Brother Pasqual

Not off to a good start

2012-01-28T07:29:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been an eventful month, except in the keeping the resolution to post a photo a week. Failed miserably on that one. Posting 3 now seems like writing a daily reflection journal in one sitting on the evening before it is due. I don't offer these in that spirit, simply as a way of saying I have been doing some photography in the midst of things like walking the dogs, going on retreat, and announcing my retirement effective July 1! That last one is especially exhilarating. I'm looking forward to having a blank canvass on which to create what comes next in my life.

All the photos below were created with my iPhone and processed with various apps. Some were done with Camera+, a nifty little camera app. Others just straight. Enjoy.

Well, certainly failed on 2011 Resolution

2012-01-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

While I did make a couple of dishes, I didn't learn to cook in the Vietnamese/Thai palette during the past year.

I also notice that I failed miserably at blogging. Hat's off to all my blogging friends that do blog.

I've noticed a number of photo friends who are undertaking a 365 project (or in this year a 366 project)--Post a new photo a day for a year! I'd love to take that on, and probably will someday, but until then I'm making myself a 52 Project Challenge: Take and post one photo per week for 2012.

So to start things off, here's a new photo taken just yesterday. Yes, the sky in South Texas is gorgeous right now, and the light is incredible with almost the texture of New Mexican light. Enjoy.

2011

2011-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

I normally don't do New Year's Resolutions, but this year I have one. I want to learn to cook a few simple Thai and Vietnamese (or dishes out of that flavor palette), during the coming year. I have tried in years past and failed--one year a Pad Thai I made was turned down even by a Golden Retriever who would eat anything, including a lattice work fence! But surely a Pho, or simple noodle dish, is attainable. Something lite, healthy, tasty and quick.

Hold me to it.

New Cookbook

2010-11-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

I was given a new cookbook this week. It is a wonderful collection of recipes and incredible photography.

Nothing better than a gustatorial and visual feast at the same time!

2010-11-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I posted. Far too long.

Today I picked Jalapenos, Serranos, and a lone Hungarian pepper from our garden. This is not the end of them either! The jalapenos and serranos are still blooming and producing, and it is November.

There are also a few tomatoes from the summer's plants! Incredible year.

Now, what to make with this?

New Recipe

2010-07-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Chicken a la Fez (courtesy of The Splendid Table) and Grilled Eggplant with garlic and rosemary (from Mediterranean Lite cookbook). It was delicious!

The tomatoes with lemon basil were from our garden, as was the parsley and mint that the chicken was marinated in and the rosemary that the eggplants were seasoned with. So light, delicious, adaptable, flexible. Served with a Nan bread we tossed on the grill to warm.

So good we're eating it again tonight!

Fresh Vegetables

2010-07-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

The summer has been a good one for gardens in Texas. Here's todays harvest of potatoes and an expectant look on a melon soon to be ready.

First Monday of Easter

2010-04-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to Tre Trattoria to celebrate completion of Holy Week and celebration of Easter. Glorious meal and setting. Grilled asparagus, braceola, roasted golden beets, bruschetta, good vino. Our priest friend Matt and I split an order of Linguini with Clams, and it was the best I've ever eaten. Just the right balance between the salty bite of the clams, the creaminess of the sauce, and hot pepper! We need to go back soon.

Wheat: Bread of Life.

2010-02-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

The glory of God is a man or woman truly alive! St. Iraneaus of Lyon.

A Great Idea.

2010-02-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

I just learned of this from a friend in San Francisco. Sounds like a project worthy of any foodie's support. Just think of the possibilities if it works.

Birthday Dinner

2010-01-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

For my birthday, The Feast of the Epiphany, we went to Osteria Il Sogno, a relatively new restaurant in the Pearl Brewery complex. It came highly recommended by our good friends, Melanie and Cynthia, who love to go there on Saturday mornings for breakfast before shopping at the Farmer's Market.

We started with the small plate antipasti, the highlight of which was a very simple eggplant pure with a hint of lemon.

I ordered the Wild Hog Spezzatino, served over a soft polenta, and Mary got the Roasted Chicken with truffle fries (and since she can't eat a lot of fries, I got a good portion of her's too). The Spezzatino was incredible, the hog was melt in the mouth tender and the flavors melded perfectly. The sauce tasted as if an entire case of wine had been reduced to the amount served on my plate, it was that flavorful. The polenta was absolutely the creamiest I've ever put in my mouth. Mary's chicken was simplicity done to perfection--moist meat, crispy skin and perfectly complemented by the truffled fries (which went well with the spezzatino too).

I can't wait to go back.

Holy Scripture mentions occasions when God feeds people and they are "satisfied". In common usage the word "satisfied" has a minimalist connotation, such as meeting the basic requirements. That understanding doesn't come close to what scripture is describing. The Spanish word satisfecho or the Italian soddisfaddo get closer. Those words connote having every want removed, of being satiated, of having all your senses filled just to the point of being absolutely right and perfect and complete. My birthday meal at Il Sogno was muy, muy satisfecho. and I can't wait to go back.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace

2010-01-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

We received word this week that Dr. V. Nelle Bellamy, former Archivist of the Episcopal Church, died a few days before Christmas at age 87. Nelle was an Adjunct Faculty member at The Seminary of the Southwest when we were there, and taught in the History and Theology curriculim, though much of what she taught was what we'd call "Spirituality" today.

One of the things Nelle did was introduce scores of clueless seminarians to The Rule of St. Benedict. She was an Oblate of St. Mary's Abby, West Mallig, England, and lived her life in the spirit of the monastic rule. We were blessed to have known her and been formed by her. I think that we learned as much from her hospitality at table and the affection she showed her creatures as we did in class, which is the sign of a true spiritual guide and mentor.

In thanks for Nelle's witness, I offer this excerpt from Benedict's Rule, Chapter 73.

"The reason we have written this rule is that, by observing it in monasteries, we can show that we have some degree of virtue and the beginnings of monastic life. . . .For observant and obedient monastics, all these are nohing less thatn tools for the cultivation of virtues; but as for us, they make us blush for shame at being so slothful, so unobservant, so negligent. Are you hastening toward your heavenly home? Then with Christ's help, keep this little rule that we have written for beginners. After that, you can set out for the loftier summits of the teaching and virtues we mentioned above, and under God's protection you will reach them. AMEN."

May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace and rise in glory.

And Nelle, pray for us in our journey.

Food Movies

2010-01-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

I'm looking for suggestions for movies about Food and Theology. Don't let the word "theology" throw you. I mean it in the broad sense of life, love, the ultimate, the holy, the good and the beautiful. If God is mentioned then that's OK but if not, that's OK too. The main theme is "The Heavenly Banquet"--that is, meals which demonstrate the communion possible (or lack thereof) around a table.

So far I have on the list:
Like Water for Chocolate*
Chocolat*
Eat Drink Man Woman* (Tortilla Soup* in the US version)
Mostly Martha* (European version/ US version is "No Reservations*")
The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover
Ratatouille
The Big Night*
Babette's Feast*
Tampopo
Pieces of April
The Wedding Feast
Sideways
Under a Tuscan Sun *

I don't have Julie and Julia* on the list because it was such a disappointing movie. Read the negative comments on www.RottenTomato.com. They are right on and some are funny.

I'm sure there are more out there and I bet you've seen them. Email me or post your suggestions as a comment.

* indicates I've seen the movie

Green Chile Stew

2010-01-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

In response to an email from my friend Jane, here's the recipe for the Green Chile Stew, at least as best as I can remember. I looked up several and adapted using my technique.

I began with a roughly three pound Pork Loin Roast (if you can't find a nice one, use Pork Loin Chops, thick cut). I cut it in roughly 1 inch cubes then mixed in about 2 TBS of mild green Chimayo Chile Powder, and let it marinate for three or four hours.

As it was marinating I roasted about 8-10 large Poblano Peppers in the oven at 450 till the skins were blackened and charred (google "roasting Poblano Peppers" for various techniques). Put the hot peppers in a plastic bag till they cooled, then removed the skins, seeded and deveined the peppers and set them aside.

When ready to cook, brown the meat in a pot using a little olive oil. Remove when browned. Add a little more oil and one or two diced onions (this will simmer a long time so use larger dices so they hold up well), and chopped garlic to taste (I like it so used about four large cloves).

When onions begin to soften add the meat back in. Slice the roasted Poblano Peppers and add them. Add in a couple of handfuls of diced red new potatoes (I used medium sized potatos, probably 10? Medium ones cut in six to eight pieces, small ones quartered) I'm guessing a pound and a half, maybe two? Add 1 or 2 tsp. of Mexican Oregano, one 15 oz can of diced tomatoes with their juice, and around 6 cups chicken broth to cover. Salt and pepper to get things started, I adjust this at the end as well. You could also add in a can of corn or some frozen corn. This is "cook what you got" sort of fare.

I used my slow cooker on high setting for 4 hours, then kept warm for a couple more. If doing it on the stove, I'd simmer for at least two hours. Check the broth levels from time to time.....you may need more. Also, I added more potatoes about half way into the simmer, as I didn't think the balance looked right initially. I like mine with the meat and potatoes almost equal proportions.

We ate on this for several days and like all good stews, the flavors matured and blended for several days. Would be an easy "do a day ahead" meal for a party or gathering. Serve with tortillas (corn or flour or both). Let me know how it turns out when you make it.

Last Meal of 2009/First of 2010

2010-01-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

We ended 2009 with a great meal of Carne Adovada, beans, white rice with peas and carrots and tortillas. Muy Nuevo Mexicana y sabroso. Chile, como siempre, from Chimayo; Beans, of course, were Rancho Gordo heirlooms, Lila variety, which are also known as sabrosos. They were delicious, though needed a longer soak so had a little texture. They were great and should be absolutely fantastic today.

This morning I made breakfast, as a way of kicking off 2010. I had some Spanish chorizo left over from a smokey fish chowder recipe we tried last week. I diced the chorizo, browned it in a dry skillet, reserved it and blotted on paper towels to remove the excess grease and poured off the grease in the pan, wiping it out to remove most of it. I added a little olive oil (from the seasoned feta which I'll mention later)--maybe a teaspoon--and sauted some minced red onion just until soft. Returned the chorizo to the pan and added a few tablespoons of the feta (coursely chopping the chunks) along with some of the rosemary and sun dried tomatoes from the container. Scrambled in four eggs and made some three seed toast from a baker at the Pearl Farmer's Market. I hope that 2010 is half as good as the breakfast! If so, it's going to be a very good year.

The Seasoned Feta was a find the last time we went to Pearl Farmers Market. It is by CKC Farms in Blanco. The owners, Chrissy & Adriana Omo, had photos of their huevos con feta made with this delightful feta, which is seasoned in olive oil, some rosemary, sundried tomatoes and other spices. They also had photos of their herd of goats, who provide the milk. Obviously much love went into this cheese. They hope to open the farm to visitors in 2010 and we plan to pay them a visit to meet the goats and border collies who tend them. Chrissy and Adriana are delightful, enthusiastic and engaging with great spirits. Pay them a visit if you go to Pearl.

Poem

2009-12-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

I saw this poem by Rainer Maria Rilke on the Writer's Almanac. As I was searching for the source, I googled and found it in a wonderful blog My Inner Edge. Much wisdom for the journey there.

Whoever you are, go out into the evening,
leaving your room, of which you know each bit;
your house is the last before the infinite,
whoever you are.
Then with your eyes that wearily
scarce lift themselves from the worn-out door-stone
slowly you raise a shadowy black tree
and fix it on the sky: slender, alone.
And you have made the world (and it shall grow
and ripen as a word, unspoken, still).
When you have grasped its meaning with your will,
then tenderly your eyes will let it go.
(translated by C.F. MacIntyre)

Tomorrow. Green Chile Stew.

2009-12-11T16:43:00.001-08:00

Get ready.

Pozole

2009-12-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

This weekend it was cold and we thought, Pozole would taste good.

Here's my recipe:

First, prepare the corn (posole, pozole, hominy or whatever you want to call it): Available from Santa Fe School of Cooking or lots of other places.

Put 2 2/3 cups dry pozole in a big pot, cover with three inches of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for two hours (if using slow cooker), or three hours (if in a hurry). Drain well.

Next, get your other stuff ready:

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of pork loin (chops or roast), well trimmed of fat (this is healthy posole)
2 medium to large onions
2 to 12 garlic cloves (you know your garlic tolerance)
8 to 10 or so small red potatoes, quartered
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 TBS Chimayo El Potrero Trading Post Medium hot ground chiles) (505-351-4112--call them, great folks)
2+ TBS Chimayo El Potrero Trading Post Mild hot ground chiles)
1 tsp comino (ground cumin)
6 to 8 cups chicken broth
cilantro
salt
ground pepper
fresh limes, lots of limes

As the posole corn begins to cook,

1. Dice the pork loin into cubes (3/4 inch or so, this is homestyle, not top chef)
2. Put in bowl, toss with the 1 TBS medium hot ground chile--use more if you like it hotter. Cover and set aside or refrigerate.
3. Chop onions, set aside.

If using the slow cooker method (either a slow cooker or slow simmer on stovetop):

1. After two hours of simmering the posole corn, brown the pork over medium high heat till browned, in a little olive oil. When browned, put in bowl and set aside.

2. Add a little more oil and add minced garlic (always mince at the last minute before adding, so it doesn't turn bitter), saute a little bit, and add the two chopped onions. Saute till just becoming soft.

3. Return the pork to the pot, dump in the cooked posole, tomatoes and the potatoes, and add at least 6 cups chicken stock. More if it doesn't cover Add 2 TBS of Chimayo mild Chile and 1 tps of ground comino. (more or less, depending on your taste. This makes a mild pozole). Stir well.

4. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and cover and simmer for a couple of hours or more, checking and stirring from time to time. Check after an hour for liquid level; add more chicken stock or water if it's not above the level of the meat/pozole. I used about seven or eight cups of chicken broth--it depends on your evaporation rate and cooking time. Also, you can adjust flavors after an hour or so--add more chile if too mild.

5. When ready, serve in bowls, topping with chopped cilantro, and garnished with lime wedges (at least a half a lime per bowl). Squeeze the lime juice into the soup and enjoy with hot corn tortillas, fresh avocado, tomato.

Hearty and warming on a cold day.

I use an All Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker with a cast iron insert, that allows for stove top browning of meat and veggies. After putting all the ingredients together, I cooked on low for four hours, then kept it warm for two, till dinner. Superb. It also refrigerates well and improves day by day to at least day three. (recipe makes a lot, enough for at least four meals for two people).

If you don't have this slow cooker, I'd put it all in a soup kettle and simmer till it's ready. Just check from time to time.

You can also do a quick version by using canned hominy, but you'd need to be really pressed for time (or desperate). I like the firmness of the corn when using fresh.

Salud

Br. Pasqual

Pet Peeve

2009-11-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

I tried a new burger place today, Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The burger was a "nostalgia burger"--in that it reminded me of the burgers an old country store by Lake McQueeney used to serve: griddled cooked, with a huge chunk of melted American Cheese on it, tomatos, lettuce, pickles and onions with mustard.....lots of mustard.

However, I don't think I'll go back. Why? Because I hate places that over serve food. I ordered a regular fries and it was enough to serve three sensible people. I had to throw away most of it, and I wasn't the only one. Over and over again I saw people toss way too much in the trash.

Why do restaurants do that? I'm sure their cost is minimal, just a few cents, if that per order, and "LOOK how MUCH you get for your MONEY". Still, it's waste and with the obesity situation in our nation, and hungry people everywhere, it is immoral. Why not offer "unlimited fries", serve a small, reasonable portion, and let people go back and pick up more if it's not enough?

Salud!!!

2009-10-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

I just started a delightful book titled "Theology and Food" by Angel F. Mendez Montoya, a Dominican Friar. In it he makes the case that eating and and sacred awareness are intimately joined. He quotes from another work by David Carrazco, a meso-american scholar:

The Aztecs developed a sophiscated cosmology of eating in which gods ate gods, humans ate gods, gods ate humans and the sexual sin of humans, children in the underworld suckled from divine trees, gods in the underworld ate the remains of humans, and adults in the underworld ate rotten tamales!

Talk about Moctezuma's revenge!!!

Lollipop! Oooo holy holy holy

2009-10-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Last summer, while in the Holy Land (Santa Fe NM!) our friends Tom and Susan took us to a restaurant where we had lamb lollipops for an appetizer. They were wonderful and the memory of that flavor has stayed with me.

Now that we have the first real norther here in South Texas, I thought I'd give them a try. But, I'd never cooked lamb of any kind before. So I did what any self respecting provisioning monk would do, and went on line, found Emeril Green, and found a recipe which was very simple: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1 TBS rosemary, salt, pepper, and lamb lollipops. I decided that sounded good, but the one's I had might have had some oregano, so I added some too (all fresh of course).

Marinate one hour or so as the grill heats. (doing that now. In awhile, I'll post photos of the cooking and tell you how they taste).

Later.........

They were pretty good! I think next time I'll use a rub rather than marinade, or cut back a bit on the oil and vinegar. Still, they were very nice as is and enough for another meal. Plus, the pups LOVED the bones.

Such a Loss

2009-10-02T10:33:00.001-07:00

The newspaper today had a very sad article about two fine San Antonio restaurants closing: La Scala and L’Etoile. The economy got the blame. I wonder.

It was good to see that other restaurants (such as Silo are holding to standards of cooking and adapting, with smaller portions and more reasonable prices. May they succeed.

I cannot help but think in all this that over and over again Jesus had to tell people “Do Not Fear”. Fear and its kissin’ cousin Greed are the cause of all this, it’s what drives our economy. I think the antidote is good, healthy food, and a sense of the holy in all we do.

2009-10-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

It has been far, far too long since my last blog post. Life sometimes gets in the way of truly important and delightful things, and sometimes truly important and delightful things get in the way of life. The delightfully important things interrupting my life right now are Graford and Fiona, our two Border Collie puppies. Graford, age 4 1/2 months and Fiona, age 3 1/2 months are everything you wish for in Border Collies: intelligent, energetic, people oriented, eager to learn, and NOT OCD!!!!!!

These pups show great promise as kitchen dogs, as they love to lie on the kitchen tiles as we cook.
I did take a break for a retreat at the Mustang Island Episcopal Conference Center. If you get a chance to attend a workshop or retreat there, go! Hospitality is truly Benedictine, and the food surpasses many fine restaurants. Plus, the ambiance of the Texas Coast is relaxing. Be sure they are serving the Fried Shrimp while you are there. Chef Kathy Jansen (and she truly is a chef--not a camp cook) makes the best Fried Shrimp in the world, thanks to the selection of finest shrimp, hand preparation, and the prayers she puts into this and every meal. Check the website for an upcoming Food for the Soul retreat, where she'll share her secrets.

Smoked Trout and Pasta

2009-07-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

The latest Cooking Light issue had a feature on trout with a recipe for smoked trout. I'd never smoked fish before but had been wanting to try, so made the trip to Central Market and got two very nice rainbows.

The brine was 3 cups boiling water, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 orange rind strips. Let the brine cool and marinate the trout in the refrigerator over night. (I thought this brine didn't have a good sweet/salty balance, so next time I'd start with less salt and add till it tasted more balanced).

The next day I used my Brinkman Smoker-Grill, which is a charcoal model that you use with a water pan. The water pan keeps the meat moist and the temp down, so you get a slower cook. I used real charcoal, not briquettes, as the real stuff burns cooler. For the smoke I used mesquite chips, being a good Texan, but I think I'd use a sweeter wood next time, like apple or cherry. All available at the local HEB.

The recipe called for smoking on a gas grill, off the heated side, for 15 minutes. I thought that sounded too quick for my grill and estimated 30 to 45 minutes would do it, even though some recipes called for up to four hours! I checked every so often in 10-15 minute intervals, and pulled them off at 40 minutes. Here they are:

I let them cool while I got ready for the pasta. I'd done some searching and found an intriguing , simple recipe at the Cook Almost Anything Once blog.

Cook one large onion, finely chopped, in olive oil (recipe calls for butter, too, but it's off our diet), over low heat, till the onion turns translucent. I used organic purple onion we got at the Pearl Brewery Farmer's Market a couple of weeks back. I love the sweetness of purple onion and thought the tinge of red would look good against the color of the trout.

As it was cooking, I started the pasta (I used penne), coarsley flaked the trout (reserved 1/2 of one as it was only two of us), then quartered cherry tomatos from our garden. When the pasta was almost done, I tossed a couple of handfuls of frozen peas in the boiling water. While waiting for the water to return to a boil, I tossed in the trout, the tomatos and a couple of handfuls of arugula. By then the pasta and peas were ready, drained them and added them to the dish.

We also made a very nice strawberry-basil sorbet we found in Cooking Light, and adapted. Boil one cup sugar and one cup water till sugar dissolves, and cool. Slice two pounds of fresh strawberries, and blend in two batches with half the syrup mixture in each batch. (Can be made ahead at this point, and kept in the refrigerator). When ready to put in your sorbet maker, add a cup, more or less of fresh basil and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix in the sorbet maker till firm. I forgot to take a photo but it looked as good as it tasted!

Salud!

FOOTNOTE: (As my theology prof in seminary always said, "the interesting stuff is in the footnotes". The best smoked fish I've ever tasted in my life came from Katy's Smokehouse in Trinidad, California. Try the smoked albacore-- Heaven!!! And eat it in the redwood forests of northern California---the highest level of heaven could not be as good.

Brooklyn and NYC Restaurant Review

2009-04-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our trip to NY to visit our son. He lives in Brooklyn and we have found a great B&B on Park Slope to stay in that is just around the corner from many of the top restaurants in the city. Here's the review of the dining:

Tuesday: Arrived late and tried to dine at Al Di La Trattoria, but they are closed on Monday and Tuesday, so went to a favorite, Peperoncino's. Great Italian trattoria and pizzaria, good food, reasonable prices, good wine list. I had a white fish in an artichoke sauce. Delicious.

Wednesday: Lunch at the Booklyn Museum on Park Slope (great art, fantastic building worth seeing for the architecture, and no crowds.) Dinner at Olea Mediterranean Taverna in the Fort Greene area. Sort of a pan-Mediterranean restaurant, the small plates and tapas were great. We had a great selection then I got the salmon, done with clams. Interesting pairing, and very well done, but not spectacular. The tapas were the best part. After we were seated an accordian player came in and took a chair not far from us and proceeded to play jazz accordian. Ruined the ambiance for me. He was not that good and far too loud for the space. More on that later. By the way, if you are ordering the pasta, the smaller serving is very generous--they say it is appetizer size but it would have made a meal for me, and I like to eat.

Thursday: Walked around Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO with our son, then lunched at Rice. I'd read about it in Edible Brooklyn a few years ago. Simple, affordable, Thai/Vietnamese inspired dishes served with rice. We had some delicious spinach and rice balls in a tomato sauce for appetizer, my son had a Satay, my wife had a Thain Beef Salad, and I had a delicious Chicken Lemongrass, all served with (as befits the name) rice. Actually, you pick the rice you wish and we all had a black Thai rice.

Dinner Thursday was at Miriam's, on 5th Ave in Park Slope. Miriam's is an Israeli restaurant, nice and quiet and very good. I had Kofta Kebab which was simply done, and delicious. Monday through Thursday they were offering half-price bottles of wine, which I think they normally do. We were dining very late so didn't take advantage.

Friday was the disappointment of the trip, and it happend in Manhattan. Our son took us to Otto, one of Mario Batali's restaurants. The food was, I think, quite good, but the restaurant was so noisy that it was impossible to really tell. We did the small plates, and there were some incredible olives recommended by our waiter (unfortunately, I couldn't understand the variety over the pounding rock music). Also had a special, which was air dried pork tenderloin, sliced paper thin. It was superb, but the noise ruined the entire experience as conversation was impossible and the racket so overpowering one could not enjoy the savor of the food. Also, had a delicious bottle of wine, very full bodied, but alas, I don't know the name as, you guessed it, I couldn't hear it over the noise and the lable was so artistic as to be indecipherable. My son had been there several years ago and the ambiance was better.

Photo above are the small plates at OTTO. Be thankful I didn't have a sound recorder.

Tried the Dish

2009-03-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

I decided last night to give the Pollo al Jerez a try last night. Rousing success and very easy. The prep time took longer than the cook time and the sauce was as I remembered, (and didn't need the butter at all).

I served it with a saffron rice and with some deliciously tiny asparagus cooked in a grill pan till slightly charred. Great paring.

I hadn't seen asparagus that thin in decades. A friend of ours had a two tiered bed of asparagus all across the back fence, some 50 ft. of bed in each tier. When harvest time came she'd bring over a bundle of asparagus so thin, fresh and tender you'd eat it raw or just barely steam it. Then, she'd show up the next day with another bunch. Heaven! Betty died over 25 years ago but I still think of her when the season comes. Betty, here's to you.

Those in SA will understand

2009-03-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Haiku:

Brown snow flurries fall.

Oak trees putting out new leaves.

Webworms to follow.

Ain't the Internet Wonderful?

2009-03-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

A number of years ago I had a favorite restaurant in San Antonio called Barcelona. It was a Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant, not far from my house, and with a creative kitchen. Much to my sorrow, it went out of business about ten years ago due to some personal problems the owner was having.

The signature dish was Pollo Jerez--a delicacy of chicken, artichokes, lemon, wine and sherry. Just before the restaurant closed I saw the recipe in a cookbook on San Antonio restaurants, but for some reason didn't buy it. (let that be a lesson!) A few months ago I grew hungry for the dish, so decided to do an internet search for recipe or cook book, and turned up nothing. Finally, a post on our local newspaper's food forum got both the recipe and the title of the cookbook, which was available on Amazon.com, even though long out of print. Ain't the internet wonderful.

I've not made the dish yet, as the right occasion hasn't presented itself, but will this spring. In the meantime, here it is, for your dining delight:

CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS AND SHERRY
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS Spanish extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground pepper (or to taste)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained (10-12 hearts)
3/4 cup Oloroso style sherry (rich, sweet, full flavored)
1/2 cup butter (alas, no longer on my diet; I'd omit and use a little olive oil)
1 TBS chopped parsley

Pound each piece of chicken to even thickness of 1/4 inch, dredge in flour and set aside.
Heal olive oil in lage saute pan, add garlic and pepper and cook 30 seconds, add chicken pieces and saute 1 to 2 minutes, then turn. Add artichoke hearts.

Pour sherry into pan (careful, watch that it doesn't flame). Cook a minute or so to evaporate alcohol. (At this point those who don't have to watch their cholesterol can add the butter to thicken the sauce.) Add parseley, allow sauce to simmer and reduce slightly.

Serve with Saffron Rice and fresh vegetables, good bread, and a very nice wine.

Salud!

And, if the prior owner of Barcelona's stumbles across this site, thank you for this dish. I pray that the troubles that caused you to close have long passed and that you have been blessed with joy and gladness, for you gladdened the souls of many.

My Trip to the Holy Land

2008-10-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

I returned a week or so ago from a trip to the Holy Land---Santa Fe, New Mexico. May not be THE Holy Land most people think of, but it is holy for me. There is something about the blue skies, the red hills, and the chile--the wonderful, succulent, piquant chile, be it red or green--that satiates my appetites for beauty and flavor. God is good to have made this place, and put it close enough to Texas so I can make it there.

I awoke this morning with a hunger for red chile enchiladas, probably because the recent norther brought the blue skies and dropped the temperature to the level I associate with a gorgeous New Mexican day. We have a wonderfully easy recipe that we are making tonight for enchiladas, which we got in the village of Chimayo. Sometimes we make it with chicken, but our absolute favorite way is to use a roasted turkey breast. Some HEB's carry roasted turkey breasts and they, or their roasted chickens, make for a quick, easy and tasty short cut. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, you might consider this recipe for any leftovers and, be creative.

So, in homage to my religious namesake, and in thanks for the many graces received on my trip, my first post is a recipe for Chimayo Chile Enchiladas.

The recipe comes from El Potrero Trading Post, who will ship Chimayo chile. They carry red and green, hot, medium and mild, (we're using the mild) so suit your tastes. Call them at 505-351-4112 and tell them Brother Pasqual sent you. They won't know who you're talking about, because they don't know me, but they might want to know someone out there is thankful for blessing us with their chile and recipe.

6 TBS ground red chile

2 cups chicken stock (or water)

2 cloves garlic

2 TBS cooking oil

1 Tsp cumin

Salt to taste

2 TBS Flour

Presoak chile in stock for 20 minutes. Saute garlic in oil, add flour and brown by pressing fjour flat in skillet. Add stock and chile and remaining ingredients. Stir until lumps dissolve.

For enchiladas: soften corn tortillas in red chile sauce by dipping and place on a dinner plate. fill with shredded turkey (and optional ingredients like onions, grated cheese, spinach, whatever sounds good), roll, place side by side in a casserole, cover with more sauce and bake for 20 minutes at 350 to warm everything up. Sprinkle with Queso Fresco and serve. OR, you can make a layered version by layering the tortillas, fillings, sauce, tortillas, fillings, sauce.

Pair it with a tomato-avocado salad, some black beans, and a hearty red wine or Mexican or New Mexican beer. Salud.