I'm no chef, but who can resist a good headline? Today, chef Clay and I are prepping food for tomorrows charity BBQ event at Mi Casa, Su Casa. We're raising money to help poor deaf children attend a school for the deaf! Here's what you can look forward to!! About 90% of everything will be made from scratch and sourced from local ingredients.
This is my 3rd or 4th dinner gathering and all new people should know this is NOT formal :-). Unlike the gatherings in the past, this is one is NOT about sitting and having many, many courses. This is more about tapas. All the items below, with the exception of the potato salad, wine and beer, are made from scratch.
UPDATED :: 5:58 pm
We are on schedule. Food will be served by 7:15... no later than 7:30. All that's left to make is a veggie or two and more dessert. Menu updated.
Note: Items will be added to the menu depending on how much time I have today, but so far, this is what you should expect.
I wouldn't really call this healthy... but this is my junk food.
This sandwich is well layered. It's a bit of Dijon mustard, some un-tuna, paper thin slices of onion, two tofurkey slices (sigh), heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced, arugula and the most delicious avocados between two slices of roasted garlic sour dough. I'm not really into those fake vegan meat products, but they happened to be in the fridge at the time.
This is my junk food. I admit it.
It was tasty. On the side, we have a variety of homemade pickles (jicama, onion, cucumber, ginger, jalapeno). Mighty tasty.
Those who know me know I love the kitchen almost as much as I love playing keys. Every now and then I get in a culinary mood of sorts. Tonight I cook a little. And... Life has its way of playing games with my plans. The organic farm I go to was closed today and that really screwed me up, but we'll make due.
Here are my ideas for tonight... They are always subject to change.
If I have time, I'll be blogging here and there about the dishes as I cook. I doubt I'll have time though. You never know.
Take 15 - 20 minutes to make these today. Eat them tomorrow.
Pack the cucumber slices into the jar along with any optional fresh spices, peppercorns and/or other seeds mentioned.
In a bowl, combine liquids, salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. Ensure that everything is completely dissolved.
Add the liquid to the jar, seal and refrigerate. You should be able to eat the pickles the next day. Some suggest you wait a week for everything to get "balanced". They will last for about 30 days.
Most recipes I found online suggested one bring the liquids, salt and sugar to a boil in a pot and mix thoroughly. Why boil the liquid? To ensure the salt and sugar dissolve.
I really don't boil my ingredients in a pot. Instead I boil water and measure 1/4 of a cup. I add the 1/4 cup of hot water to the bowl of sugar and salt and mix well. If I need more water, I measure another 1/4 cup and mix. Once everything is dissolved I add the remaining amount of water, mix and pour the solution into my jar of raw ingredients. Why do I do this? Well... I don't want to cook or heat up my raw cucumbers or carrots, do I? NO. I sometimes add raw herbs to my pickles.. Maybe some dill, etc... but I often fear they'll get mushy if they sit in the fridge for many days.
I make music, but I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to cook. This post is for all of you pickle lovers out there. Come on... Some of you love nothing more than a good, crisp pickle. Admit it. It's ok.
If your new years resolution was to be healthier and save money, here's your chance to eat something you love thats healthy and actually save some money too!
You can have your pickle your way. Don't be afraid. If you're into those everyday cucumber pickles we all know and love, you'll want to try this. You might discover your home pickles will out perform those supermarket jars for a fraction of the cost (possibly). Here is the recipe for basic quick pickles (glance to the right).
For those with more adventurous tongues, there is a vast array of options, shapes, colors and sizes... not to mention peppers and spices. Why pickle mere cucumbers when jicima makes a nice, crispy treat? I love a little spice in my life. Why not add some chopped hot peppers of any kind (jalapeno, habenero, thai chili's, etc.). In the image above you see what I'm woking with. I often add sliced jalapeños, big chunks of onion, garlic, habaneros and a wide variety of spices. I love to experiment and the possibilities are endless.
These pickles can be used in so many ways. You can use them to liven up your salads, pr perhaps as a side for your favorite sandwich... These could be the perfect pickles for your burger. You can also chop them up and make an interesting relish. OR... You can do what most of us do and just eat them right out of the jar!!
Enjoy!
