:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

:: Why I Cook ::

I've been racking my brain trying to think of something to write. I have yet another four half-written posts saved up, yet it took almost two months before I found something worth writing about, and it wasn't even my idea. I read this great post from a blog read regularly and he got his inspiration from an enthusiastic food writer.

So why do I cook. I almost have too many reasons to list and while long posts aren't exactly new to me, I'll run down some of the more important points.

- I cook to eat. Seems like a resounding *DUH* right? But I love to eat and if you were to ever meet me, you can tell I don't miss meals often. Or ever. But other reasons range from my general disdain for most processed foods and microwave meals (it's been literally a decade since I bought one) all the way to health concerns. I also know what I like and therefore it's easy to make what I like.

- It's a hobby that I have a great deal of passion for. I love it, plain and simple. People I work with have asked why I don't pursue cooking as a profession. I think if I had to do it every day as a way to make rent, I would lose enthusiasm for it, having to grind away behind a hot line 8-10 hours a night, 5 nights a week. As it is now, if I don't feel like cooking I just stop by Five Guys or if I'm broke, whip up some eggs. Besides, I work in a restaurant where I get along with the cooks, it's also easy for me to pick up tips here and there.

- Cooking is an excuse to buy myself some great new kitchen knives. Also got a bamboo cutting board, a new honing steel, a cast-iron skillet and many entertaining evenings playing chef. (Ironically, as one of my goals for this year is to be more social, I'm wondering if this is a good thing.)

- Many waiters, after a long shift, like to drink themselves into oblivion or light up a joint. While I do love a good drink, cooking helps me to relax as much as a night out with friends and I get more of a kick from fixing a good meal.

- On that same note, If there's anything I love more than cooking, it's music. Few things make me happier than cooking while I have my favorite songs playing in the background. (I'm even happier when sipping on a good whiskey.)

- Personal fulfillment. I rarely cook for people and when I do, it's only for the closest of friends or a woman I'm dating. Even if I'm dicking around with a recipe and I need guinea pigs to sample my dish, I only invite the few friends I can actually spend more than 30 minutes with without needing booze to keep me interested. Along those lines, I've never cooked to impress a woman hoping she'll date me. As much effort as I put into my dishes, if a woman wants me to cook for her, she has to show me something. (And I don't mean her tits.)

(Though it might help.)

- I love trying something new and experimenting with ingredients. I remember how intimidating it seemed the first time saw Alton Brown butcher a whole beef tenderloin. I also remember trying it myself the first time and thinking to myself, "that's it?" and enjoying beef dishes the rest of the week. I remember the elation of braising lamb shanks for the first time. I especially remember finally learning how to precisely slice salmon into equally thin pieces with my new sashimi knife and the look on my buddy's face when he saw and sampled my hamachi.

- I enjoy the challenge. I'll make the best steak tartare you'll find outside a fine restaurant. My espresso-rubbed short ribs braised in chocolate stout and served over vanilla mashed potatoes is amazing. So is my own homemade tomato sauce. I received moans of approval from people who tasted my coriander crusted snapper with tequila-lime sauce and jalapeno parsnips puree. I can make my own salad dressings. And I've said many times; I make the best guacamole on the East Coast. But none of these came out great the first time and they all seemed difficult at first. And while I have these and a few other dishes I rotate through, I really don't know as much as most home cooks. I don't know the first thing about baking. I couldn't make a dessert from scratch other than opening a pint of Ben 'n Jerry's. And even though I'm good with red meats and fish, I can't do that much with chicken beyond frying up buffalo wings. That's the next hurdle I'm looking forward to.

- I cook because life is better those few minutes I spend in the kitchen. As much as I enjoy a good dining experience, food tastes just that much better when it's earned.

Labels: cooking, introspective, still here

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:08 AM [+] :: | 1 comments
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:: More Steaks ::

I can cook a Ribeye or Porterhouse steak that could rival anything you might get out of a steakhouse, and I can do it without a grill or fancy broilers. I'll serve it with grilled asparagus or garlicky sauteed wild mushroom worthy of any great cut of beef.

But my numerous attempts at chicken fried steak with a side of country-style potatoes usually end up at best, average. At least to my palate. WTF?

Yes, it bothers me a little that there are a few grill cooks at a Denny's or a Waffle House that would laugh at my dish.

Labels: cooking, steaks, wtf

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:50 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Butcher Buddy ::

I haven't been able indulge in my love or red meat much the last couple of months since that time has been spent either briefly unemployed or training for the new job. I haven't been starving or anything but my budget dictated some degree of parsimony in my grocery budget so every trip to Publix involved a concerted effort to avoid the meat case, lest I find myself tempted into an unnecessary purchase.

Now that we've been open for about three weeks and we're starting to make some money, it seemed only proper to reacquaint myself with the steak display and luckily enough, they had bone-in rib eyes on sale for $6.99/lb. As usual, I skip the packaged cuts on the shelf and pick out a well-marbled 36oz cut from the display case. As I turn around one of the butchers waves to me.

"How you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

Despite the fact that I used to stop by at least once a week, it's still a little surprising that he'd both recognize me and take the time to say "hi."

"I've been, umm, busy lately. How've you been?"

"Pretty good. Did you get the rib eye?"

"Yup."

"Bone in?" (If you're curious, butchers and foodies typically favor steaks with the bone still attached since it does two things: It maintains the flavor of the meat and the bone acts as a heat conductor, which results in more even cooking. This is why porterhouse steaks, T-bones, and rib cuts are so flavorful.)

"Of course."

I show him my steak. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. The way you cook it, it's gonna be like buttah. It's too bad you weren't here couple of weeks ago. We got a couple of cases of bone-in New York Strip."

"Really? Here?" (This is a less common cut that you only see in very high-end steakhouses, and almost never in a typical grocery store.)

"Hell yeah! I was looking for you too. I know you like those thicker cuts and I was gonna save you some."

I decided at that point that I needed to become this guy's friend.

"Dude, that would have been sweet" (Unfortunately, I really do talk like that sometimes.)

He goes on about other stuff they get on occasion. We talk more and I finally ask him his name... just before I notice his name tag. Just before I leave, he tells me when he works and that he'll definitely let me know when the "good stuff" is in stock.

I always thought it was good to be on a first name basis with the bartender at your favorite bar. Being on a first name basis with your butcher is just as cool.

Labels: cooking, meat, steaks

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 11:51 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Fettuccine, Linguini, Martini, Bikini ::

As much as I love spending time in the kitchen some friends are surprised that I don't own any of those informercial cooking products that blare from the TV at three in the morning. (They're probably asking because they know I'm usually awake at three in the morning.)

It's a good question actually and my answer usually falls along the lines of either "it looks like a piece of shit" or "I prefer doing it old-school." It's why I never owned a George Foreman Grill (I prefer a good skillet AND I like the grease to stay put when I cook my steaks, thank you), one of those Ronco rotisserie ovens (doesn't work well with cedar planks), or any type of food storage savers (I never have leftovers and nothing lasts very long in my fridge.)

You guys know about my love of a good cheeseburger so I almost picked up one of those Big City Slider Stations until I read this review. "Smells of noxious chemicals" doesn't sound very appetizing and I prefer a good full-size burger anyway. Also, judging from the size of your typical slider, I'd have to eat at least twelve or so of these before I got full and I don't have that kind of time. (Actually I do these days but, whatever.)

I do a lot of chopping and dicing when I cook so when I first saw the informercial for the Slap Chop it seemed like a Godsend... Until I realized the "star" is that same hypermanic guy pushing the Sham-wow. I don't know about you but I can't not laugh at this thing. There's his classic line at the 0:37 mark that I can't believe made it past the writers and directors of this car crash. There's a part of me that wants to buy this thing for the sole purpose of being able to use that line on some friends while keeping a straight face.

Then there's classic line number two when he's talking about the "Gratey." "Fettuccine, linguini, martini, bikini." I don't know about you but I have this visual of an Italian Bistro in the Bahamas that features a swim-up bar.

After watching that a couple of times, he killed it for me. Something about him just seems... off, and not just because he could be the A.D.H.D. posterchild who reuses to take his medication. He seems like a guy that would try to peddle real-estate deals to people who got ripped off by Bernie Madoff. That and the Slap Chop just seem like it would come apart after two weeks so it falls under the "piece of shit" category. I have a decent chef's knife. I'll stick with that for now.

Side note: Am I the only one that saw the informercial for the Snuggie and got creeped out?

Labels: cheeseburger, cooking, humor, unintentional comedy, wtf

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 5:11 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Hungry? ::

With all the time I spend in the kitchen I thought I should post photos of some of the dishes I whipped up. It's not quite food porn but it's definitely not for the faint of heart. And if you're a vegetarian you should probably move along.

Some brats boiled in beer with caramelized onions. Perfect food while watching football.

The Fatty Melt and the Luther Burger. How would you like your coronary prepared?

Deep fried whole Red Snapper with a white wine garlic cream sauce, crispy shallots, and roasted asparagus. It's fish. Of course it's healthy.

Rack of lamb with garlic, rosemary, and dijon crust. I love lamb. 

Saving the best for last, my version of the Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine T-bone). It's very different from how I normally cook a porterhouse steak but the flavors were amazing. Serve rare with a side of cannelini beans, roasted garlic and a big Amarone. Don't eat till you're full, eat till your tired.

Yeah, I can cook  a litte.

Labels: awesomeness, cheeseburger, cooking, fish, food, steaks

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 11:34 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Will Power ::

...I have none. 

Or so it seems at times. If I'm properly motivated, I can be quite disciplined in many ways but there are times where I feel I'm about as restrained as a drunken frat boy in a strip club. Especially when it comes to food.

Ever since I wrote this post I've been trying to, if not lose, then at least temper the weight gain. It's been only moderately successful. Two reasons, I love to cook. More than that, I love to eat.

I've been laying off the garlic bread at work but I've been experimenting with braising (everything from leg of lamb, beef shanks, to veal) lately and I work with a head chef who's unusually willing to share recipes. Anything braised calls for some type of starch to truly appreciate it and I've been preparing various types of mashed potatoes to accompany my dishes.

It doesn't sound too bad except when I cook my primary goal is flavor. That means I use a lot of butter, salt, spices, and cream. (Liquor-based sauces are great too.) In other words, it's almost as if I eat like I want to have a heart attack.

Since turkey season is over, I told myself (with a straight face even) that I'd stop with the rich stuff and try to lose that weight. Then I went grocery shopping this afternoon.

I passed by the meat section to look for some lean sirloin steaks and fish but as I passed by the butcher's case, something catches my eye: "Dry aged Prime Ribeye Steaks." You fuckers. This is something they rarely carry and now they display it? Great timing guys, thanks.

Usually, the only time I buy steaks is if they have ribeyes or porterhouses for sale. But, good God it's Dry Aged! I picked out a nice 27oz. bone-in cut.

It didn't end there. I have a weakness for ice cream. Specifically, Haagen-Dazs' Dulce de Leche. I actually don't have much of a sweet tooth but I do treat myself to a pint of ice cream once in a while. I can easily walk down the cookie or cake aisle and leave empty handed and I haven't bought candy in literally over a decade. But the freezer case sometimes calls to me like a sweet oasis in my savory dessert...er... desert so I try my best to avoid

 it.

But that same day, I was looking for, um, something and passed by the Haagen-Dazs section and I couldn't help but notice a new flavor. I lean in to take a look and see something called "Fleur de Sel Caramel." They're trying to kill me.

I haven't cooked the steak yet but the ice cream? It was awesome.

Labels: cooking, food, i'm a fatass, ice cream, steaks

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:56 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: More Cooking ::

The local Publix (the grocery store on South Beach that looks like a Space Ship) had veal shanks on sale so on a whim, I bought two pounds worth just to see if I could successfully cook Osso Bucco. This despite the fact that I've only tried it once before and I can barely remember what it tasted like.

I couldn't be that hard. I talked to the head chef at The Steakhouse and he gave me a recipe that's flavorful and easy. It's actually not too different from braising lamb shanks, which I've done many times. Still, I do enjoy a challenge and trying something new, but not only that, I really like funny words.

Wish me luck. I just hope I don't cut myself or burn down my apartment.

Labels: cooking, food, klutz

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:08 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Fattier Fatty Melt ::

Remember my last post about the Fatty Melt?

Only guys like me would look at that and think of adding more grease in the form of bacon. All I did was add a couple of slices of bacon on top of the tomato. This guy went ahead and trumped my creation with this monster. Go ahead and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Why didn't I think of that? Well played, sir.

Labels: awesomeness, cheeseburger, cooking, food, i'm a fatass

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:33 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Fatty Melt ::

Stuff like this makes me happy.

A good friend emailed me the link asking, "is it odd that i thought of you when i saw this?" No, not at all. If anything, you know me too well.

Of course I made it at home. Several times. Add some bacon and a touch of mayo and you have all sorts of awesomeness.

Labels: cheeseburger, cooking, food, i'm a fatass

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 6:59 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Carb Overload ::

Working in a restaurant, whether you're a chef, dishwasher, or waiter means you're always around food. Most places let the Front of the House (FOH) staff munch on some bread or salad or any leftover prepped items if we get hungry before, during, and after a shift. That free bread you enjoy at many restaurants has satiated many mid-shift hunger pangs.

It's great and all if you're hungry at 9:30 and you have two more hours to go before closing but it's not hard to overdo it, such as my case.

The Steakhouse has garlic bread on the menu that's just amazing. It's garlic, parmesan, truffle butter and white truffle oil baked on a ciabatta bread and there's always a few pieces floating around the line and left over at the end of the night.

We also have a wild mushroom risotto (this steakhouse has a strong Italian influence) that's awesome. Since I'm one of the few waiters that don't give the cooks a hard time, they usually ask me if I'd like a plate of risotto when we close. Of course I say yes.

(It's crucial to get on the cook's good side. It helps that if I have a customer that doesn't finish a bottle of wine, I get fresh glasses and treat the chef to a drink.)

They also provide a pre-shift family meal. Sometimes it's hot dogs. Other times, they make ribs with black beans and rice or spaghetti and meatballs.

Another thing that doesn't help is all the available dry good available in the back. The chef isn't so anal about inventory that he'll freak if I take home some peppercorns for my grinder (I go through a lot of pepper and I haven't had to buy any since I started working here). Just the other week, I wanted to cook my coriander-crusted red snapper with a tequila-lime cream sauce. One problem: I was out of coriander. I asked one of the cooks if they had any in the back, which they did, which I ground up that night and enjoyed a nice dinner.

I've also taken home some Old Bay, fennel, ancho chile powder, and some of that killer truffle oil, among other things.

(I'm not stealing from the company or anything. This is almost the same thing as working in an office and "borrowing" a stack of post-its or some paper clips. It's not like I tried to sneak a ribeye out of there.)

Combine all these factors and you can see now why I've gained about 8 pounds since I started my job at the Steakhouse. Trying to lose that weight working as a waiter is like trying to quit a cocaine habit by moving to Miami. (Not that I know anything about that.)

Labels: cooking, food, i'm a fatass, steaks

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 7:34 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Whoops ::

I love cooking. One of the reasons is that I get to play with sharp objects. That's just the guy side of me. It's similar to why a lot of guys can't cook but love grilling: we get to play with fire. Add an element of danger and guys will try just about anything. (If grocery stores put tampons at the end of an American Gladiators-style obstacle course, wives and girlfriends will never have to buy them again.)

Another thing about me as that I can sometimes be accident-prone. I bump into things, drop stuff, and knock things over. (It's amazing anyone lets me work in their restaurant.) Not a great combination if you spend as much time as I spend cutting, dicing, and chopping as I do. (Or for that matter, work at a job where I'm always carrying large trays of food and drinks.) But I've been quite lucky as I still have all ten fingers and toes. And fortunately, I've never dropped anyone’s food. (Though I lost count of the number of empty glasses dropped on the way to the dishwasher.)

I finally gave myself a nice gash on my left pinky last night with a new chef's knife I bought a few weeks ago. Nothing too serious: I was mincing up some garlic and rosemary for the rack of lamb I was cooking and the knife slipped out of hand and my pinky can now look forward to a quarter-inch scar.

I clean it, douse with a splash of tequila I had nearby (no, I was not drinking any - yet - and I couldn't find the rubbing alcohol), bandage it and resume cooking. Once the lamb was in the oven, the smell of tequila gave me a craving for a good margarita. I make mine from scratch, which involves squeezing fresh limes. I fail to remember the cut and the lime juice drips onto my finger. I couldn't tell you why or how but for some reason, lime juice on a cut stings worse than alcohol.

I avoid any more incidents, plate my dinner and pour a nice glass of Sangiovese. It was delicious, worth all the mishaps. Naturally, I almost knock over the wine glass.

Labels: cooking, klutz, unintentional comedy

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 4:55 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Training Day(s) ::

I started my new job at The Steakhouse last Monday. I arrive and greet the Floor Manager. He hands me some paperwork I need to fill out, after which I meet some of my new co-workers. Everyone seems laid-back yet work very efficiently in setting up the restaurant. Just before we open, the FM discusses my training schedule. He offers me a day off on Thursday but I tell him I prefer to just work six days straight (because I'm crazy). No problem. My first three days are on the floor shadowing a waiter. Thursday, I'll be in the kitchen behind the line (Really? Sweet.), I'll be working the bar Friday night, and Saturday.. if I make that that far.. will be my last night and I'll be taking tables.

The first night is pretty easy. It's busy for the Monday but nothing too crazy. I follow my trainer, who's working a party of 27 people. We go over our opening spiel, procedures, service methods, and he shows me how to work the computer. Other than being a family-style restaurant, it's not too different from Swank since it's also semi-fine dining.

The party is easy and he asks me to see if I could sell any after dinner drinks. I think I raised my stock when I sold eighteen shots of Lemoncello at $10 each. This was in addiction to the three extra bottles of wine I sold during the meal.

Tuesday and Wednesday is more floor training though it's with a rather intense guy who's been working there for about five years. He's one of the head waiters so he's accustomed to taking charge and does so with a very straightforward manner. His demeanor is a very straightforward, no bullshit, type and I'll learn later that he's like that even when he's making fun of his co-workers. Otherwise, training is more of the same, and I break only one glass.

Thursday was spent in the kitchen learning the menu. I've spent a few training days in a kitchen but this was the first time I had to go behind the line and actually help cook. One of the line cooks was a former co-worker from Seafood Grille (when asked how we knew each other, I joked we met in prison and were cellmates) and I'd be helping him out in the grill and broiler section.

Now, I love cooking so I was really looking forward to this. The first hour was spent observing the grill, the pasta section, and the sauté area manned by the Head Chef (who does look like he might have been in prison). Then I started getting my hands dirty (um, so to speak) with actual cooking. Nothing too complicated at first but it got busy, so I ended up helped with grilling, slicing and even plating.

The last two hours I went from being a trainee to a cook. (Pete was impressed that I picked up the menu so quickly, to which I reply, "I know what I'm doing. I watch Food Network.") And let me tell you, it was a blast. It's one thing to cook on a stove in my tiny kitchen but to work the line during a rush, keeping track of everything, and properly plating the dishes (as opposed throwing it on a plastic dish like I do at home) is a whole different world and it was pretty cool. Especially since their knives are much better than mine.

Once it slowed, Pete took a break and left to man the grill while he went on a smoke break. I chatted with the Head Chef, asking many questions, which he answered patiently and thoroughly. As thanks for helping them out, he let me cook up the lamb dish for myself. It was a half rack of Australian Lamb with a fennel-orange marmalade, pine nut crusted goat cheese, and a mint-balsamic reduction. It was outstanding. I think the Chef wanted to hire me as a cook right there.

Friday was spent training behind the bar. Again, the first hour was just learning the procedures, the computer, and some of the house specialty drinks. It was relatively slow and the bar guys knew me somewhat by now so after a while they mostly left me alone at the service bar while they tended to the bar customers. I hadn't bartended in a few months but most of it came back pretty quickly. Luckily, I didn't have any orders for odd drinks (like say, a Bahama Mama or a Red-Headed Slut) even though I had my recipe book just in case. And I didn't break any glasses either (that the floor was lined with rubber mats helped).

Saturday would be my last night training and I had to pass the menu test. It's a relatively easy menu and seeing how the food was prepped, cooked, and plated was huge so I passed easily. I ran a small station on my own and did okay considering my first night started off with two high-maintenance, pain-in-the ass tables. My final test would be at the end of the night. The GM sat at one of the tables outside and I helped set up his table. Once that was done, he told me to pretend he was a customer and perform my opening waiter spiel. Oh, umm... shit.

"Good evening, welcome to Swanky Trendy... um... The Steakhouse."

Fortunately, he has a sense of humor and he's been drinking since 9:30 so he laughed and said he hoped I didn't do that to a table (I didn't). I started over went through my introduction. I did well except for the fact that he said I talk a little fast (not the first time I heard that). He shook my hand and said, "welcome aboard. You're going to do very well. Don't fuck up." (I may have made that last sentence up.)

Labels: bartending, cooking, food, new job, waiting

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 10:33 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Cooking ::

Anyone who reads my blog knows I love to eat and from various posts you've probably figured out I love to cook. (If you love eating as much as I do and eat out all the time, you'd have to be rich or you'd go broke. I weigh over 200 pounds and that's not from eating out.) One of the cool quirks about working for restaurants is that you learn not just recipes, but how to match certain flavors.

(True story, of all the women I've dated - and there really hasn't that many - I've always been the better cook. Sad but true. I'm okay, but not great.) At my last job at Seafood Grille, I stole their recipe for Marsala sauce, which goes great with chicken, veal, or shrimp. I also made their shrimp scampi sauce, both of which I've made at home a few times. The Ex was very appreciative when I made these.

Now, while my cooking isn't so advanced that I can make some of the fancy stuff at Swanky Trendy Restaurant, learning their menu and the ingredients in the dishes inspired me to try and experiment. For example, we have fresh ceviché that's different each day of the week and I've made experimented with different sorts of ceviché (grouper, snapper, salmon, scallops) at home many times.

I'm not a good enough cook that I can replicate Swank's entrees but I'm decent enough that I don't worry about going hungry.

One recipe that I pulled out of my ass (not literally... that would be gross) is a cedar-planked salmon filet with an orange-rum reduction sauce that I whipped together. I like it enough to put it in my regular rotation and my bartender seemed intrigued enough to pester me for the recipe. I gave it to her, so I'll share it with you readers.

Salmon
1 pound salmon fillets (cut into two pieces)
1 cedar plank (large enough to hold two filets)
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons brown sugar
Kosher salt, coriander, freshly cracked black pepper

Orange-Rum Sauce
2 medium to large oranges
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Fresh Pepper
Crushed red pepper
8 oz. light rum. (I used Bacardi)
4 pats of butter
1/4 cup heavy cream optional

(All measurements are estimates. I don't own measuring spoons or cups.)

First off, pour two ounces of the light rum. Mix with Cola, ice, and a lime wedge and enjoy the drink. If you have a bottle, repeat as needed.

Soak cedar plank in salted water for at least an hour. Overnight is good. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. (Don't be afraid of salt; salt is flavor.) Lay the salmon skin-side down on the cedar plank and spread the mustard over the top and sides. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the mustard.

This is probably better over a charcoal grill but I don't have one, so I did mine in an oven. Preheat the oven to 350º. I cook about 15 minutes since I like my meat medium rare or less. Adjust per your preferences.

While the salmon is cooking, prepare the sauce. Squeeze the juice out of the oranges straight into a non-stick saucepan (remove the seeds, but leave some of pulp... that's flavor) over medium-low heat. Add the Dijon, Worcestershire (a teaspoon worth, I think), and the pepper (less if you can't handle heat... wimp). Whisk the sauce briskly and constantly until it reduces somewhat (again, I did this by "feel" so your mileage - especially if you have an electric stovetop - will vary) after which you turn the heat up to medium, dump the remaining 6 oz. rum into the saucepan. Let the rum catch fire (again, gas stoves help) and keep whisking until the fire dies down.

When the fire is gone, remove from heat, add the butter (cream optional) and whisk into the sauce until the butter is melted.

When the salmon is done, you can serve it one the cedar planks or move the filets to plates, depending on how much cleaning you like to do. Pour the orange-rum sauce over the salmon and serve immediately. Accompany with mashed potatoes or roasted spring veggies. Compliment it with a dry American Pale Ale: or an I.P.A. or if you prefer wines, an earthy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (California versions can be too heavy and oakey) or a robust Gewürztraminer.

Try it and report back to me about how much you loved it. Or if you have any ideas that might make it better I'm open to suggestions.

Labels: Beer, cooking, fish, food

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 1:22 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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