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| Green Dragon Market, Lancaster PA |
Did anyone catch Game Change tonight on HBO? I'm wondering how accurate it is. Regardless of how true it may be, it was a good script....what were John McCains people thinking when they asked Sarah Palin to be his running mate?...I remember how crazy it seemed when Palin stole McCains thunder right before the presidential election.
Last weeks burger night Josh came up with an idea to make homemade chorizo burgers. grilled peaches sounded like a natural addition for a summery snack.
peaches aren't in season now so we settled for a firm peach from Chile. Generally they want to be fragrant and soft but not mushy. the peach skin should be yellow or cream colored. they're unripe if green colored at all.
I made basil aioli to smear on the top bun, and a coleslaw-with granny smith apples, kohlrabi, rice vinegar, pecans & creme fraiche. The slaw was originally going to be a side item but we tried it in the sandwich and it worked well. For the bun we wanted a ciabatta bread with a crispy floury outside that could withstand the range of flavors and textures happening. Not to mention something to hold the stack of ingredients that was forming. The final product wasn't necessarily what we planned but it worked...
Josh picked up equal parts pork shoulder and pork belly from Dickson Farms at Chelsea Market. Down at Manhattan Fruit Exchange (which is some of the cheapest and largest variety of produce you'll find in the city), he picked up dried guajillo and chipotle peppers & soaked them in hot water for an hour and chopped with some ground coriander, cumin & cinnamon, added the mix to the pork and then ground it to form patties. By the time I arrived the patties weren't holding together like we wanted. There's a reason why you've never had a chorizo burger. Because pure chorizo separates. Theres not enough connective tissue to bind together unless you cut it with pork or beef. That's the mistake we made. Next time we'll half it with something like pork or beef.
Cole slaw.
kohlrabi is something that has popped up most markets these days and a great addition to most any slaw. Its got a radish crunch but without the heat. and tastes more like jicama but not as starchy. you can cut up your whole slaw without even using a mandolin or a shredder. you're gonna do a lot of chopping so watch your hands please! Always curl your knuckles, like a knuckleball behind the knife, when holding and slicing the veg. Into a bowl combined 1 small red onion halved and super finely sliced, 2 kohlrabi cut into matchsticks [ leave the skin on if you'd like ], 1 granny smith apple, skinned, cored, and cut into matchsticks, and 1 small red cabbage, halved and sliced thin. squeeze a half a lemon over it to prevent browning, toss and set aside.
your vinegar dressing
combine 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons sesame oil and 2 tablespoons safflower or peanut oil , 1 tablespoon each of fish sauce, minced ginger, honey, lime juice, chopped cilantro & chives. whisk and season to taste with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper till it cuts the sweetness. When your ready to serve, toss the 2 bowls together with a few dollops of creme fraiche or yogurt for just a bit of creaminess. Try topping it with a handful of crumbled, roasted pecans. you can also try adding a small handful of poached raisins.
Tuck in to your sandwich and enjoy.
Basil aioli
in a mestle/mortar or blender, thinly slice and bash up 3 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper. to the garlic mix stir in 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. stir it together with a fork & pinch of salt. set aside. in a blender or small food processor or bullet mixer (works best), mix 1 cup store bought mayonnaise, the garlic mix, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 handfuls of basil, washed and dried. blend until smooth. you may have to adjust the mix with a spoon a few times so be patient :) season to taste. feel free to add extra lemon, salt, etc.
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| chorizo with basil aioli and grilled peaches. coleslaw of kohlrabi, apple, red cabbage, onion, and rice wine vinegar |
11 months ago Lee, Julian, & I took a roadtrip to Lancaster County PA when Hair came through Hershey PA. Yesterday we took a day trip back to Lancaster to revisit some staple recipe's. a perfect excuse to leave the city for a day. If you ever come through Lancaster, be sure to visit Good and Plenty, a communal and more amish version of a Cracker Barrel. Also look for the Bird in Hand Market. find the apple dumplings with no sugar added. They're delicious. If your here on a Friday look for the Green Dragon Market in Ephrata, up the road. try and catch the hay auction in the morning or the livestock auction later in the evening.
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| I'm starting a pig collection. this is baby #1 |
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| Hay Auction |
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| The Amish get creative with old shoes |
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| 'The Sommer Studio, Philadelphia PA' |
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| The Dancing Lesson |
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| Halifax |
Have you had their cheese? They have CRAZY good cheese!
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