Thanksgiving Turducken from Philip Henderson

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Philip Henderson Turducken

Philip Henderson with his Thanksgiving Turducken.

“Several times I have made Turducken at the homes of friends.  It required me to virtually move into their homes on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I worked on the birds starting Tuesday morning about 8 am then put everything in the refrigerator about 5 pm.  I returned to work about 4 pm on Wednesday and put the Turducken in the oven about midnight.  It cooks for 14 hours at 195 degrees Fahrenheit, below the boiling point of water.

Turducken Assembly

Turducken during assembly.

“On Tuesday I prepared the dressings for each bird.  I chopped up onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic for several hours.  I removed all the bones from the turkey, duck and chicken.  I cooked cornbread.  On Wednesday I put everything together including about one hour sewing the bird together.  I can do everything alone except for the sewing together, that takes at least another set of hands.

Philip Henderson Turducken

The finished product.

“Turducken is a project well worth the investment of time.  It freezes well too.  I used at 26-pound turkey a six- or seven-pound duck and a four-pound chicken.  Even with the bones removed the bird weighed at least forty pounds with the dressing.  You have to place it in a sturdy baking pan.  The flimsy aluminum pans will crash and burn, they cannot take the weight.  This size Turducken gives ample first course meals for 30 people.”

This is a guest post from Philip Henderson, the Ethical Magician. Philip is a long time friend and a frequent commenter on Burnt My Fingers.

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Preparing for Thanksgiving 2023

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Philip Henderson Turducken

This is not a turkey but a turducken, prepared by our friend Philip. We’ll explain technique later in this Thanksgiving week 2023.

Happy Thanksgiving week 2023! I heard on NPR last night that you should buy a frozen turkey immediately (meaning this weekend, today) so it has time to defrost. So let’s get started.

Thanksgiving 2023 will be a little different for BMF. We’re traveling to a family reunion in Arizona and are in charge of the turkey, so the only thing to do is buy the turkey here in NY, fly with it across the country as it begins to defrost at a food-safe temperature, then prep it on arrival. No room for a brining bucket in our luggage so we will try NYT Cooking’s Dry Brine Recipe. (that’s a free link if you don’t have a subscription.)

If we stayed home, we’d be making a wet brined turkey with stuffing following the links in this Thanksgiving clips post. It’s from 2015 but I wouldn’t change a thing. Home made or store bought stuffing? Either is fine; the key is lots of butter, celery, onion and savory stock so the main function of the dried bread is to absorb this goodness. Home made or store bought cranberry sauce? We once did a taste test that will answer that question once and for all.

Cranberry Sauce Taste Test

Cranberry Sauce Taste Test (winning fresh berry recipe is in the rear)

We thoroughly enjoy the multi-day ritual of preparing for the holiday meal, but apparently it stresses a lot of people out. If that applies to you, this post has tips for scoring a successful Thanksgiving while avoiding the angst. Which we know is real, perhaps because many folks rarely cook at home during the rest of the year. (In our first discussion of our shared meal at the reunion, the choices given were eat in a restaurant or order takeout from Whole Foods; cooking from scratch was not an option.)

Finally, on Friday we will build our Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich… a precise formula explained in the link. It’s key to have Durkee’s Famous Sauce for this process; there was some panic in the chat earlier this fall when Durkee’s appeared to be discontinued; currently it’s back in stock on Amazon (affiliate link!) with fast Prime delivery but don’t wait till the last minute.

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Return visit to Casola Dining Room

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Casola Dining Room Picnic

“Picnic” appetizer offering at Casola Dining Room.

It’s been way too long since we paid a visit to the Casola Dining Room at Schenectady County Community College, which provides training for many who find jobs in Capital District restaurants in upstate New York. They serve a set menu Tuesday-Thursday each semester starting a few weeks in, after new students have had some training. In the fall they focus on regional American specialties; in the spring it is various international cuisines. Lunch is offered on Tuesday and Thursday and dinner on Wednesday night.

Casola Dining Room Scallop

Scallop (singular) over pasta at Casola.

This week I had the “American Bistro and Gastropub” menu which brought me a “picnic” of various items as an appetizer, a scallop on a pasta with a creamy sauce as a main, and a salted caramel tart for dessert. Very satisfied with everything. The courses are presumably chosen by instructors. The “picnic” was all over the place but enjoyable, with the duck prosciutto the high point and a too-cold pot of paté only a mild disappointment. I needed to ask for the menu again to confirm the main was “scallop” and not “scallops”. My single bivalve was well prepared and the pasta base was enjoyable though I could not taste the crab; mysterious cracklings, which I thought were dukkah but turned out to be pork, were a nice touch. Dessert tart was predictably rich and delicious.

Casola Dining Room Tart

Salted caramel chocolate tart at Casola.

We have another local chef-training restaurant in Seasoned, affiliated with the culinary program at SUNY Adirondack in Glens Falls. We reviewed them during the pandemic and hope to return for one of the imaginative brewery collaborations they are now sponsoring from time to time. Do you have a culinary training program that offers meals to the public where you live? Check it out. It’s a win-win for the students and the community.

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Yelp vs Google

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Chee Bog Singing

Yelp vs.Google: Sinigang at Chee-Bog, as described in my Yelp review.

I am a Yelper. This comes as a surprise to chefs I meet, who typically hate Yelp because they see it as the source of sour grapes write-ups by amateur reviewers who want to bring a restaurant down. But for someone who uses Yelp on a regular basis, it’s easy to spot these reviews and ignore them or discount their value. Consistent reviewers get voted “Elite” for the quality of their reviews, and user feedback on individual reviews is another benchmark. If you know how to read the reviews Yelp can be a very valuable resource, if for example you’re traveling and want to find a good place to eat in a new city.

Google Maps has emerged in the last couple of years as a serious Yelp competitor. I write reviews for both. I don’t cut and paste but repeat as few sentences as possible word-for-word out of respect for Google’s algorithm, which would penalize duplicate listings on multiple websites. Initially (I started writing Google reviews maybe 5 years ago, pursuing some now-forgotten incentive) I felt I was a voice in the wilderness; the reviews were as prescriptive as a listing in a directory. But now there is a lot of thoughtful commentary—not just I liked it, but WHY I liked it. And, very important, there are often many more reviews for a place on Google than on Yelp.

Let’s look at a case in point: Chee-Bog, a Filipino restaurant in Cohoes, NY, a suburb of Albany. The Yelp listing is here with currently 15 reviews, including mine. The Google Maps listing is here, currently with 63 reviews, including mine. But the Google reviews skate the surface, and are so uniformly positive one becomes suspicious; no place can be THAT good. Try this: do a search for “kumayan” on both sites; this is a set meal which is a big part of Chee-Bog’s appeal though it is “secret”. It’s described in detail in Leo Y’s Yelp review and alluded to only as “fantastic” on Google.

Avid Yelpers pride themselves on the specifics in their reviews and are careful to back up positive (or negative) statements with examples from their experience. We have “OYEs” which are Official Yelp Events where Elites get together in person to try a restaurant and the conversation typically is about other restaurants we have visited recently, and where we are going tomorrow. The bar is set high.

Unfortunately, Yelp like other channels has suffered since the pandemic. We have many fewer events than we used to and recently lost the Community Ambassador who arranges them. But I hope Yelp survives. It remains my go-to resource when I need a boots-on-the-ground perspective.

P.S. What about TripAdvisor? This has historically been a reliable source of information for travelers, mostly about accommodations but also about restaurants and attractions. It seems to have fallen by the wayside in the face of Google’s ascendancy. There are currently 0 reviews for Chee-Bog on TripAdvisor.

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Recipe: Jacques Pepin Tapenade

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Jacques Pepin Tapenade

Jacques Pepin Tapenade.

Here is the tapenade Jacques Pepin makes on the “Jacques Pepin’s Easy Coq Au Vin Will Impress Your Friends” episode of Today’s Gourmet. He serves it as the underlayment of a mild flavored fish, either cod or halibut, meaning the tart ingredients of the tapenade will predominate. That’s interesting but we prefer the more traditional application of tapenade as a hors d’oeuvres spread. Makes about 1 c.

Ingredients:
¾ c pitted olives (we used a combination of salt cured and kalamatas)
1 clove garlic, peeled
4 anchovy fillets, in oil
2 dried figs, quartered
2 T good olive oil
1 T capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste*

Method: combine the first 5 ingredients in a mini chop and pulse briefly; you want a mixture that is spreadable but still rustic. Mix in the capers (we didn’t chop them so the little spheres would stay intact). Add a few grinds of pepper and taste for seasoning; you may or may not need salt depending on the saltiness of the olives. Serve with crackers or similar as part of a charcuterie spread.

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Recipe: King Arthur Deli Rye

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
King Arthur Deli Rye

King Arthur Deli Rye (made with medium rye flour).

Most of the sourdough rye bread recipes in Jeffrey Hamelman’s Bread (affiliate link!) have yeast in them (vs relying solely on sourdough for leavening), and so do the recipes on the King Arthur website. I took Jeffrey’s rye bread class so should remember why this is; I think it is to ensure a loaf that is not too dense for sandwiches but still has a nice sourdough bite. Anyway, King Arthur Deli Rye is what you want for your deli sandwich and it was a good excuse to rejuvenate my rye starter. Makes 2 1.5 lb loaves.

Ingredients:

For sourdough sponge:
150 g medium or whole rye flour
120 g water
100 g or so refreshed and lively rye starter*

For final loaf:
850 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
540 g water
Sourdough sponge
2 T caraway seeds
1 T active dry yeast
1 T Kosher salt

Prosciutto Cheese Rye

Prosciutto and cheese sandwich on deli rye.

Method: combine flour, water and starter for sponge; cover and proof overnight or longer until the sponge is well expanded. Mix with other ingredients in the bowl of a planetary mixer (eg Kitchenaid). Run on first speed for 2 minutes or until ingredients are well combined; run on second speed for 6-8 minutes until the dough develops good gluten strength. Cover and proof 1 hour; it will rise but not quite double in size.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into two loaves of about 1.5 lbs each. Place in bannetons dusted with rice flour to prevent sticking and proof another hour. Meanwhile, heat oven with cast iron dutch ovens inside to 460 degrees.

Sprinkle polenta or cornmeal on the bottom of two dutch ovens (be careful not to burn yourself; multiple potholders are a good idea) and flip the loaves into them (upside down, so they end up with nice ridges from the banneton). Slash the tops with a lame or serrated-edge knife. Cover and bake 20 minutes, then remove lids and lower heat to 440. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until crumb reaches an internal temperature of 206 degrees. Cool for at least an hour before slicing.

*Rye starter is the easiest to make from scratch because rye flour is so full of beasties. Jeffrey Hamelman told us it was the first starter he used and for a long time the only one, even when making white bread. Mix 75 g whole rye flour and 75 g non chlorinated water in a bowl; cover and rest overnight. In the morning, scrape out most of the mixture and repeat with a fresh 75 g flour and 75 g water. Do this for several days until the starter comes to life and begins to show bubbles and puff up. Build up the starter with an even ratio of flour and water and let it proof overnight; take what you need for your recipe and refrigerate the rest in a sealed jar for future use.

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Food for thought: Today’s Gourmet with Jacques Pepin

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Jacques Pepin Today's Gourmet

Jacques Pepin in KQED’s “Today’s Gourmet”.

I recently reconnected with the Today’s Gourmet series of videos which were produced by KQED, the public television station in San Francisco, featuring Jacques Pepin. The series ran from 1991-93 and all or many episodes are available on the KQED YouTube channel.

The show that popped into my feed was “Jacques Pepin’s Easy Coq Au Vin Will Impress Your Friends”. A remarkable amount of technique is packed into a 30 minute show. Jacques Pepin will as advertised prepare a coq au vin, but also a fish dish as a first course, tapenade as a base for the fish, mashed potatoes and even a dessert… all in real time. No recipes or superscript instructions are provided which is part of the fun. Jacques’ technique is clear enough that you can approximate in your own kitchen (assuming you could pause your video, something that would have been a novelty in 1991), but there was also a series of “Today’s Gourmet” books with recipes which as I recall were offered as a fundraising premium.

Cod Tapenade

Steamed Cod with Tapenade. Nice serving plate!

1991 was at the end of the cuisine minceur era: we were still interested in cooking foods in a lighter way with less fat but lots of flavor. Jacques’ technique for mashed potatoes, for example, is to stretch them with turnips and use cooking liquid rather than cream in the final prep. Related: this episode is possibly where I picked up the technique for preparing croutons in the oven, rather than in the frying pan.

Burnt My Fingers had a personal experience during the taping because my wife’s company was one of the KQED sponsors, so we were invited to a private session. Chef taught me the technique of peeling garlic by smashing it with a knife, and some (now forgotten) trucs for decorative carving of tomatoes and orange peels.

Jacques Pepin is a kind, creative and genuine person who is still sharing food techniques many decades later through his Facebook page. The Today’s Gourmet shows feature him in his prime, and with brown hair. Check it out.

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Recipe: Korean Fire Chicken

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

Korean Fire Chicken with our Radish Kimchi.

You may have purchased gochugaru (Korean chili powder) and gochujang (Korean chili paste) for Korean Fried Chicken or a similar dish, and wondered what else you can do with the chilis. Try this. Korean Fire Chicken comes from the redoutable Maangchi and we’ve made just a couple of very minor tweaks. It’s also super easy to make, comes together in half an hour from pantry to plate. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch chunks (we used a mixture of breast and thigh meat)
¼ c gochugaru
2 T gochujang
3 T light brown sugar
1 T chopped or minced ginger
2 t chopped or minced garlic
1 T soy sauce (a generic version like Kikkoman)
½ t ground black pepper (that’s a lot!)
¼ c water
4 oz tekkbokki (Korean rice cakes)
4 oz mozzarella, sliced or grated
2 T neutral oil
2 T chopped scallions for garnish, optional

Korean Fire Chicken

Korean Fire Chicken as it comes out of the broiler bubbling hot!

Method: combine chicken with gochugaru, gochujang, sugar, ginger, garlic, soy and black pepper and mix thoroughly. Marinate for a few minutes. Unless tekkbokki are very fresh and soft, reconstitute by soaking 10 minutes in hot water, then drain and cut on the bias into 1 inch pieces.

Heat the oil and add the chicken mixture in a cast iron or otherwise oven-safe skillet. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently and adding ¼ c water and mixing in tekkbokki halfway through. Meanwhile, heat the broiler to medium/high.

Drape the cheese over the chicken in the skillet and transfer to broiler. Cook 2-3 minutes till cheese is soft and bubbly. Serve hot, over rice.

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Affordable food porn

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
Tuna Tartare by Mandi F

Affordable food porn: fried rice paper sheets* are the base for tuna tartare at Noodle in a Haystack.

We don’t worry too much about food presentation here at Burnt My Fingers, as you may have noticed. But sometimes you want to gild the lily just a bit. And we got thinking about affordable food porn… ways you can make your dishes look impressive without breaking the bank.

Deviled Eggs by Christina W

Deviled egg with caviar at Noodle in a Haystack.

We were inspired by Yelp photos from Noodle in a Haystack, a restaurant in San Francisco which charges $175 for an omakase tasting menu built around ramen and is sold out for the remainder of 2023. Here are a few examples, with attribution if you click on the photos to see the titles.

Caviar. Nothing says luxury like a few fish eggs draped over a food product. And you can get 2 oz of lumpfish red caviar cured in vodka for under $15 at Amazon. (Affiliate link!) That’s enough for a lot of garnishing.

Cucumber Pickle by Bob K

Quick pickled cucumber with hijiki garnish.

Seaweed. Dried hijiki and dulse are available in bulk at my local co-op or online. They’re expensive on a per-ounce basis, but you just need a few strands as an accent. And you can’t go wrong sticking in a leaf of nori from one of those snack packs.

Custard by Alice K

Custard with black sesame seed garnish.

Black sesame seeds. Sprinkle a few on a light colored dish (like the custard example here). They’re dramatic and exotic, yet I can buy a little bag at my local bulk bin for under a dollar.

Ramen with Kamaboko

Ramen with Kamaboko (fish cake).

Fish cake (kamaboko) and pickled radish. Two colorful accents you can find in the refrigerated section at your Asian market. Kamaboko is a pressed cake made from surimi (fake crab), often with a pattern in the middle. Dan-muji is a yellow Korean radish pickle with a sweet/sour flavor. Both can perk up a dish with mixed ingredients, included or on the side.

Do you have ideas for affordable food porn? Please share. And here’s a loving article from the SF Chronicle that almost makes me want to spend $175 on a bowl of ramen and accompaniments. Almost.

*Fried rice sheets are those rice paper circles used for making Asian dumplings, fried so they puff up. Haven’t tried doing this yet.

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Reviewing McDonald’s new condiments

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers
McDonalds New Condiments

McDonalds’ new condiments: Mambo sauce and Sweet & Spicy Jam.

McDonald’s has recently introduced two condiments, Mambo sauce and Sweet and Spicy Jam. Although the advertising suggests you should try them one at a time, there is nothing to prevent you from adding 2 of each to your mobile order at $0 each, which is what we did.

Mambo Sauce McGriddle

Mambo Sauce on our $2 McGriddle

The Mambo sauce has a flavor that is instantly recognizable to anyone who eats Korean food. It’s gochujang! Well, a little sweeter and a little more viscous than the Korean red pepper paste but a very reasonable facsimile. We tried some on our Egg and Sausage McGriddle, which IMO is the best thing on the menu and also a very reasonable $2 on a breakfast mobile special. It did not disappoint. (Digging deeper, turns out this is actually based on “Mumbo Sauce”, a regional specialty of the DC area. But we stand by our Korean comparison.)

The Sweet and Spicy Jam is a pepper jelly we would be more likely to use on a spread of savory items, as we have done with jalapeño jelly in the past. We put it on a cracker with cream cheese, though you could also use brie or another mild spreadable cheese. Or simply put a few dabs of the jelly on a platter and let guests decide what to do with it.

Sweet & Spicy Jam

Sweet & Spicy Jam is a cheerful Cajun orange with flecks of red pepper.

Kudos to the Clown for coming up with two grownup new condiments and making them available for free, when you place an order of any amount. We are going to hoard Mambo sauce and Sweet and Spicy Jam as we did with McDonald’s Grape Jelly and serve them to unsuspecting guests on our charcuterie platters this fall.

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