Steak Au (Sichuan) Poivre

Everyone has their favorite steak prep method, and mine happens to be au poivre. That addictive peppery crust just cannot be beat. I tend to overload my peppercorn mix with Sichuan peppercorns, which add a fun tingle and exotic flicker to the classic dish. I also tend to deglaze the pan with whatever stout I'm swigging, which is not a particularly Sichuanese tradition (or even a French one) so if you'd prefer to stick with the usual bourbon, cognac or brandy etc, that's fine. This latest occasion I happened to be drinking Bell's Cherry Stout, which made for an exceptionally tasty deglazer!

Sichuan Steak Au Poivre
Makes 2 servings

*1 well-marbled strip steak cut about an inch thick, around 10 oz
*2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns + 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
*Kosher salt
*1 teaspoon chili oil or EVOO
*2 tablespoons butter at room temperature, divided

*1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
*3 tablespoons stout beer (or bourbon)
*1/2 cup beef stock - I boil down a cup of beef stock until it is reduced by half
*1 scant teaspoon light soy sauce

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the steak, take it out of the fridge to temper the meat. Trim the steak if necessary and cut into two pieces. Coarsely crack the peppercorns. Sprinkle each side of the steaks with salt, then press each side into the cracked peppercorns, encrusting the steaks lightly or heavily as you prefer.

Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet over high heat and drizzle with the oil. When the surface is hot, lay the peppered steaks in. Sear for about 2 minutes per side; press with your finger to test for the springiness that indicates rare and then cook to your desired doneness and transfer to a warm platter, tenting loosely with foil.

Lower heat to the other side of the dial, take the skillet off the heat and add the shallots to the pan. Saute briefly, scraping at the drippings with a wooden spoon, and put the skillet back over the burner. Add the stout to deglaze, then add the stock and soy sauce. Adjusting the heat, bring the liquid back to a boil and cook to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finally, add the last tablespoon of butter, swirling it around in the pan until it melts and incorporates, then spoon the sauce over the steaks.

Flemish Beef Stew

I suppose with a blog entitled "Zou Bisou Beef Stew", I had to deliver a beef stew recipe sooner or later! Voila, my Flemish beef stew, or carbonade à la flamande as it is otherwise known. When the winter winds start licking underneath the doors and rattling the window panes as they did yesterday, there are few comfort foods I enjoy cooking more than this dish of tender, savory chunks of chuck braised in a rich burgundy-brown gravy spiked with a spicy and complex abbey-style ale.

Important tips - do not scrimp on the beer, and, make sure to get an extra bottle or two to sip with the meal! I recommend Ommegang's Abbey Ale. Enjoy!



Note: this picture is of leftovers; there is significantly more gravy in the initial go-round!

Flemish Beef Stew
Makes 3 servings

Recipe heavily adapted from a Saveur clipping; online copy here

*About 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
*1/4 cup flour
*1 teaspoon ground coriander
*Healthy pinches of kosher salt & pepper
*4 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4 inch lardons
*2 tablespoons butter
*5 cloves garlic, minced
*2 small yellow onions or one very large onion, halved and thinly sliced
*14-16 oz Belgian abbey-style ale (I always use Ommegang Abbey Ale)
*1 cup beef stock
*2 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
*2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
*A couple sprigs of thyme and parsley, plus one sprig of tarragon, tied together
*1 slice crusty country bread, preferably a day old, slathered with 1/2 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard on each side
*1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
*Bread, mashed potatoes or egg noodles, for serving

Heat oven to 325. Combine the flour, S&P and coriander in a large ziplock bag. Add the cubed meat and toss the bag around until the pieces are lightly floured; remove and shake off excess flour. Meanwhile, cook chopped bacon over medium in a dutch oven until fat has rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and then working in batches, add the meat and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total per batch, adding a touch of olive oil if needed between batches. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onions. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and a pinch of salt over them and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Add the garlic, increase the heat back to medium and cook for another few minutes. Add half of the beer; cook, scraping at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until the beer has slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return beef and any juices to the pot with the remaining beer, stock, the rest of the sugar, vinegar, bacon, bound herbs, paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, place the mustard-slathered bread on top of the stew and cover.  Braise covered in the oven for at least 2 1/2 hours, preferably 3. I usually stir half of the bread into the stew, depending on the thickness of the gravy, and then toss the other half (or let the cats lick it for a while).

You could also crockpot this sumbitch, if you so prefer.

Buttered egg noodles tossed with salt, pepper, and minced parsley is my favorite foundation for the stew, but pick your favorite starch to pair - just make sure that you have some extra crusty bread on hand as well!

Mole Chili

My chili plans nearly came to a grinding halt over the hurricane holiday when I saw that my chile powder stash was dismayingly low, but then my thoughts trailed to the cache of dried peppers I had hanging around for whenever I make mole, and I started to wonder what the chili would taste like with a base of chile pepper puree instead of the usual dumptruck-size load of powder. Well, turns out adding chile pepper puree made for a delicious chili, with a truly vibrant flavor and a deep sweet-smoky-piquant complexity that I haven't gotten with powder alone before. I guess the Texans are on to something, even though I'll never understand the anti-tomato-and-bean sentiment. Still, I don't think I'll be chucking my master chili recipe into the waste basket just yet - its the comforting long-term relationship to the mole chili's torrid international affair. Like mole, this new, exciting chili kinda warrants the "special occasion" dish status....but let's just say I'm really looking forward to the next special occasion.



Mole Chili
Makes 4 servings

*Beef chuck, about a pound, cut into small cubes
*2 dried arbols
*2 dried anchos
*2 dried pasillas
*1 yellow onion, diced
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*1 fresh habanero, minced (wear gloves)
*2 teaspoons smoked paprika
*2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
*2 teaspoons cumin
*1 tablespoon chili powder
*Pinches of allspice, coriander & cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
*2 chipotles in adobo, seeded
*1 cup stout beer (or, Theobroma, which really would be the perfect beer to use here)
*1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
*1 15 oz can of black beans, drained
*S&P

Remove the seeds and stems from the dried chilies, and then toast them in a dry cast iron pan over medium-high until they start to blister and char. Transfer the chilies to a bowl and cover them with a couple cups of boiling water until they are well-submerged; let them sit for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, brown the beef in a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven in a bit of fat (bacon fat is what I used, highly recommended) and then remove.  Saute the onion, garlic and habanero in the drippings, salting them and adding a little more oil or fat if necessary, for about 10 minutes over medium-medium low. Add the spices and stir the mixture around for a few minutes before adding the stout, beans and tomatoes. Take the reconstituted chilies and puree them with a little of the soaking liquid and the chipotles and then add the chili puree to the chili. Keep the rest of the soaking liquid on hand in case you want to add an extra tablespoon or so to slightly thin out the chili, which does get quite thick over time..although you could also use beer for any liquid addition. Add the chuck back to the pot, and cook on low heat for at least two-three hours. Check for seasoning along the way and add anything you wish to up the ante. Garnish with cheddar, pepitas, sour cream, whatever you so desire.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

At the risk of inundating the blog with pumpkin posts, no matter how seasonally apropos they might be, I'm going ahead with this entry for one of my favorite personal recipes, one for pumpkin mac & cheese. A couple years back, I came across a tasty pumpkin mac & cheese dish at The Institute in Philadelphia which inspired me to create my own version, as it saved me oh, a good 50 minute drive and parking woes whenever a craving would come up. After numerous tweaks, I finally achieved a dish that I'm proud to say trumps other pumpkin macs I have had since, which unfortunately seem to be widely overspiced and sweet - a problem that plagues other savory gourd-based dishes I've had whilst eating out in autumn. Open note to all area chefs: easy on the nutmeg...!

(The Institutes's remains absolutely delicious, though - I go pay homage to the source every autumn).


This version made with habanero cheddar & gouda, with Parm-reg and  manchego on top


Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
Makes 8-9 servings

*1 lb of any short ‘n stubby pasta shape. I like cavatappi or shells.
*6-7 slices of bacon (optional)
*A couple tablespoons of butter (4, to be precise, if you’re not using bacon fat)
*3 tablespoons flour
*3/4 cup pumpkin beer at room temperature. I recommend Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout or Schlafly's Pumpkin ale. Alternately, a roasty porter would work nicely. If you want to nix beer altogether, chicken stock’s your sub
*2 cups milk (whatever % you have on hand, but whole is best)
*A couple of shakes a'piece of: allspice, curry powder, cayenne. I go heavier on the curry, about 1/2 teaspoon's worth
*Salt and pepper
*12 oz of pure pumpkin purée, or MOST of a 15 oz can. (I like to have a bit of leftover pumpkin to stir into yogurt or oatmeal the next day, or to make the Pumpkin French toast I posted about earlier)
*2 3/4 cups grated cheese(s) of your choice plus extra cheese for topping. I usually use about 1 cup of extra sharp yellow cheddar, 1 cup of smoked gouda, and 3/4ths cup of a delicious habanero cheddar from the local Shadyside Farm, Parm-Reg and manchego for the topping. But feel free to use any combo of good melting cheeses you like
*Sprigs of thyme (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 and set a large pot of water on to boil. Cook pasta until al dente and set aside. Fry the bacon in a pot over medium until crisp and then set pieces to drain on a paper towel, reserving the rendered fat. Supplement the drippings with butter to have 4 tablespoons of fat sizzling away in the pot (I usually render about a tablespoon, so I add 3 tablespoons of butter). When the added butter froths and begins to brown, sprinkle in the flour and cook for a couple minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually pour the pumpkin beer into the roux and continue to whisk very frequently for 4 to 5 more minutes before gradually adding in the milk, stirring all the while. Speckle the mixture with shakes of allspice, curry, cayenne, salt & pepper. Adjust seasoning as you see fit. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook a couple more minutes or until the sauce leaves a luxurious coat the back of a wooden spoon. Whisk in the pumpkin purée and then stir in the cheese until everything is melty, orangy goodness. Mix the pasta into sauce, crumble the bacon in, and dump it all in a large casserole dish. Add a good carpeting of the extra cheese and dot the top with small nubbins of butter. Throw in the oven uncovered for 15 minutes or so and then flick on the broiler for 1-2 minutes, keeping careful watch to make sure it doesn’t burn. Garnish each serving with tiny green flecks of thyme leaves, if you so desire.

Master Chili Recipe

The combination of enduring a spate of drab grey days and watching my pepper plants edge their way into fruition has made me yearn for a bowlful of chili with an exquisite spicy smolder as of late. Serendipitously, our habanero plant suddenly exploded with ripe red bounty over the weekend. I jumped at the chance to mince one up for the chili cause. This post contains what I refer to as my master chili recipe - a personal, perfected concoction that is excellent as is, and provides the general foundation for any variations I have made or will make in the future. Good eats for the late summer evenings swollen with storm, to tide us over while we all wait patiently for fall.  

Master Chili Recipe
Makes 2-4 servings

*1 lb lean ground hamburger
*1 yellow onion, finely chopped
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*1 habanero, minced
*1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
*3 teaspoons dried oregano
*1 teaspoon maple syrup
*3 tablespoons chili powder
*1 teaspoon smoked paprika
*S&P to taste
*1 minced chipotle in adobo
*1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (I use Cento)
*1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
*1 cup brewed chicory coffee (regular coffee will sub in a pinch)
*3/4-1 cup stout beer (Try to avoid using an overly sweet stout. Something with a subtle bite of bitterness to it like Dogfish Chicory Stout or North Coast Old Rasputin works exceptionally well)
 
Brown the meat in a large dutch oven, drain fat, and set the beef aside. Give the pot a nice oiling, add the diced onions and sweat them out until they are limp, about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and habanero, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so. Be wary of the initial fumes coming off that pepper, as they can be strong! Add the spices and stir for another minute before adding the can of tomatoes, the beans, coffee, beer, maple syrup, and chipotle pepper. Bring to a boil, add the beef then reduce to low and simmer partially covered for at least 45 minutes, or indefinitely. I usually transfer it to a slow cooker set to low and keep it going all afternoon before serving.

Garnish with some good meltin’ cheese (I use a wonderful habanero cheddar), sour cream, toasted pepitas, green onions, or whatever your preferred chili topping may be!

Grilled Peche Pork with Smoky Peach Salsa

One small silvery lining to the persistently dry and oppressive heat is that the local peaches this summer are fantastic. I bought a bunch of them at the West Chester Growers Market with the intention of making a peach lambic sorbet, but with the lambic sitting miles away in a Wegmans, yet to be purchased, and facing a fine stash of Festina Peche and some pork chops already in the fridge, my mind wandered to more savory applications. I still intend to make the sorbet down the line but I'm so glad I went the savory route this time.

Hate having to use flash...I promise it looked and WAS much more appetizing than it appears!

Grilled Peche Pork with Smoky Peach Salsa
Makes 2 servings 

*1 12 oz bottle of Dogfish Head Festina Peche
*Sprig of rosemary
*2 crushed cloves of garlic
*Sprinkling of salt and cracked black peppercorns
*Two bone-in, center cut pork chops
*2-3 fresh peaches, peeled, sliced in half and pitted
*1/2 small red onion, finely diced
*1 habenero or jalapeno, finely minced (wear gloves, y'hear?)
*1 large heirloom tomato or a couple Romas, seeded and diced
*2-3 large leaves basil, cut in chiffonade
*1 scant tablespoon EVOO
*Juice of half a lime
*1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
*S&P

After taking a healthy swig of the Festina, pour the rest of the bottle into a ziplock bag with the rosemary, garlic, and S&P. Marinate the chops within for at least 3-4 hours, turning the bag occasionally, before taking them out about 30 minutes before grill-time. Whisk the olive oil, the lime juice and the adobo sauce together. When your grill is coursing along at medium-high heat, brush the cut sides of the peaches with a bit of olive oil and place on the grill for a couple minutes. Remove, and then dice when cool. Combine the peaches, onion, tomato, pepper, and basil and then toss lightly with the vinaigrette and S&P to taste.

Pat the chops dry and grill them for about 6 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chops are and how hot the coals are. 

Serve with the salsa -or... the other household half requested a sauce instead of a red-onion-laced salsa, so I threw another peach on the grill and pureed it with some of his favorite BBQ sauce and a chipotle pepper in adobo, much to his relief. I dished out rosemary-roasted potatoes on the side, but these chops would also be nice with some sauteed fresh runner beans drizzled with balsamic, I think.

Note -  I strained and boiled down the leftover marinade, adding in squeezes of honey and a bit of balsamic vinegar, until it reduced to a thickish glaze to brush on the chops while grilling, but after tasting the BBQ sauce I made for the other household half, I think I'd brush that on next time instead. Feel free to try both!

Saison-steamed Mussels

We had a good 1/3 of a growler left of Victory's Helios Saison and no real designs on drinking the rest over the weekend (especially because other household half got his own growler filled with a double IPA), so I  put it to good use in service of a batch of mussels. It made for a sensational broth, spiked with sea liquor and saison spice. Paired with the last bit of Helios from the bottom of the growler and crusty rustic bread, it was a fantastic, summery dinner.

Saison-steamed Mussels
Makes 2 servings

*2 lb bag of mussels
*2 tablespoons butter
*1/2 onion or a small shallot, minced
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*A pinch of red pepper flakes
*A couple sprigs of thyme
*S&P
*1/2 lemon, juiced
*15-20 oz saison-style beer (For local folk, the aforementioned Helios is a solid saison and pretty inexpensive for a bomber/growler)
*A handful of parsley, chopped
*Lots of crusty bread, preferably toasted and rubbed with garlic
*Lemon slices

Clean and debeard the mussels (instructions here), making absolutely sure to discard ones with broken shells, or that are gaping open and don't close when tapped or under running water.

Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the minced shallot and garlic when it starts to foam. Saute for a couple minutes and then add the thyme, pepper flakes, and a good spangling of S&P, followed by the saison and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, add the mussels, cover, and then lower heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes or until the mussels have opened (it helps to shake the pot a few times throughout the simmer to move everything around). Discard any mussels that still have their trap shut, and ladle the lot into deep bowls with plenty of the delicious broth. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the mussels and serve with warm, crusty bread and lemon slices.

Bonus recipe - Any leftover broth in the pot? Add a bit of butter and reduce it down until thickened, and then use it to dress fettuccine or spaghetti, with some cut-up cherry tomatoes and lots of parsley (add mussels or bay scallops to make it even better).

Buckwheat-Bock Crêpes with Mushrooms

I've made a gazillion different crêpe batter variations in my lifetime, but I keep returning to this buckwheat-bock recipe that I adapted from the cooking section in a BeerAdvocate magazine a number of years ago, because it makes such a damn good tender and flavorful crêpe. I stuffed these particular ones with a mushroom mix, but there is no end to what you can stuff yours with.

Buckwheat-Bock Crêpes
Makes a lot. 12-15? 
 

*2 eggs, whisked
*3/4 cup bock beer (Troegs' doppelbock, Troegenator, or Victory's St Victorious are excellent. Yuengling's bock isn't too shabby either)
*1/2 cup milk
*1/3 cup buckwheat flour

*2/3 cup all-purpose flour
*3 tbsp melted butter
*A pinch salt

Combine the crêpe batter ingredients and blitz in a blender for 10 seconds or so. Pop it in the fridge for at least an hour or two to settle. To make the crêpes, heat a shallow non-stick skillet with sloping sides over medium, and as the pan grows hotter, give it a quick sheen of butter (I take a stick, unwrap it slightly, and gloss the pan all over with the butt of the butterlog). Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter and with one hand on the panhandle, gently pour it into the middle of the pan, rotating the pan as you pour to evenly coat the bottom with the batter. Let it sit untouched for about a minute. You'll start to see the sides of the crêpe begin to pull away from the pan. Take a very flexible rubber spatula around the sides and under to ensure better flipping. Flipping can be done in different ways: If you're special, you'll manage the wrist-flick method. My preferred method for flipping is to carefully grab one of the edges that is pulling away from the pan and curling in slightly, and flip it over with my fingers. You can use a spatula, but these are delicate discs and prone to tearing!

Let it cook another oh, 30 seconds or so before removing it from the pan. Fair warning, your first crêpe will be a disaster, and serves only to set the stage for the rest to come. For some reason, the pan is -perfectly- prepped the second that first one comes off. Stack 'em and cover with aluminum foil as you go along, or recruit someone else to doctor them for you as you keep flipping 'em out.

Mushroom filling

*Olive oil
*1 small shallot, minced
*1/2 lb mixed mushrooms (I used shiitake and hen-of-the-woods [awww])
*2 cloves of garlic, somewhere between chopped and minced
*A handful of walnuts, chopped into small pieces
*S&P
*A dash of red pepper flakes
*Herb butter (Smash a tablespoon of minced herbs (thyme, rosemary & parsley, I did) into a couple tablespoons of softened butter with a fork)
*A slice of lemon

Remove the stems and wipe your mushrooms off with a damp paper towel; slice. In a wide pan, heat a bit of oil over medium and then add the shallots. Sprinkle with salt and saute a couple minutes before adding the mushrooms, making sure that they are not too crowded in the pan. Cook for a couple minutes, then add the garlic, chile pepper flakes, and some shakes of salt and pepper. Saute gently another 3 or 4 minutes. Add a knob of the herb butter, a spritz of lemon juice and the walnuts, and toss well.




Not a full 1/2 lb. If I cook mushrooms in this house, I eat them alone.

To assemble the crêpes, I take a pat of the herb butter and melt it on the crepe when its cooking in its final stage in the pan, take it out, and then fill it with a couple spoonfuls of the mushroom mix. Feel free to grate some cheese over top (gruyère is a great choice) and add anything else you'd like. Fold and gobble it down.