Dear Devoted Reader,

Scott’s Food Blog is moving to SeattleFoodGeek.com.  I hope you will join me in my new location.  To celebrate, I’ve posted my experience flavor tripping on miracle fruit tablets!

The new blog will continue to feature the great original recipes and photography you’ve come to expect from Scott’s Food Blog. But, it will also let me write about the excellent local food we produce in the Puget Sound.

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Makes: 4 bowls
Total kitchen time: 30 minutes

Shopping list:

• 1 cup pancetta, finely diced (you can use bacon if you want, but make it good bacon)
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 small leek, diced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shitake mushrooms, sliced into 1/8” strips
• 1 package portobello mushroom ravioli (or any other ravioli that sounds good to you – lobster, pesto or spinach all work)
• finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan, to garnish
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the pancetta has started leaving brown bits on the bottom of the pot. 
2. Add the onion, garlic and leek and continue to cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the white wine to deglaze the pot – the acid in the wine will let the brown bits on the bottom become unstuck.  Scrape them up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours for maximum flavor.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. When you are about ready to serve, bring the soup to a boil and add the mushrooms.  Cook for 1 minute, then add the ravioli and cook according to the package directions, usually about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes.
5. To serve, ladle a generous serving of broth and a few ravioli into a bowl and top with a little parsley and parmesan cheese.

Makes: 2 finite portions
Total kitchen time: 45 minutes

Shopping list:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 oz. wild mushrooms (morels are best, but shitake or porcini work as well)
• 3 tbsp. Boursin cheese (it comes in a small box, available at most grocery stores)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 cups gnocchi
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (roasted, if you can make/buy them this way)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and set the top rack in the middle position.  In a large stockpot, boil 1 gallon of water (or as much as you can fit).
2. If you’re using using dried mushrooms, let them soak for 20-30 minutes in a bowl of hot water to re-hydrate.  Drain and chop the mushrooms into 1/4” pieces.
3. Prepare the chicken breast by cutting a slit through the side of the breast, being careful not to cut all the way through the other side.  Expand the incision to make a pocket in the breast. 
4. Reserve half of the mushrooms.  Divide the remaining half and the Boursin cheese between the chicken breasts, stuffing it into the pocket you created.  Wipe away any excess Boursin that may be hanging outside the pocket – it will burn when the breast is cooked.  Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and lightly coat with olive oil.
5. Bake on an oiled, rimmed baking dish for 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. 
6. Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi until just undercooked.  This will usually take 2-3 minutes.  The gnocchi will float when they are ready.  Drain the gnocchi and set aside.
7. In a large, not-nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat.  Swirl the butter in the pan and cook until small brown spots begin to form.  This is one of the butter solids beginning to burn, and this is how we’ll make our brown butter.  Raise the heat to high and add the gnocchi.  Toss the gnocchi to coat in the butter and sear them, flipping occasionally, until they develop a very slight golden-brown crust.
8. Add the corn, remaining mushrooms cinnamon and cloves and sauteé 1 minute more, then remove from the heat. Salt and pepper the gnocchi to taste, then plate and serve.

Of course, you can always serve the gnocchi on its own as a main course.  Try pairing it with a brothy asparagus, mushroom and pancetta soup as a starter.  Or, kneel below a wheelbarrow of brown butter gnocchi with your mouth agape.  You know, whatever works for you.

Makes: 2 sweet chops
Total kitchen time: 15 minutes

Shopping List:

• 2 boneless pork chops, trimmed
• 2 tbsp. Apricot Peach Fruit Tea
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Pat the pork chops dry on both sides.  Salt and pepper the chops on all sides.
2. Coat the pork chops on both sides with the loose tea.  Press the tea into the skin of the chops until it sticks. 
3. Place the pork chops on a room-temperature skillet (not nonstick) with at least 1” of space between them.  Cover the skillet with a  lid and place it over medium heat. 
4. After 6-7 minutes or so, the fist side should be nicely browned.  Flip the chops and cook, covered, another 5 minutes or so or until cooked through. 
5. By this time, a thick, sweet glaze has developed in your skillet.  Plate the pork chops and top with a heaping spoonful of the pan glaze.

Makes: 2 quarts
Total kitchen time: 30 minutes, plus churning time

Shopping list:

• 1.5 quarts purified water
• 4 tbsp. Mmmmango tea
• 3 tbsp. honey

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Remove from heat.
2. Distribute the loose tea among 4 tea bags or 2 tea infusers and place in the pot of water.  Let the tea steep for 25-30 minutes for maximum flavor.
3. Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and stir in the honey.  Adjust to taste with more honey, if needed, until the mixture is just slightly sweet.
4. Refrigerate the tea mixture until cold, then churn using your ice cream maker’s instructions.
5. Top with a drizzle of honey before serving.

I’m a big fan of sneaking loose tea into recipes, especially deserts.  Do you have any favorite tea recipes?  Are there any tea creations you’d like to see?  If so, leave a comment below!

The potato recipe is quite simple.  Bake (or microwave) whole russet potatoes, about 1 potato for every 2 servings.  When they are fork tender, run them through your potato ricer.  This step is optional, but it’s the only way to guarantee lightness and fluffiness.  Mix in some butter, heavy cream, salt, white pepper and blue cheese.  Then, load the whole mixture into a pastry bag with an extra-large tip and pipe the potatoes around the salmon, directly on individual cedar planks.  Grill until the salmon is done, then serve directly on the planks.  Your guests will love it!

Makes: 5 ears
Total kitchen time: 20 mins

Shopping List:

• 5 ears white corn, shucked
• 8 tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Jamaican jerk seasoning (or your favorite spicy seasoning blend)

1. Preheat your grill over medium heat.  Place the corn directly on the grill and close the lid.  Grill, turning occasionally, 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mash together using the back of a fork.  If you’re making this recipe in a larger quantity, you may want to prepare the butter using a food processor.
3. When the corn is almost done (check for tenderness with a fork) brush it on all sides with the cilantro butter and grill for another 1-2 minutes. 
   

This cilantro butter also makes great grilled toast, and can be added to shellfish, chicken, or white fish for a wonderful, simple seasoning. 

Total kitchen time: 1 hr
Makes: 4 1lb fillets

Shopping list:

• 4 1lb. salmon fillets (with skin is fine, without is fine also)
• 2 large (or 4 small) cedar planks for grilling
• 2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 tbsp. orange-muscat vinegar (honestly, any white wine vinegar will work, this one just adds a little flavor and a lot of adjectives.  Available at Trader Joe’s.)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into teaspoons
• fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1. Soak the cedar planks, completely submerged, in cold water for at least 1 hour.  Preheat your grill over medium-high heat before grilling.
2. For the beurre blanc, heat a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the diced shallot and about 1 tsp. of olive oil and cook until the shallot smells great, about 3 minutes.  If it looks like the shallot is starting to brown, reduce the heat.
3. Add the white wine vinegar (in this case, orange muscat vinegar) and stir to deglaze the pan.  Continue to cook until the vinegar has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and 2 teaspoons of butter.  Continually whisk the butter until it is completely melted.  If the butter starts to foam, place the bottom of the pan on a cold surface (like a stone countertop) to cool it.  Add the remaining butter, 2 teaspoons at a time, whisking continually.  If the butter refuses to melt, hold the pan over very low heat for a few seconds and then remove. 
5. Once all the butter is incorporated, taste the sauce and adjust with a fine-grain salt and freshly ground white pepper.  You can use black pepper if you want, but white pepper will make the sauce look prettier.
6. Prepare the salmon fillets by patting them dry and coating with salt, pepper and fennel seeds on the flesh side.  Rub the fillets on all sides with olive oil. 
   
7. Make sure your grill has been preheated over medium-high heat.  Arrange the cedar planks on your grill and place the fillets, skin side down (if they have skin) on the cedar planks.  Close the lid and grill for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked.  The planks will give off a lot of smoke which adds to the excellent flavor.  However, if your planks should catch fire, simply spray them with a small amount of water (I recommend San Pellegrino ) until the flames dissipate. 
8. When the salmon is cooked to your preferred doneness (let’s face it, either it’s undercooked, done, or overcooked), use a long spatula or a chef’s knife to remove them from the planks.  Top with a spoonfull of the beurre blanc and serve!

Look for more cedar plank recipes this summer.  I’m now a big fan of this cooking method and it deserves some further exploration.  Do you have any favorite wood cooking recipes?  Leave ‘em in the comments below.

Total kitchen time: 30 minutes prep, 4 hours, plus 15 minutes cooking time
Makes: 3 racks

Shopping list:

• 3 racks baby back ribs (short ribs)
• 8 tbsp. + 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 4 cups prepared Turmeric-Curry Dry Rub
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. lime juice
• a lot of heavy-duty aluminum foil

1. Can be done 1 day ahead, refrigerate until ready to cook.  Work one slab of ribs at a time.  Lay out two large pieces of foil, on top of one another, big enough to cover the slab.  Pat the slab dry on both sides with paper towels, and lay bone-side up in the middle of the foil.
2. Spread 1 tbsp. of crushed garlic across the surface of the ribs (bone side up).  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the prepared dry rub over the bone side of the ribs and push the rub into the skin.  Flip the ribs over (skin side up) and repeat – 1 tbsp. of garlic, then 1/2 cup dry rub pressed into the skin.  You should have 1 cup of dry rub remaining, for the barbecue sauce.
3. Lay the ribs bone-side down and seal tightly with the aluminum foil. Working with the long side first, bring the opposite edges together and fold over to form a crease.  Fold over a second time to double the crease, being sure to keep the foil tight to the meat.  fold the short ends up towards the skin side and seal tightly. 
4. Preheat your oven to 200°F and set the top rack in the middle position.  Place a rimmed baking sheet or a large piece of foil in the bottom of your oven to catch any juice that drips off during cooking. 
5. Arrange the ribs, bone side down, on the rack of your oven, being sure to leave plenty of space between the slabs.  Use two oven racks if necessary, and swap the upper and lower racks halfway into baking. 
6. Bake for 4 hours.  Remove from the oven and let rest at least 30 minutes.  The resting is critical.  Your foil packages will be full of sweet, delicious pork juice (yumm) and if you unwrap the ribs and start cutting into them, you’ll end up with a tough, dry waste of your time.
7. After the ribs have rested, unwrap them, brush the meaty sides with barbecue sauce (recipe follows) and place meat-side down on a hot grill for 10 minutes, or until nicely charred.  Cut and serve!

Barbecue Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the garlic until it is fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add the ketchup, dry rub and remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes.  Adjust to taste with balsamic vinegar or honey.

This recipe produces great ribs, but you can use the same technique for chicken just as well.  Be aware, though, that the high sugar content of the dry rub means that food will burn quickly over direct heat.  This is great for char marks on the grill, but would be bad news for, say, a strip steak in a skillet.

Total kitchen time: 5 minutes
Makes: enough for 4 racks of ribs

Shopping list:

• 4 cups light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. yellow curry powder
• 2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. red cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  That’s it, you’re done.  Taste a spoonful and adjust to your personal preference. 

This dry rub, or a variation thereof, is also the base for my homemade barbeque sauce.  In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of dry rub, 1 cup of ketchup, some Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco,  honey, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and whatever else your heart desires.  If you start bottling it and selling it to friends, just email me for my address (so you can start sending me checks).  Enjoy!

• Mango, Lime and Mace Shrimp Skewers
• Grilled Pizza with Sweet Veggies and Sausage
• Proscuitto-Wrapped Shrimp with Blackberry Mint Sauce
• Onion and Pancetta-Stuffed Fennel Bulbs
• Burgers So Big that the Cow Couldn’t Jump Over Them
• Scott’s Red Stripe Ribs
• Lamb Salad: Man Edition!
• Herb-Smothered Flank Steak with Stuffed Eggplant Wedges

Be sure to check back later this week and next for a whole new batch of recipes for your outdoor kitchen!

Total kitchen time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 servings

Shopping list:

• 2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely diced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. capers
• 2 tsp. herbs de provençe
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and set the top rack in the middle position.
2. Spread the potatoes in an even layer in a microwave-safe dish filled with enough water to cover the potatoes.  Microwave 8-12 minutes (this will vary a lot) or until the potatoes are fork tender, but not fully cooked.  Drain and pat dry.
3. Meanwhile, spread the diced onion and pepper in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until they have softened, about 15 minutes. 
4. Add the par-cooked potatoes and toss with a little olive oil to coat.  Bake another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown. 
5. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  The dijon vinaigrette is a balancing act between bitter, sweet, salty and spicy.  Adjust each of the ingredients until the vinaigrette stings your tongue, but finishes in your mouth with a slightly sweet, rounded flavor. 
6. Toss the potatoes and vinaigrette together on a serving bowl and serve warm or room temperature.

If you want to cheat a little (I won’t tell) you may be able to get away with frozen roasted potatoes.  If you’re lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, they sell a package of frozen potatoes with roasted veggies that works great for this recipe.  It can be our little secret.

Total kitchen time: 2 hours
Makes: foul for four

Shopping list:

• 1 whole duck (or 4 duck breasts, if you prefer)
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 24 oz. (4 small cans) pineapple juice
• 1.5 cups basmati or jasmine rice
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut (from the drink mixers aisle of your supermarket)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tsp. yellow curry powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 425° F and set the top rack in the middle position.  Rinse and thoroughly dry the duck, inside and out.  Salt and pepper the skin and inner cavity.
2. Blend together the orange zest and butter using a small food processor (or with the back of a fork if you’re Amish, in which case I don’t know how you’re viewing my blog right now).  Stuff half of the orange butter under the skin of the duck and rub the remaining half on the outside of the skin.
3. Truss the duck (it yields better results, but it isn’t absolutely necessary) and place it on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up.  You can also place the duck directly onto a preheated heavy-bottom skillet, but a roasting pan will help the duck cook more evenly.  Whatever you’ve got around will work, so don’t fret.
4. Roast the duck for 45 minutes, then flip carefully and roast another 45 minutes with the breast side down.  Be sure to pour out any fat drippings from the body cavity when you flip the bird.  Let the duck rest at least 15 minutes before carving.
5. Meanwhile, boil the pineapple juice in a small saucepan over high heat until it has reduce to about 1/4 the quantity.  It should be shiny and a little syrupy.  Set aside.
6. Prepare the rice using your rice maker or stovetop, according to the directions on the package. 
7. In a small saucepan, combine the cream of coconut, coconut milk, curry powder, cinnamon, red cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, and adjust to taste by adding more curry powder or red pepper flakes.  Fold the coconut mixture into the rice.
8. Plate the duck atop the coconut curry rice and spoon over some of the pineapple glaze.

If you’ve never cooked duck before, you’ll be surprised at the amount of fat that melts off the bird as it cooks.  Ducks have fatty skin because ducks need to float.  Wood also floats, and burns.  Witches burn because they are made of wood.  Therefore, if a woman ways the same as a duck, she is a witch.  Wow, a recipe and lesson in illogical justice?  What doesn’t this blog have!