Aug 06

Carl’s BBQ – Good East Texas Barbeque (290N – Houston, TX)

I have eaten enough east Texas barbeque to know that you can determine with a certain degree of accuracy on how good is the food by observing non-food clues long before you take your first bite of your meal. Although barbeque joints are not as prevalent as Tex-Mex restaurants in Houston, TX; there are more than enough for most people to have an opinion on the one’s they like best.

Carls BBQ Restaurant (Houston, TX)

Carl’s BBQ Restaurant (290N, just north of the Huffmeister exit)

I have eaten at John-Wayne’s Smokehouse (now closed), Nonmachers, Swinging Door and ordered from Big Mike’s Barbeque Pit to name a few. Recently I had lunch with a friend at Carl’s BBQ located off of US 290N, just over a mile north of Huffmeister before Telge. For me, how full the parking lot is during the Friday lunch hour is not an indication, for it seems like most people eat out for lunch in Houston. As I walked into the restaurant, it was three things that let me know that I was going to enjoy my meal.

Carl's BBQ Inside Decor

Carl’s BBQ Decor – Refined Tacky East Texas

The first indication was a great cross section of Houston society. At one table there was a foursome of bikers, outfitted in their Harley clothing, at a couple tables there were mechanics and construction workers, a few tables of ties and white shirts (probably splattered with barbeque sauce), a couple of families and even a large table of friends for a birthday party. The second indicator was that the décor was not new, shining and looking like it was ordered from some restaurant décor catalogue. It was decorated in that lovable tacky east Texas way that is understated but everywhere there is something unique to view. There was even a fully stuffed deer that had seen better days. The third observation is that although the menu looked extensive, it was simply explained on boards above the serving line where you ordered your meal. The serving line was efficiently handled by the restaurant staff with patrons knowing what they wanted to order, a sure sign that their customer base is regulars.

Carl's BBQ Two Meat and Two Sides Plate

Carl’s BBQ Two Meat Plate (Brisket, Sausage, Potato Salad & Cole Slaw)

There were numerous meats and sides to choose. I ordered the sausage, brisket with sides of potato salad and cole slaw. I enjoy good smoked east Texas barbeque, but sometimes I think that the smoking can be overdone and in turn remind me for hours afterwards that I had eaten barbeque. Not at Carl’s BBQ. The meats were perfectly smoked, tender and the brisket was trimmed of excessive fat which made it that much more enjoyable. Overall, it was a great meal, the perfect portions and for this Delaware boy living in Katy, TX wishing that Carl’s BBQ was located closer my house. Granted, a 30 minute drive is really nothing in Houston, TX.

 

Aug 05

There was Mayo, then Mustard and now Marmite for the Sandwich

I prefer mayonnaise to miracle whip, deli spicy mustard to yellow mustard, but I do not think I will find a replacement to my newest addition to sandwich spreads and that is Marmite. Marmite on a sandwich is nothing new to our British cousins, but for most Americans, Marmite is relatively unknown, yet alone to be considered as a spread for a sandwich.

Marmite on a sandwich is nothing new, but for me, a lover of sandwiches and proud of the sandwiches that I construct, the simplicity and thinness of a Marmite sandwich surprised me. What was even more surprising is that the sandwich was vegetarian. Yes, that is right; I constructed a sandwich of bold tastes without the use of deli meat.

Marmite Sandwich Ingredients

Marmite Sandwich Ingredients

Until now, I have only enjoyed Marmite with toast and butter in the morning for breakfast. I was ready to venture out of this comfort zone, but did not know where to begin. Between Marmite’s official website and their unofficial Facebook page, there are scores of ideas for sandwiches. I chose caution over wild experimentation and contacted Stuart on his recommendations for a newbie such as myself.

Stuart suggested that I go simple and start with two possible combinations. The first was just Marmite, Cheddar Cheese and Bread and the second option was Marmite, Cheddar Cheese, Cucumber and Bread. Regardless of which sandwich I was to make, I was instructed to use strong sharp cheddar and go for quality loaf of bread with a nice crust and texture versus the standard sliced bread from the grocery store. For both sandwiches I toasted the whole wheat artisan bread, sliced my cheddar cheese and cucumbers. I enjoy the flavor of Marmite, so I was not shy in the amount I spread on the toast.

Marmite & Cheddar Cheese Sandwich

Marmite & Cheddar Cheese with Toasted Artisan Whole Wheat Bread

Both sandwiches were simply amazing. There is a complexity of flavor that the Marmite brings to the sandwich that slows one down while chewing. Between the chewiness of the bread, the density of the cheese and the savory flavor of the Marmite, you want to enjoy each bite. Adding the sliced cucumber to the sandwich provides an additional level of complexity, with additional crunchiness and a cool contrast to the savory flavor of the Marmite.

Sandwich made with marmite, Cheddar Cheese and Cucumber

Marmite, Cheddar Cheese & Cucumber Sandwich on Toasted Whole Wheat Artisan Bread

As Americans we are proud of the sandwiches that we eat. Whether it is a PB&J on sliced white bread of our youth, a foot long Italian hoagie from the local deli or a monster of a sandwich piled high with meats, cheese and condiments that has been aired on the Food Channel. However, there is something to be said for a simple thin sandwich made with Marmite that has me wondering of the possible combinations that can be enjoyed with this new addition to my spreads used for sandwiches.

 

Aug 04

Cullen Skink – A fishy tale of Smoked Haddock Chowder

As used on UK Celebrity Masterchef 2014. Last night (10/7/14) Millie Mackintosh was given a basic recipe and our photo to make Cullen Skink. Unfortunately she made a stew and not a thick hearty soup.

Even though I know what ‘Cullen Skink’ is, this is one of the harder posts I’ve written. I grew up only a few miles away from Cullen, a small fishing village on the North East Coast of Scotland, where this fish soup is supposed to hail from. I’ve eaten it all my life, I know what it should taste like, and how to make it, but I’ve struggled to find definitive answers to its history. So unusually for me I’ll share my recipe first and write the history afterwards.

Cullen Skink

Cullen Skink

Cullen Skink Recipe

I prefer to keep the potatoes and the fish in my version of Cullen Skink chunky rather than mashed. This is a very rich and filling soup, with a wonderful smell and taste.
Total time: 50 mins
Ingredients

  • 2lbs of smoked haddock (I used homemade smoked tilapia, since I can’t get smoked haddock in Houston)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 pint (473ml) of full fat milk
  • 0.75 pints (354ml) of single cream (half and half)
  • 1lb (450g) of potatoes, cut into small cubes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • A handful of parsley, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method
Place the fish in a pan, add the bay leaf and cover with milk. The milk should just cover the fish, if not, add a little more. Gently poach the fish for about 10 mins.

Poaching the smoked fish in milk

Poaching the smoked fish in milk

Gently remove the fish and place to the side.Strain the cooking liquor and place to the side.

Poached smoked fish

Poached smoked fish

In another pan, melt the butter and sauté the onions.

Sauteing the onions in butter

Sautéing the onions in butter

Add the potatoes and return the cooking liquor back to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 10 mins, until the potatoes are just soft.

Cooking the potatoes in the fish cooking liquor

Cooking the potatoes in the fish cooking liquor

Add the cream, the fish and the parsley to the pan. Gently heat the soup for a couple of minutes, being careful not to break up the fish and the potatoes too much. Taste for seasoning and add if required.

Cullen Skink ready for serving

Cullen Skink ready for serving

You can serve the soup straight away, but leaving it for a day, really improves the flavour.

It’s funny how ‘spooky’ some coincidences are. I made this soup a few Sundays ago, and on the Monday while I was doing the research of where the name came from I found that on the same day I made it, the Inaugural Cullen Skink World Championship took place in Cullen, Scotland. I’m sure I would have won it, I say so modestly, but there was a slight problem of me being 4500 miles away.

What is Cullen Skink? Well simply, it is a creamy soup made from smoked haddock and potatoes. The difficult part is how the name came about. Given that the main ingredient of Cullen Skink, Finnan haddie (a haddock that is smoked using green wood and peat) is found all along the North East coast of Scotland it seems likely that this soup was probably being cooked long before it was called Cullen Skink. I have yet to find a definitive answer on this.

The second part of the name, Skink, is another tricky thing to pin down. There are two popular theories on the name, but neither sound quite right. In old Scots, the word ‘skink’ means shin and would have come from the Middle Dutch word ‘schenke’ which also in turns gives us the English word ‘shank. Though people use beef shin bones for making soup, it doesn’t really explain how this relates to a fish soup. There is also a theory that the word comes from the Middle High German word for weak beer, liquor or essence.

I’m also suggesting that Cullen Skink may have been an influence for New England chowders. Given that the two soups are remarkably similar in regards to ingredients and that Finnan haddies are popular in the North East of the USA, it is possible that the soup travelled across the Atlantic. Some people have suggested it is French in origin and came from the word ‘chaudière’ meaning cooking pot, but there is no agreed answer to where and when New England chowders came from. The first reference to chowder was in a diary entry by Benjamin Lynde in 1732, but there is nothing before then.

Does anyone have more information on the real origins of Cullen Skink and Chowder?

 

Aug 03

Linguine con gamberetti e rucola – Linguine with prawns and arugula

This is one of my last minute dinners if I haven’t planned anything else. I always have pretty much all the ingredients in the fridge, freezer and cupboards so it can be prepared and ready to eat in less than 15 minutes. I first saw this dish in Jamie Oliver’s book from when he travelled around Italy. This particular dish was from Palermo in Sicily, but I have tweaked it a little bit for more of an oomph! I changed the spagetthi to linguine as I prefer it and replaced the lemon for lime. To save time shopping, I use frozen raw prawns for this dish as I always have them in the freezer and they can be defrosted in minutes.

Linguine con gamberetti e rucola

Ingredients

  • 0.5lb (225g) dried linguine
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 dried red chilli, crumbled
  • 12oz (340g) of large raw prawns, peeled
  • 2 handfuls of arugula (rocket), roughly chopped
  • 5 fl oz (150ml) of dry white wine
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes blitzed in a blender
  • the zest and juice of 1 lime
  • olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring 5 pints (3 litres) of water with 0.5tsp of salt to a rolling boil. Hold the linguine in a bundle and drop it in the pan so that it fans out. Return to a boil and cook until just al-dente, roughly 10 minutes.

Cooking the Linguine

Cooking the Linguine

While the pasta is cooking, add 3tbsp of olive oil to a skillet. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for about a minute. Add the tomato paste and mix to combine. Next add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half.

Cooking the pasta sauce

Cooking the pasta sauce

Add the prawns and cook them for about a minute.

Cooking the prawns

Cooking the prawns

Just before the prawns are cooked add the arugula (rocket) and mix in. Add the lime juice and taste for seasoning. Drain the pasta and combine it with the sauce. To serve sprinkle on some lime zest and a little more arugula to each serving.

Linguine con gamberetti e rucola - Linguine with prawns and rocket

Linguine con gamberetti e rucola – Linguine with prawns and rocket

Aug 02

Good Mood Food: Arby’s Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Market Fresh Sandwich

Over a decade ago Arby’s fast food restaurant expanded their menu to include selections other than the roast beef sandwich of dubious origin and process. This selection of fresh, made to order offerings are collectively known as the Market Fresh Sandwiches. Over the years there has been a few new sandwiches offered, with some being failures, others being promoted seasonally and then some sandwiches such as the Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon in my opinion that have been a success.

Arby's Market Fresh Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich

Arby’s Market Fresh Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich

There are times when I am on the road for work and there is neither a selection of restaurants in which to choose, I am burnt out on cheeseburgers or there is just not enough time. It is in this scenario that I look for an Arby’s. Not only do I know that I can order a sandwich that is made fresh, does not claim to be anything else but a simple sandwich (Subway…Pay Attention) and in the case of the Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon, I have first-hand knowledge on how the turkey breast is made into the deli meat. Simply said, the steps that are used to transform the turkey breast into the deli meat are simple, with minimal handling and the process keeps the turkey breast intact. Of all the possible meat selections in a fast food restaurant, there are few other selections that are better processed.

Personally I think that the honey wheat bread that Arby’s use for their Market Fresh Sandwiches is too thick and too sweet, but I understand that they are trying to cheaply satisfy my hunger. No different than gorging on free tortilla chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. Aside from the bread, the rest of the sandwich is as about a good as it gets for a fresh made sandwich in a fast food restaurant. The portion of shaved turkey breast is generous and combined with the bacon, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, lettuce and red onion makes for a flavorful alternative to most options available in a fast food restaurant.

I will admit, if I did not travel continuously, I would probably never eat at a fast food restaurant. However, I do travel for work and there are times when there are few options available. I have tried many of the Market Fresh Sandwiches from Arby’s and most of them fall well short of the intended result, but the Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich is consistently good.

Arby's Good Mood Food Take Out Bag

Arby’s Good Mood Food Take Out Bag