Archive for November, 2007

Despite my good manners, I know that photo could make the mind wander. I am not sure a single sausage on a white plate in a brown sauce is the best presentation (some how, a lot of parsley seems appropriate). Yet, I kid you not, this was a tasty, albeit simple, meal.

Ukrop’s recently started selling (in limited quantities) the Niman Ranch uncured pork products. I picked up a sample of this sausage and was hooked. I wanted to cook them up as soon as I got home, it was that good.

I made this one by sautéeing in olive oil and garlic, then adding red wine. I then let the red wine reduce sans sausage, and added some balsamic vinegar. The reduction became a sauce, with the addition of a little chicken stock, pepper, and salt.

The main course, however, was a mushroom risotto.

I’ve made risotto dozens of times, but this time I let the Gourmet cookbook be my guide. The main flavor here is porcini mushrooms. Since I was using dried (as called for), I augmented with some fresh, white button mushrooms. I added more garlic. And I used a little marscapone and truffle oil at the end.

For a colder night, it was richly satisfying. The little bit of meat by way of the sausage, rounded things out.

This week marks a year since the new emergence of Messy Cuisine. I know, because I had to pay another bill to host this site.

I have mixed feelings about sites with advertising. Among my three websites, this one earns the most number of “hits,” and I appreciate the readership. Ads could help me pay for this.

I also admire those writers who have found blogging their occupation, beyond a mere hobby. There is a small part of me that savors the ability to write about what I’m passionate about and earn a living off of this practice.

My confession here is that I considered not paying to keep the website(s) up another year. It wasn’t so much the money, as, “what’s the point?” Anyone can tell the quality has gone down over the past three years (more so elsewhere, in my writings about music). But something inside me told me… “this is what you do… you take silly pictures of what you make in the kitchen… and write about your experiences in restaurants…”

I turned sad tonight while playing with Google Earth. For some reason, after looking around in other parts of rural Virginia, I “flew” to Shaker Heights, OH. Home of Michael Ruhlman, the author, and the former home of my friend’s aunt and uncle.

I spent many days and nights there when I lived and went to school in Cleveland. Among the landmarks I found was Shaker Square, a small commercial area, that has special meaning to me.

It was there, in a little restaurant/coffee house/ice cream parlor that I had a significant life experience take place. Something, we’ll just say, would earn a “blip” on this “messy chef’s” timeline of my life.

It was that memory that solidified for me the importance of food and places to enjoy prepared food. Yes, I enjoy cooking a lot in my own kitchen, trying to satisfy guests or the people I love… but I also enjoy the experience of dining in another’s dining room—even when there’s a check to be paid.

So, another year’s been paid-up. Before next November, you may see ads, maybe not. We’ll see.

But I do hope you enjoy reading and continue to visit. This pause reminds me that taking the time to write well and communicate well my passion is what will ultimately make this endeavor successful. Too many time I’ve blogged worrying about speed, and cutting my own standards for quality.

I hope to concentrate my efforts here alone in 2008 to make this an even more worthy effort of my time.

The big turkey-day has come and gone, but I know MessyCuisine readers may be interested in some highlights from the meal. All photos are “clickable” for the Flickr originals. To wit:

Roasted Smokey Butternut Squash Soup

A MessyChef Exclusive

• roasted butternut squash
• 1 colossal sweet onion
• garlic
• 2 slices Applewood smoked bacon
• heavy cream
• fresh-ground nutmeg
• salt, pepper
• butter
• vegetable stock

Root Vegetable Gratin

This one combines equally-sized slices of potatoes and other root vegetables (turnip, celery root, yams) with cream, garlic, and reduced-chicken stock, and plenty of cracked pepper and fresh-ground nutmeg.

Brussles Sprouts with Mushrooms and Shallot

Based on last-year’s Gourmet magazine recipe, this combines mushrooms and shallots with baby brussles sprouts for a nice vegetable side dish. This year I mixed things up with a little roasted beet for extra sweetness.

Butter-Braised Leeks

I don’t recall where this idea came from, but some famous chef gave me the idea for braising leeks in butter over a long period on a “low flame” for melt-in-your mouth goodness. I gave it an extra Messy Chef touch here with spicy Dijon mustard and white wine.

Pumpkin Soufflé

The dessert request was for something traditional, yet light. We answered with a pumpkin-pie soufflé.

• 6 eggs (separated into 4 yolks, 6 whites)
• Scant sugar
• Scant flour
• Can seasoned pumpkin pie mix
• butter

While we didn’t dress the soufflés, I’d recommend a light chocolate sauce or a caramel drizzle.

Tonight for dinner, with a cold night, it seemed right for a hearty soup. I made a variation on my minestrone featuring:

• vegetable stock
• tomatoes
• green beans
• broccolini
• hearty green escarole
• pasta
• parmesan cheese, evoo
• carrots
• sweet onion

First, sauté the onion in EVOO, garlic; add the carrots. Stir until a brown residue appears on the bottom of the pan; add salt, and tomato paste. Next, add red wine (I used Barbera), and more garlic. Then, add your stock, tomato, and water to fill the pot.

Once a simmer appears, add the pasta. I took the stem sections of the broccolini next and added that; the rest of the vegetables are up to you, and the order for adding them is so that they are enough cooked-through, and not some pale, gray color.

Garnish the finished soup with fresh-grated parmesan cheese. Drizzle with more EVOO.

I served a rustic toasted bread with more EVOO for dipping into the soup. Copious amounts of black pepper add to the excitement.

I frequent the Goochland Courthouse-area coffee shop Java Jodie’s at least once a week, either for lunch or a morning coffee.

This is a combination you can get: a small soup with a half-sandwich. Most are grilled panini-style.

Their food is good, but it is rather expensive. In this case, I didn’t care for their tepid soup which was also too “thin.” Otherwise, Jodie’s is an eclectic atmosphere for dining in Goochland. The staff are always friendly. I wish, however, they made a 20 oz. coffee drink size!!