are some tasty additions to think about.

Goat cheese (no lactose) with garlic and onion.
Slowly stir in a beaten egg, add tarragon, marjoram and thyme.
With a drier potato, add onion powder and fry until crisp.

Potassium Heaven!

07/26/2016

The Gnome has a few roamers who are gluten intolerant, a few yummies for them to scarf. This is a lovely fritatta, ALLERGY FREE!!!!!

1 large russet potato
6 eggs
1 t Kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley (or try arugula)
2 T olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/4 c chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh mushrooms (the Gnome likes shiitake)
1/2 c chopped ham
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese (or maybe Gouda, or perhaps Swiss)

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add potato and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and slice, heat oven to 350 degrees F.. Beat together eggs, salt, pepper and parsley.In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion and red pepper until soft, then stir in mushrooms. When mushrooms start to shrink, add the chopped ham, potato and tomato slices. Pour in the egg mixture; gently stir to combine. Sprinkle cheese on top of eggs and place skillet in preheated oven. Bake until eggs are firm, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool briefly before serving.Fer yum

05/29/2016

The Gnomes bestie, Chef Kate, stumbled upon a fun slaw dressing that's fabuloso. Ahem:

6 T olive oil
6 T unseasoned rice vinegar
3 T fresh lime juice
1 T minced cilantro leaves, + more for garnish if ya feeling fancy
1 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t sugar or try avage nectar!
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t red chile flakes

Hoo baby! Knock the socks off of your friends, tell 'em you just thunk it up.

The Gastro Gnome was created to provide quality culinary instruction, nutritional advice and a great experience to share with friends and knowledge to last a lifetime.We also provide catering from intimate dinners for two to parties of up to 150.

05/28/2016

The Gnome would not dream of putting forth a potato salad recipe as many of these are sacred family treasures. Instead, some helpful (hopefully) hints for your pic a nics and meat sacrifices.

The ideal potato for salad making is not the ubiquitous russet, it can get too mushy and is very starchy. The Gnome suggests a waxier variety such as Yukon gold or a red. They hold up beautifully and still take on the flavors intended (or one hopes intended).

Eggs. For those who may have missed the delightfully informative post on eggs, and we know who you are, here are a few essentials. Use older eggs for hard cooking. The air pocket at the end of the egg increases with the time spend out of the chicken's hiney making it easier to peel and less likely to crack in water. Place eggs in cold water, bring to a rolling boil, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 15 minutes and shock in an ice bath for ease of handling and as many of the male fans will attest will lead to a bit of um, er, egg shrinkage.

Mayonnaise based salads must, MUST be kept cold, preferably in a water proof container directly on the ice in one's chest. No the Gnome is not calling you cold-hearted. Serve directly from the cooler if possible.

If frying chicken at home to be served deliciously cold later, please remove said bird parts from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to dredging and frying. If done directly from the fridge, the temp of the oil (350) will drop too much and the result will be soggy not crispy, blech. When frying chicken, remember to season everything, the marinade or buttermilk one soaks it in overnight, the egg and the dredge, not it isn't drudgery.

Hamburgers should be seasoned and formed into patties ahead of time as frequently there are no hand washing stations at your local park. Bring a pair of those lovely blue gloves to handle said beef. I can hear you making your own puns, stop it, that is the Gnome's job.

Do remember wet wipes and paper towel or napkins, don't forget serving utensils and some form of music. Keep a cell phone handy to call 911 when fisticuffs break out after a heated debate over what constitutes music. Various outdoor games for all ages will keep the lookie-loos away from the grill meister.

Most of all have fun and do be mindful of the fact that Memorial Day is in remembrance of those who have served their country.

05/28/2016

Having a graduation party? Let the Gnome create some magic for you!

05/27/2016

Wedding season is upon us. Consider having a cooking party for your shower or bachelorette!

05/13/2016

The Gnome's bestie, Chef Kate has been a bit whiny about the whole Crohn's thing, so I sneeked a peek in her special diets recipe notebook and found this yummy thang.

Thai Chicken and Veggies

1 T olive oil
3-4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts, each cut into six pieces
1 t minced, peeled fresh ginger (do not use the jarred)
3-4 lg carrots, peeled and cut into pencil-thin strips (julienne)
2-3 sm zucchini, cut into pencil-thin strips (yup, julienne)
2-3 lg green onions, thinly sliced
1 t Kosher salt
1/4 c peanut butter (natural and organic if for special diet)
1/2 c 100% tomato juice
1 t original Tabasco Sauce (yeah right, Chef Kate would add MORE)
3 T apple cider vinegar
1 c water

In nonstick skillet, heat oil over med high heat until very hot. Add chicken and cook until beginning to brown, 4-5 min. Add ginger and carrots to skillet and cook until carrot is lightly browned. Stir in zucchini and green onions and continue cooking until veggies are tender. Combine peanut butter, tomato juice, vinegar and water and stir into pan until well blended. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until chicken loses its pink color and veggies are crisp-tender; about 5-10 min. Some nice toppings are chopped peanuts or coconut! If someone isn't on the special diet serve over rice!

Will ya pipe down now Chef Kate?

04/28/2016

This time of year can bring unpredictable weather. It was a damp dreary one and the Gnome began to think of comfort food, EASY comfort food.

Fettuccine wiwth Sweet Pepper, Cayenne Sauce

12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta 2 red bell peppers, julienned
Mini Peppers Sweet
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t cayenne pepper
1 c sour cream
3/4 c chicken broth
3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, spray cooking oil in a large skillet and saute red bell peppers, garlic and cayenne pepper over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.Stir in sour cream and broth; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

04/26/2016

OOOO Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding

5 T softened butter, for greasing
6–8 croissants cut into large pieces
1/3 c raisins
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 1/4 c whole milk
4 eggs
1/2 t freshly ground cinnamon
1/3 c caster (superfine) sugar

Generously butter an ovenproof dish that measures about 8 x 12". Arrange a single layer of croissant chunks, slightly overlapping, in the bottom of the dish. Scatter over some of the raisins, place another layer of croissant chunks on top and scatter over the remaining raisins. Press down gently with a spatula. To make the custard, heat the cream and milk in a saucepan until the mixture comes almost to the boil. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, ground cinnamon and sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture is thickened and the whisk or beaters leave a trail when lifted. Remove from the heat and beat in the cream mixture until well combined.
Pour 2/3 of the custard over the croissants and leave to stand for about 30 minutes or until they have soaked up all the liquid. Heat the oven to 350F. Pour the remaining custard over the soaked croissants and press down firmly with a spatula so that the custard reaches halfway up the croissants. Place the dish in a roasting pan and pour in enough water to come 1/3 of the way up the side of the dish. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the custard is just set and the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

04/26/2016

Perhaps some Beef and Guinness Pie?

2 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 1" pieces
2 T all purpose flour
1 t salt
1/2 t freshy cracked black pepper
2 T vegetable oil
1 lg onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 T water
1 1/2 T tomato paste (get the tube, easier to re-use)
1 c beef broth
1 c Guinness
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 t drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 T water
Special equipment: 4 (14oz) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5" wide) or similar capacity ovenproof dishes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F.
Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5-6 qt ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl. Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.) Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425F. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13" square, about 1/8" thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1" border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough. Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

04/26/2016

In honor of the Gnome's bestie chef Kate joining the staff at an Irish pub, the Gnome gives you: BROWN BREAD!

3 1/2 t dry yeast
1 1/4 c water
1 t molasses (black strap if possible)
3 1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 t Kosher salt

Grease an 8" x 2 1/2" loaf pan and warm it in a heated oven (250) for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the yeast into 2/3 c of the water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Add the molasses. Leave for 10 minutes, until frothy. Add the remaining water and stir. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast. Stir in the flour to form a thick batter. Use your hands to mix the batter gently in the bowl for 1 minute, until it begins to leave the sides of the bowl clean and forms a soft, sticky dough. Place the dough in the prepared pan and cover with a dish towel. Proof until the dough is 1/2" above the top of the pan, about 25-30 minutes. Bake in the heated oven at 425F for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 400F and bake for 15 minutes.

Spread with fresh butter, LOTS of fresh butter. European if you can find/afford it!

04/11/2016

The Gnome's bestie, Chef Kate has been felled by pneu new na monia or something. Home remedies and recipes to follow.

03/27/2016

Please let the Food Network know that The Gastro Gnome needs her own show!

03/23/2016

Exercising a staggering level of prognostication, the gnome knows you shall soon be inundated with copious amounts of hard...boiled...eggs.

One doesn't simply have to peel and eat. NOOOOOO.

Are you ready, are you ready for this, are you standing on the edge of your seat? Out of the coop door the chickens rip to the sound of the beat. Cluck, cluck, cluck. Another egg bites the dust.

A (not comprehensive) list of uses for hard cooked eggs:
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Potato salad
Green salad toss in
Deviled eggs (recipes in archives)
Scotch eggs (recipe to follow)
Pickled eggs (recipe to follow)
Eggs Benedict, less mess than using poached
Stuffed meatloaf (raw meatloaf formed around the eggs and then baked)

As it is important to repeat, one does not really hard boil eggs, one hard cooks them. Place eggs in cold water ( with at least an " covering the eggs and bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Older eggs will peel easier.

For the Scotch Eggs the Gnome HIGHLY recommends purchasing some uncooked bangers. In Minnesota, they can be purchased at Irish On Grand and frequently are available at Kramarczuk's in NE Minneapolis. They may also be ordered on-line. If you aren't interested in the taste of a lifetime, go ahead and use breakfast sausage. Peel the eggs, form thawed sausage around eggs, rolling seasoned bread crumbs and sauté in oil until sausage is cooked through. serve at room temp or chilled with a bit of prepared Coleman's mustard and mayonnaise.

Pickled Eggs
10 hard-cooked eggs
1 c 5% vinegar check the label!
1 c water
2 T Kosher salt
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 t whole caraway, fennel or cumin seeds
1/2 t whole peppercorns, any color
3 lg cloves garlic

In a nonreactive (no aluminum but stainless-steel, ceramic, glass and plastic are OK) bowl, stir together vinegar, water and salt until the salt is dissolved. Add bay leaves, seeds, peppercorns and peeled cloves of garlic. Place cold, peeled hard-cooked eggs in a large glass jar or other container with a lid. Pour the brine over the eggs to cover (make more if necessary). Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate for 3 days before eating with oil and vinegar.

03/20/2016

Western Easter is fast approaching. Do not raid the kiddies basket, bad bad bad. The gnomes bestie, Chef Kate, didn't get to eat the ears of a chocolate bunny until she was an adult.

Sara Moulton's Baked Ham reinterpreted by Chef Kate
1 (12-lb) shankless skinless smoked cured ham, bone in if possible
Whole cloves for studding ham
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c prepared mustard, dijon style or a grainy German
2 T cider vinegar

Or:

1 to 2" ham steak
1/2 t ground cloves
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c prepared mustard, dijon style or a grainy German
2 T cider vinegar

If using a whole ham be sure to score the ham gently in a diamond pattern. Porky goodness.

03/15/2016

A childhood favorite of the gnome's bestie, Chef Kate. A Scottish dish yes, but dig in to the indulgence.

Finnan Haddie

1 lb finnan haddie, smoked haddock
4 T butter
4 T flour
3 lg cloves of garlic smalshed and roughly chopped
2 lg white onions
2 bay leaves
1 1⁄2 c whole milk or half and half (gnome prefers the latter)
2 t chicken base (NO BOULLION)
Kosher salt & white pepper
1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg,please, I beg of you, buy whole nutmeg and grate directly on.

Cut the onions in half, slice thinly, then cut the slices in thirds.
Place the smoked fish,(cut in half if you need to make it fit into the skillet) onions and bay leaves into said skillet and cover with water.

Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from pan, drain all liquid, remove any skin or bones, discard bay leaves and flake the fish with a fork.
In the same skillet, melt butter,add chicken base and whisk in flour and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the flour is foaming but not browned - about 1 or 2 minutes.

Over low heat, gradually add in 1 ½ cups of milk/half and half, bringing to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and leave to simmer slowly for an additional 1-2 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add more milk/half and half, 1 T at a time, stirring constantly.

Add the flaked fish and onions into the sauce, stirring to combine and warm throughout.

Serve with boiled new potatoes sprinkled with a good amount of freshly chopped chives.

After food coma has ceased and any LACTOSE INTOLERANT issues subside. Go directly to the gym and cardio, cardio cardio.

Booya!

03/14/2016

In honor of Pi day. Some pies recipes will feature in the equation.

03/14/2016

Savory Spring Vegetable And Goat Cheese Tart

1 store-bought pie crust for you cheaters oir use the gnomes butter crust recipe
All-purpose flour (for surface)
2 bunches asparagus (about 1 1/4 lbs total), trimmed
5 lg or 12 sm spring onions
3 T olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T unsalted butter
8 oz soft fresh goat cheese
1/4 c crème fraîche
1/4 c heavy cream
1 T minced flat-leaf parsley
1 T minced fresh chives
2 t minced fresh tarragon
3 lg eggs

Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round. Transfer to tart pan and press onto bottom and up sides. Bake crust according to package instructions. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut off top 1 1/2" of asparagus tips; reserve. Slice stalks into 1/4" rounds. Slice spring onions in 1/4" pieces. Toss asparagus tips and spring onion in a small bowl with 2 T oil; season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on prepared sheet; roast, turning once, until onions begin to brown and asparagus is bright green and tender, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Meanwhile, back at the farm) heat remaining 1 T oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sliced asparagus and spring onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and asparagus is bright green and tender, 6–8 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan. Spread evenly over bottom of crust. Whisk cheese and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in eggs. Pour over vegetables. Scatter asparagus tips and spring onion bulbs over.

Bake tart until edges of crust are golden brown and filling is set, 20–22 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.

03/08/2016

Once again the gnome feels compelled to educate fellow Americans on what is truly Irish. The gnome's bestie chef Kate is truly appalled by the concept of green beer. One simply does not consume green beer, EVER!!!!! Try some very easy and traditional soda bread.

Real Soda Bread

4 c (16 oz) of all purpose flour.
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
14 oz buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly grease and flour a cake pan. In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape) Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough. Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done. Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist. Use butter, real butter and LOTS of it.

02/20/2016

Think of the children. http://imgur.com/gallery/UKghUbN

02/12/2016

The gnome is available to help you make your own romantic Valentine's Day dinner for two or perhaps a party! Meal ideas, recipes, decor ideas and anything your romantic lil heart desires!

02/11/2016

Lent has arrived. For those of you who follow Lenten dietary guidelines (and year-round meatless Mondays), I present to you:

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

Eggplant:
2 28-oz cans whole tomatoes, drained of their liquid
4 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T light brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 lg eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2" rounds (you'll need at least 8 rounds)
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 c all-purpose flour, for dredging
4 lg eggs, beaten
3 c Italian style breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Vegetable oil, for frying

Sandwich Build:
2 T salted butter, softened
4 soft buns
1 pound mozzarella cheese
1/2 c pepperoncini, sliced 1/4" thick
16 leaves fresh basil

Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment and another baking sheet with a wire rack.

For the eggplant: In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar and some salt. Evenly place the tomatoes on the lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast until slightly caramelized and dried out a bit, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Set the eggplant slices on the wire rack (if you don't have a rack you can use a colander set in the sink). Sprinkle salt on each side of the eggplant and let the salt do the work for 15 to 30 minutes.

Once the salt has released moisture from the eggplant, pat the slices dry with paper towels. Then sprinkle each side of the eggplant with pepper.

Set up a standard breading station with the flour in one shallow dish, the eggs in another and the breadcrumbs mixed with the Parmesan in a third dish. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, shake off any excess, dip in the egg, let any excess drip off and then coat in the c. Setrumbs aside on the wire rack and repeat.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1-inch vegetable oil to 350 degrees F.

Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes a side. Using a pair of tongs, transfer back to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Make sure to season the eggplant as it comes out of the oil.

For the sandwich build: Butter and griddle both sides of the buns until golden and crispy (you can toast the buns as well). Layer the mozzarella over the bottom buns, then add 2 hot eggplant slices, some roasted tomatoes, a few pepperoncini and some fresh basil leaves on each bun.