We ended the day with a slug from our "moonshine" (not really, but wouldn't that have been cool?) and a trip to 88 Kitchen (http://www.88kitchen-tn.com) for some munchy, yummy chinese buffet!
** Tiny Chicken Run: Now, when my hubby and I lived in Atlanta, we had our #1 good ice cream (china buffet) called New Century Buffet on Scott Blvd. It was awesome! Our favorite waitress would try to extoll the virtues of New Century by telling us all about her #1 good ice cream. **
At any rate, 88 had just about everything Willy Wonka stocked in his fridge. Really fresh sushi, shucked oysters, pepperoni and extra cheese pizza, crawfish served hot or cold, hibachi, dim sum.. you name it. Standard chinese buffet fare suggests a 50/50 good to bad. I'd say they hit it out of the park with a solid 90%
I like to start my meals with cold items, so I dined on kimchee, marinated squid, tai nigiri, seaweed salad maki, stuffed scallops (which were neither scallops nor good) and a few pork pot stickers. Second round added maguro nigiri, stuffed bean curd skin, those yummy little green beans, fried zucchini, manila clams in black bean sauce, chicken dumplings, and some peculiar lemon curd dim sum that defies categorization. What a tally, eh? The only notably inedible object was the scallop debacle- think unidentifiable seafood ingredient and miracle whip baked to golden brown in a shell. *BLECH!*
Onward, Ho! (No, not me!!!)
I rolled out of bed this morning with Rillettes on my mind. My dad got a pretty neat cookbook for Christmas this year; basically a bucket list of awesome foods. (http://www.amazon.com/101-Dishes-Eat-Before-You/dp/1407564412) I just so happen to read cookbooks like novels, and I would recommend this one! A dish they feature in the book is Rillettes, which consists of slowly cooked pork in the confit style. Confit simply means cooked in it's own fat, slow and low. The meat gets extra meaty, and meltingly tender. Basically, it is a lazy pate.
I did a stint at Bacchanalia (http://www.starprovisions.com) in Atlanta, where we served an adulterated form of Rillettes, but I was in the throes of morning sickness with my older baby... It was simply off the table.
I have been warned against the false idol of "gourmet" Rillettes- made of any variety of non-pork products, so I chose to stick to the real McCoy. Went down to my local Kroger, bought bone in pork steaks, and came back with a song in my heart. Preheated my oven to 275, boned and cubed my meat (about 2#), and added my seasonings. I went with about 6 oz of olive oil, a cup of water, a tablespoon of salt, black pepper, onion powder, and a pinch of thyme. Closed that sucker up real tight, and let her roll in the oven for 4 hours!
In the mean time, I had yet another shoot scheduled, with King Dado of Nashville Voodoo Radio, and his lovely wife, Kallisto Killer (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nashville-TN/Nashville-VooDoo-Radio/107154522521) to the tune of a lingerie and vintage apron cupcake battle.
In the middle of the shoot, I stopped to take my pork from the oven, and proceeded to "plank" it. I drained the liquid from the solids, and mashed the hell out of them with my fork. That created a small grain of meat that was partially pulped. Then I spooned on a bit of the fat from the pan to give a richer texture. This is, after all, one of the first potted meats! I snuck a taste, and boy was it yummy! Crispy toast and spicy mustard and it will be out of sight. However, it is strongly suggested that you chill your Rillettes for 3 days before eating, to let it properly set and reach it's full flavor potential. So I'll keep ya updated!
After the shoot, I scooted on over to my parents to excercise my chil'uns and prepare dinner. What, pork again? Oh, No!( By that, I mean Oh, Yes!)
I prepared grilled, bone-in pork chops (the ONLY way to go, much more tender and juicy) simply with rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic, on the grill pan- about to medium well. Along side, boiled new potatoes, steamed asparagus, and mushrooms a la greque (another technique I am familiar with because of Bacchanalia).
Here is how to prepare them, and I INSIST it is worth it, even if you don't love vinegar as I do. I quartered a pound of mushrooms, and got them started with a bit of olive oil in a cast iron on medium high. The higher heat allows them to carmelize a bit before the water starts to come out. ** On the subject of water, don't be a sissy and wash yer dang mushrooms! They are porous, and you will ruin them! ** I seasoned them up with a bit of minced garlic right out of a jar, dried thyme, and salt. When they started to really sweat, I reduced the heat to medium and added around 1/4 cup white vinegar. Keep stirring them until all the liquid is reabsorbed! Also, make sure to check your seasoning, cause these suckers need a lot of salt. After the pan gets to Au Sec (almost dry) again, add another 1/4 cup of olive oil, and recaramelize them. Let them go until all sides are golden brown and delicious- and there you have it. These are so complex in flavor, so delightful hot or cold, and are unlike most anything you have ever had out of a mushroom. DO IT! Listen to me!!!
Back to dinner!
Lastly I finished the fixin's with a pan sauce from the mushrooms. :) Yep, you read right. Can't very well make a pan sauce from the grill pan, eh? I melted a whole stick of butter, added around 2 tablespoons of spicy mustard, a tablespoon of garlic, and whisked the hell out of it. Mustard is a natural emulsifier, so with the addition of a little water, it pulled together very well. After I removed the pan from the heat, I finished off my sauce with a splash of lemon juice.
Whew, fast meal. I think in all it took me 30 minutes to dream it up and produce it. Less than that to eat it! I think I need to learn to eat slower. Humph.
Yours Truly,
XOXO
Voodoo Valentine
P.S. Got back some shots from our recreation of the Misfit's American Psycho Album by Susan C Illusions! I'm the one kneeling.
