Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Kentucky Food Blogger Weekend Part One: The Dinner

October 10, 2011

It all started with a bit of jealously.

I attended a couple food blogging conferences in other states and I saw networks of food bloggers that had formed in various cities. You know, groups of super cool people with a passion for food, cooking it and photographing it.

Kind of like a bunch of me sitting around a table together.

So not unlike Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I had phrases playing in my head that sort of went like, “I want a local blogger group to hang out with NOW.”

After that it all began to snow ball and take on a life of its own. Mindy of The World in My Kitchen and I knew each other and Melissa of My McDonald Meal and I knew each other as well. All Kentucky food bloggers. Three can be classified as a group, right?

Alltech knew of my food blog and approached us about sponsoring a networking dinner. Several of the upscale restaurants in Lexington and surrounding cities feature their food products – Alltech Angus, Café Citadelle Haitian Coffee, Kentucky Ale beers, Pearse Lyons Reserve Whiskey, and Bluegrass Sundown – so they wanted to network with us and learn more about food bloggers while sharing their products. (You’ll see these pop up on the menu later.)

Once the idea of the dinner was born, Mindy started a Facebook group and fan page and recruited what is now over 60 Kentucky Food Bloggers. I started a Twitter account and continued working with contacts on the dinner. This led us to connect with the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show and our evening became a full-fledged weekend of food blogger happiness.

Yes, spoiled Veruca got her wish.

The past few weeks have been filled with sending invites, gathering RSVPs, contacting food companies, gathering swag and networking in the name of food bloggers in the Bluegrass state.

The weekend began with the networking dinner sponsored by Alltech. Given our diverse blogging locations, and the dinner being in Lexington, we had an intimate, but no less exciting, 14 bloggers join us.

The dinner took place at Jonathan’s at Gratz Park Inn and was prepared by Jonathan and his excellent staff. You may remember my review of his cookbook and tasty cornmeal waffles last year. Every blogger just happened to get a signed copy of his book as part of the dinner. I could sense the excitement, and rightly so. It is such a great one to have on the shelf.

True to Kentucky, the meal began with beer cheese. But not just any beer cheese. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer Cheese on Fried Cornbread to be exact.

I might add here that each course led to some great food-focused discussion in our group. For this one the topic was – what makes a good beer cheese? We discussed.

Next up was the Pearse Lyons Reserve – Molasses Marinated Alltech Angus Flank Steak with Arugula and Crispy Sweet Potatoes. Such a unique dish with the sweet molasses balancing out bitter arugula (which also happens to be one of my favorite greens). We marveled over the creativity of the sweet potatoes with this course.

Ever had a gourmet corn dog? Course three would qualify. Shrimp Corn Dogs – Kentucky Ale Beer Battered Fried Shrimp with Hot Mustard. The hot mustard was outstanding with the batter and the shrimp.

If meat can be beautiful then the award goes to the third course, Grilled Alltech Angus Ribeye with Horseradish Creamed Collard Greens. The ribeye was delicious, one of the most tender ribeye cuts I’ve had, but I will admit that this was one huge piece of meat. The greens were simply incredible and I’m not being dramatic. I could have eaten a plate of the collards with that spicy horseradish cream.

I might mention that for this course we discussed how difficult it is to photograph meat well. Oddly enough, none of my photos are post worthy, but I know there were some other good ones and I’ll direct you there once I get the link.

Dessert, oh, glorious dessert. Lately it seems my desserts have been all hearty whole grains with fruits and nuts. Which is great, but it has been a while since I’ve had a truly rich dessert.

The Bluegrass Sundown Chocolate Pot Pie with Jonathan’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was like an explosion of chocolate in your mouth. The Bluegrass Sundown is Alltech’s version of the Irish Coffee. When added to this dish it was everything chocolate lovers dream about. Although, the ice cream cannot go unnoticed. It was a nice balance to the richness of the dark chocolate.

Pleasantly stuffed, we exchanged greetings with Jonathan who was nice enough to come out and welcome us. Then it was time for a little swag.

I am a huge fan of promoting Kentucky producers mainly because there are so many great products that have interesting histories and heart warming stories. I decided instead of highlighting those that supported the event through swag here in the post, I’d put a list below with links in case you’d like to visit their site to find out more. We have some very gift worthy foodie items produced here. We were also very thankful for the bags Whole Foods Lexington gave us to hold the swag as well as a gorgeous gift basket to give away.

One of the things that was new to me were the Modjeskas, or Caramel Biscuits, from Bauer’s Candy. They are homemade marshmallow centers covered with a smooth, creamy caramel. Yes, this is Fake Food Free, but even I am open to an indulgence especially if it has some history attached to it.

We also had several gifts to give away as door prizes. I won fudge from the Lexington Chocolate Company. Oh, did I just say fudge? Well I meant the creamiest, richest fudge I can remember having. Really. These little tins are on the gift list.

It’s not over yet.

This fabulous dinner certainly can’t be beat, but we continued our weekend on Saturday at the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show, a presentation with the Michael and Bryan Voltaggio and a private meet and greet session where they shared with us a bit more about their restaurants. More to come!

A few more Kentucky products:

Americandy
Kentucky Cutting Boards
Marksbury Farm Market
Bleugrass Chevre
Elmwood Fine Tea
Herb n’ Renewal
Holly Hill Inn Restaurant
Weisenberger Mills
Howard’s Creek Authentic Beer Cheese
Bourbon Barrel Foods

Disclosure: The foods and products reviewed in this post were given to me free of charge. I was under no obligation to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

October 2, 2011

I have absolutely nothing against cilantro. In fact, I love the stuff. But I fear I greatly offended the herb this week.

I have this very organized habit of getting all my ingredients laid out on the counter whenever I begin to cook. This leads to a bad habit of pushing things around to create space when I need it for doing things like, um, rolling up spring rolls.

How to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls | Fake Food Free

This was the first time I made spring rolls and I’m pretty darn happy with the result. I could use a bit more practice in rolling to get them tighter, but otherwise I claim success. Well, that is if you don’t talk to the cilantro.

As I proudly wrapped all the rolls and admired them sitting on the plate, I looked over and tucked away in the corner behind the coffee maker, was the cilantro! I had every intention of topping off my pile of filling with a sprig or two before rolling, but in my effort to create space I shoved one of my favorite herbs out of view!

So we’ll just have to enjoy it as a garnish in the photos. The good news is, if you don’t like cilantro, these spring rolls are great without it. If you do, they’ll be even better with it inside and not just sitting on the plate.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

2015-07-31 10:01:54

Makes: 6 to 7 rolls

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Ingredients

~3 oz rice sticks
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 green onions, sliced
½ large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, julienned (or if you are like me, as close as you can get to it)
1 ½ cups bok choy, greens only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
~ 25 cooked shrimp
Cilantro (optional)
6-7 rice paper wraps

Instructions

Place the rice sticks in a bowl and fill the bowl with hot water to cover the noodles. Allow to sit until tender, about 5 minutes. Cool, chop and set aside.
In a wok, heat the oil. Add the green onions, bell pepper, carrots, bok choy and garlic. Cook over high heat for only 1 to 2 minutes. If you want your veggies softer you can cook them longer. Add the soy sauce and the ginger.
For each roll, soften the rice paper wraps according to package directions. Lay the rice paper on a flat surface or plate. On one end pile up some noodles, veggies (cilantro) and 3 to 4 shrimp. Slowly roll up the spring roll, tucking in the filling and folding in the sides as you go.
Serve at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Serving Sauces: The sauces were quickly thrown together. Tasty, but nothing extravagant.
Spicy Mustard – Equal parts Dijon mustard and Sriracha
Peanut Chile – 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, 2 tablespoons imported Thai Chili sauce (I like to get imported because it is usually free of HFCS), 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon minimally refined cane sugar, 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in water to reach the desired consistency.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

September 30, 2011

These pumpkin sugar cookies are made with white whole wheat flour and raw sugar. They make great cut-outs for Halloween or any holiday of the season!

I am embarrassed to say that I’ve had my pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter for years. Years! As you might expect, I bought it with the intention of making some cute little cut-outs to celebrate fall. Every year I come up with some excuse as to why I’m too busy to make them.

This weekend it all changed. I grabbed it out of the cabinet (along with some others I bought on clearance last fall) shook of the dust and put them to use!

These soft sugar cookies are made with Demerara sugar and are slightly spiced. I kept mine simple this time around, but you could certainly sweeten them up with a good dose of frosting, or make them pretty with some decorating.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

Makes: 24 – 36 cookies (depending on your cookie cutters)

Ingredients

¾ cup Demerara or raw sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 tbsp pureed pumpkin
2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Extra raw sugar to sprinkle

Prep

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the eggs and pumpkin. Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.

Form the dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour. You want the dough to be firm enough to roll and cut.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with sugar, if desired. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges are browned. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 24 – 36 cookies depending on the size of your shapes.

Recipe adapted from Roll Cookies from Joy of Baking

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies | Fake Food Free

Pumpkin Blondies

September 28, 2011

These pumpkin blondies make a great dessert alternative to classic pumpkin pie! This recipe takes an old favorite and makes it wholesome and seasonal with whole grain flour, raw sugars, pumpkin puree, dark chocolate and walnuts.

I’m not quite sure when my pumpkin obsession started. Growing up my grandmother’s pumpkin pie recipe was always my favorite and I loved the pumpkin muffins my mom made. However, that is where my pumpkin experiences ended.

As far as the cheery winter squash goes, that was the extent of my using it. Not only that, but it was also restricted to a specific time of year, October through November.

My pumpkin like turned to pumpkin love when we moved to Brazil. I honestly had no idea that other cultures were so good at using pumpkin until I began seeing all the different varieties at the farmer’s markets and the creative dishes on menus and buffets.

The pumpkins there were nothing like our standard Jack O’ Lantern and pie pumpkins in Kentucky. Some were dark green with deep ridges; others were bright orange, flat and round. There was candied pumpkin, pumpkin in pastas and roasted pumpkin topped with Gorgonzola as a side dish.

Fortunately, this year I’m starting to see some variation in pumpkin varieties in our area and I love it. To add to that, pumpkin is popping up in unexpected places, especially in my kitchen.

Now, I’m not breaking any pumpkin records with this recipe. It’s a sweet dessert made in autumn, yes. Pretty standard; but worth posting if you need an idea for something besides a quick bread or muffin.

I wish these had turned out a little chewier like traditional blondies, but I have yet to make a pumpkin baked good that doesn’t turn out a bit cakey. So call them, cake, bars or blondies, but whatever the name, call them good.

Pumpkin Blondies

Ingredients

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup mascavo or muscovado sugar
¼ cup Demerara or raw sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter then allow it to boil, stirring constantly, until it is light golden brown. About 4 minutes. Stir in both sugars. Stir well to combine. Set aside and let cool until barely warm.

Stir the egg into the sugar and butter. Mix well. Stir in the vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree. Slowly add in the flour mixture, stir just until combined. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts and stir to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool and cut into bars. Makes 16 small bars.

Recipe adapted from Butterscotch Brownies or Blondies from Joy of Cooking

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale

September 26, 2011

This hearty potato soup with kale is filled with smoky bacon ends and topped off with crunchy kale chips!

Kale chips are the new cracker.

Since discovering kale chips last year, thanks to all my favorite food blogs, I can’t get enough of them. Every time I pull a pan out of the oven I still look at them, amazed that a leafy green can turn so crisp and tasty.

When I decided to make some potato soup tonight I wanted to add a little something extra so I decided on a little kale in the soup itself. Then one thing led to another and I was topping my bowl with kale chips before dinner. Now I’m officially proclaiming kale chips as my new cracker for all my soups!

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale | Fake Food Free

The soup starts with a little bacon. I’m able to get smoked, pastured bacon ends at our local meat shop which is perfect for this kind of thing. It chops up easily and I can use just what I need for each recipe.

Once all the veggies are cooked, I finish it off with a little half and half from one of my favorite Kentucky dairies. This half and half is low heat pasteurized and non-homogenized so the creamy fat thickens the soup nicely. To finish it off with just a little more smoky flavor, I turn to some smoked paprika.

I was a rainy, cool day here and I have a feeling more days like this are to come. This soup fits in nicely with the change of seasons; hearty, creamy and filled with a good dose of dark, leafy greens.

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

Kale Chips
2 cups kale, chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Soup
¼ cup smoked bacon ends, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
½ large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups kale, chopped
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ cup half and half

Prep

To make kale chips:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 2 cups of chopped kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp.

To make the soup:

In a 3 to 4 quart soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until fat becomes visible in the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, carrot and onion. Cook about 3 minutes and stir in the garlic. Continue to cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 more minutes.

Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add water to the pot just to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. As soon as the potatoes become tender, add the kale. Cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.

Stir in the salt, pepper and paprika. Using a potato masher, gently mash the soup, breaking up some of the potatoes, but not all. Stir in the half and half. Transfer to serving bowls, top with kale chips and serve warm.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Autumn Recipes

September 23, 2011

It’s the first day of autumn and I couldn’t be more thrilled! It is my absolute favorite season. When we were living in Brazil it was the thing I missed most. I learned to cherish the 2-3 weeks in June (winter there) when it was cool and rainy, so much like fall in Indiana and Kentucky.

It was a great summer, but I am so happy to leap into apples, pumpkins, sweaters and boots as if it were a pile of autumn leaves. My kitchen time has been scarce and what I have been making has been old standards and not very exciting, but I’m hoping that is soon to change and just in time for fall food!

We closed out summer with grilling some pastured chicken. The grill certainly won’t be put away for the winter, but I thought it an appropriate gesture.

To prepare for the season I’ve had my sights set on pumpkins and other winter squashes. I love this little pie pumpkin I got this week. Doesn’t it look like a butternut squash in a pumpkin body? I can’t wait to cook with it. My shopping trip today filled my kitchen with kale and Brussels sprouts, my two favorite fall veggies.

This weekend will be filled with seasonal activities. A trail run in the morning followed by tailgating and football. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some of my favorite fall-inspired foods from the archives.

Happy Autumn!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Waffles with Maple Cinnamon Butter

Honey Pecan Baked Brie

Wild Mushroom Mac and Cheese

Gingered Pear Quinoa with Walnuts

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Parmesan

Spiced Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Native American Cooking Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin

September 18, 2011

Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin Recipe | Fake Food Free

Other than a fondness for fry bread, I must admit that I know little to nothing about Native American cuisine or cooking styles.

However, autumn is the time of year when what little I do know about this cuisine does come to mind. In autumn we tend to think of those orange and brown tones to our foods and earthy flavors much of which encompasses the heart of Native American cooking.A few days ago I was notified of the anniversary release of two cookbooks, one of which was Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs. The book, a James Beard and IACP award winner, is overflowing with authentic Native American recipes from tribes throughout North America including the Cherokee, Navajo and Sioux.

Once I began reading, I knew my knowledge of this cuisine was about to change.

My favorite part of the book, aside from the wonderful recipes, is page 10. This page opens up into a map of the US. On this map are icons which represent foods traditionally used in different areas such as blue corn, buffalo, hazelnuts, deer, persimmons and sweet potatoes. While now it may be more evident in types of barbeque, the diversity of foods prepared across the US was as apparent then as it is today.

Similarly the recipes are separated into different regions and tribes throughout the book. Some of the recipes you’ll find include Iroquois Leaf Bread, Hopi Venison Stew, Honey-Ginger Baked Beets and Papago Cactus Salad.

I wanted to go with something unique that I’d never tried before which, to be honest, wasn’t difficult. Almost every recipe in the book was new to me.

I settled on the impressive, yet surprisingly simple, Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin from the Great Plains region. Aside from scraping out a bit of pumpkin, nothing about this recipe is difficult, nor are the ingredients hard to come by. Yet, it is delicious and upon seeing it, no one will doubt your skills in the kitchen again.

The sage, the pumpkin, the hearty meat – all of it is perfect for autumn. Considering the presentation, I wouldn’t hesitate to also set it on the holiday table.

Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin
Reprinted with permission from Abrams Books

1, 4 to 5 pound sugar pumpkin
2 tsp salt
½ tsp dry mustard
1 to 2 tbsp vegetable oil or rendered fat
1 pound ground venison, buffalo or beef
1 medium onion or 4 green onions, chopped
1 cup wild rice, cooked
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp crushed dried sage
¼ tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the top from pumpkin and remove seeds and strings. Prick cavity with a fork and rub with 1 teaspoon of salt and the mustard.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add meat and onion and sauté over medium-high heat until browned. Off the heat, and stir in wild rice, eggs, remaining salt, sage, and pepper. Stuff pumpkin with this mixture.

Place ½ inch of water in the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Put the pumpkin in the pan and bake for 1 ½ hour, or until tender. Add more water to the pan as necessary to avoid sticking. Cut pumpkin into wedges, giving each person both pumpkin and stuffing. (Or you can scoop out the stuffing with a bit of pumpkin which is what I did.) Serves 6.

As I mentioned, there were two books re-released so I don’t want to pass on sharing the second with you. That’s because it happens to be the ideal gift book for any creative food lover. The Secrets of Pistoulet by Jana Kolpen tells the story of a French farmhouse and was first published in 1996. When I started flipping through it, I thought – this would make the cutest gift. Then I read a bit more about it, The recipes are designed as little pull-out cards and written in paragraph form with very flexible directions. There’s Potage of Vision, Potage of Heart and Potage of Strength. It’s like a recipe book and an inspirational note all in one.

Disclosure: A review copy of these cookbooks was sent to me free of charge. I was under no obligation to blog about them and received no compensation for doing so.

Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

September 15, 2011

Since I made the Hertzoggies a little while back, I’ve had mini-pies on my mind. Maybe it’s because pies are considered the trendy dessert right now. Maybe it’s because autumn makes me hungry for pies. Or maybe it’s just because I had some pie crust dough leftover in the freezer.

Regardless, on the drive home from work tonight, I was thinking of mini-pies. I also had some apples from a local orchard in the fridge threatening to go soft on me with every passing day.

Apples with peanut butter is one of my favorite snacks. Healthy snacks, that is. Given the opportunity, I’d take caramel, but one needs a little protein from time to time so let’s go with peanut butter.

It took me a while to figure out how to incorporate that into a pie that wasn’t also made with cream cheese and whipped cream, then I thought of the crumb topping. So I replaced the butter in the topping with natural peanut butter. Cold natural peanut butter, though, already opened and from the fridge which gives it a little more solid texture than taking it straight from a newly opened jar.

You can use any pie crust that is about 9-10 inches. I had leftover pie crust from the Hertzoggies because I only made a half batch. But the crust from Spiced Whole Grain Apple Pie would work well too.

Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

1, 9-inch pie crust
1 large apple, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 tsp white whole wheat flour
1 tsp mascavo sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon

Topping

2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp white whole wheat flour
3 tbsp mascavo sugar
3 tbsp natural peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a standard muffin pan. With a biscuit cutter or glass, cut the crust into individual circles about 7 cm in diameter. Place the crusts in the muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine the apple slices, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Layer the apples in each of the crusts, filling just until the top edge of the crust.

In a mini-food processor, pulse the topping ingredients until they are combined and crumbly. Evenly divide the topping over each pie and press gently into the layer of apples.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fork to gently remove the pies. Makes 8 mini-pies.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut

September 12, 2011

This warming fish chowder recipe combines the hearty, fall flavors of kamut and sweet potatoes with a tropical twist from coconut milk.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut Recipe | Fake Food Free

I saw a fish chowder in a magazine recently and immediately started thinking of ways I could adapt it. I thought fall, tropics and whole grains all at once, but wasn’t quite sure what direction to go with it.

So I went with all three.

After seeing kamut in a cold grain salad when eating out recently, I bought some hoping to substitute it for wheat berries sometime. If you haven’t had it before, when cooked, kamut has the chewy texture like a wheat berry although the grain is slightly longer. So that took care of the whole grain part.

The tropical part comes from coconut milk. Actually I could say tropical-slash-Asian because the soup reminds me of some we had in SE Asia. I worked in a little autumn with some diced sweet potato.

I was incredibly pleased with the result. While it was cooking, I spent the whole time thinking what type of herb or spice I would use to flavor it. Turns out I added nothing, but salt and pepper. All the other ingredients had plenty of flavor on their own.

I used cod as the white fish, and believe it or not, canned salmon. Obviously canned isn’t my first choice, but I had some that had been around a while and no fresh on hand. The soup would also be great with shrimp, scallops or any kind of seafood.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut
Inspired by Wild Rice & Fish Chowder, Midwest Living Recipes for All Seasons Vol. 2

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 large red potato, peeled and chopped
¾ cup kamut, cooked and drained
4 oz. white fish, cubed
4 oz. wild salmon, cubed (or canned salmon)
¾ cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Prep:

In a 3-quart soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cook about 7 minutes and then add the garlic. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the kamut.

Add just enough water to barely cover the potatoes. Partially cover the pot with a lid, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly tender. Add the fish and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more, until the fish is cooked or heated through.

Stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Island Food – Jamaica

September 10, 2011

We always plan to take one vacation a year.

Now, if you are a regular reader you are likely wondering what I’m talking about considering posts about South Carolina and Ireland have already popped up this year. This requires that I share some definitions with you.

We travel a lot. I wouldn’t have my life any other way. In fact, since we returned from Brazil we haven’t traveled nearly enough for me. I have to have travel. I’ve been known to say I like the airports, the lengthy flights, the squeezing all my liquids into a little baggie. That’s because in return I get incredible food, gorgeous scenery and a glimpse into other cultures.

Those trips that require hotel hopping, scheduling sight-seeing, going so fast that you come back more exhausted than you left; that’s travel and I love it.

But I also love vacation.

Vacation is what we did over Labor Day weekend. We headed back to our favorite tropical location – Jamaica. We floated, ate, drank, read, watched sunsets. Aside from a couple squash matches and walks on the beach, we did absolutely nothing. That’s vacation.

To adequately achieve this definition of vacation, we go for all-inclusive resorts, specifically Sandals. Despite mixed feelings on this type of vacation from travelers, we have never been disappointed. Its true relaxation and every bit of the paradise we want.

So we headed back to Sandals Whitehouse which is tucked in on the southern coast of the country; secluded with no planes overhead, a gorgeous beach, big pools and peaceful sunsets. All this along with our favorite martini bar, a nearly 24-hour pastry café and the best you can get of actual Jamaican food in a resort setting.

So here’s the part you are waiting for. The food and drink! Enjoy and I’ll be back in the kitchen soon.

Our welcome Rum Punch in the lobby.

Appetizers and martinis every night before dinner at the martini bar. This one has smoked marlin.

Appetizer tasting with smoked salmon, squid and octopus.

Fried calamari with a Greek salad.

Seafood ravioli.

Seafood stew in a white sauce, one of our favorites.

Fresh juice in the mornings, this one with melon and pineapple.

Red Stripe on the beach, enough said.

Our favorite lunch, blackened red snapper sandwich on coco bread with jerk mayo.

It may not look all that good in the photo, but Jamaican Pepper Pot soup is our favorite.

Jerk chicken, not as good as what you’d find from a street vendor, but still tasty and spicy.

Curry goat was the special one day for lunch, again may not look great, but tasted amazing.

Did I mention that cafe?

Every afternoon was just like this, pastries and a cappuccino.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and that’s Carrot Cake behind it.

Crepes for our final breakfast before boarding the bus to the airport.

I also took the garden tour offered at the resort and was introduced to some wonderful flowers and trees. These are seagrapes and we did get to taste them, nice and sweet with a huge seed in the middle.