Next Secret Ingredient on Chopped

Would you try haggis potato chips? Mackie's hopes so (I think I've found my next prize giveaway...).

Spicy Edamame

The Culinary Godmother sent me this recipe from The Tasting Table. If you've been in a Japanese restaurant for sushi, more than likely you've started off your meal with an appetizer of warm, salted edamame. These little soy bean pods are just as addictive as pistachios or sunflower seeds. This recipe punches up the flavor with seven different spices.

I passed on adding the Sansho powder since I've never heard of it before and had too much yard work to do to go on a single ingredient hunt in the suburbs of Kansas. I also went with the milder Ancho chili powder because....say it with me...I'm a wimp.

Not too wimpy to plow through a bowl of these. This legume is a great source of protein, easily stored in the freezer and just takes a quick blanching and they are ready to eat. So if you like spicy, healthy snacks, be sure to give this recipe a try.

Bone Marrow Dumplings

What was the Mystery Ingredient? Bone marrow. Bone marrow pressed through a sieve to make bone marrow dumplings.

It was a search for a non-dairy version of dumplings for chicken and dumplings that led the Culinary Godmother to suggest bone marrow dumplings. You scrape the marrow from the bones and press it through a sieve to get rid any bone slivers and sinew material.

Then you beat the marrow until creamy and add eggs and seasonings. Now, there's some issues from the recipe from here. I used flour but the dumpling in the end did not cook all the way through so there's still some issues to work on this recipe.

That being said, dropping these wonderful dumplings in some homemade turkey stock I had stashed away in freezer turned into an amazing luscious bowl of happiness. The thing I love about chicken and dumplings is that stew-like gravy that happens when that dumpling sheds some of it's flour into the broth. It is the most amazing comfort food.

Thanks everyone for playing along, we'll have to give away that cookbook another day.

Mystery Item

Special prize if you can guess what this is and what I'm doing with it.

Give it your best guess by 9 PM Wednesday.

Halibut Two Ways

Trying to find the new normal in my life. As usual, cooking brings comfort even though there's one furry face missing while watching me cook. Life does go on. Even though it's now April, wanted to drop one more Mapril offering to those of you who are still suffering under March's harsh ending (hello Northeast, so sorry for you). Took that peppery Lime/Maple/White Pepper/Cilantro marinade that I used on the chicken wings and gave a lovely piece of halibut a quick bath.

Just broiled it. Immediately scarfed it down. While the wings blunted the pepper, the fish totally embraced the white pepper and let the kick shine through. Thank you Whole Foods for fresh, wild caught halibut. Not to mention a side of bacon stir-fried brussel sprouts.

A week later, Whole Foods is still bringing the halibut and don't you know Virginia Willis got into the act even while she was at the spa. While technically it's not a Southern Saturday, we'll pretend that it is.

Cornmeal-crusted Halibut? Oh yeah, good stuff. So if you've got a Whole Foods nearby or have access to some nice halibut, fill up. If you've got a third way to serve this lovely fish, tell me about it, I'd love to hear.

Still Done!

If you came here for snark about last night's episode of Top Chef All Stars, I'm sorry. I didn't watch. While I had planned to go the movies and eat greasy popcorn, I was just too tired. Instead I watched some of a repeat of Battle Oyster on Iron Chef America. I'm sure you can guess which chef they put up for that battle? Yes, Cat Cora and yes she won. Next was a little bit of Bobby Flay throwdown and battle lobster mac and cheese. But not even those two wonderful things together couldn't hold my interest. So I found comfort in the lovely acting abilities of Coté de Pablo who is a Chilean-American actress and recording artist playing a Israeli Mossad agent on the tv show NCIS.

Frankly...considering the two finalists....I made the better choice. You know why? Because I'm still....

Hiatus

Best Guy in my Life
Love you Jacob.

Mapril Day Six

Apparently March is pissed. Despite our best efforts to leap into the month of April and warm spring weather, March decided to remind us that she is one unpredictable month. While it wasn't much of a snow, Susan of 29 Black Street is getting some weather that's a little more aggressive, like....sideways snow (shiver). Still, we're not giving up.

Maple candy. Hard crack candy is very easy to make if you have the right tools, a candy thermometer being the most important and candy molds being the second. I just happened to have a mold I was going to use for small soaps.

Frankly they produce jaw-breaker sized candies but with the vast world of the internet you can certainly find some molds that produce more bite sized candies.

Mapril - Day Five

Susan of 29 Black Street gently reminded me that we bloggers of a certain age need to eat more heart healthy. Seeing that Day Three of Mapril didn't exactly fall into that category, I found a nice healthy breakfast alternative. Maple Yogurt Parfait.

Greek yogurt (in this case, non-fat) flavored with maple syrup, layered with granola, strawberries and blackberries. Remember the maple spiced nuts from Day Four? Cut them up and tossed them in with the granola. Enjoy!

Mapril - Day Four

Since it sounds like there will be much heavy drinking next Wednesday night, I figured I'd continue with the Bar Snacks theme. Today's Maple dish is Spicy Maple Nuts. Half a cup of pecans, walnuts and almonds each. Mix together with a tablespoon of maple syrup. Then add a 1/8 teaspoon of cumin, cayenne pepper and salt and mix well. Spread the nut mixture on a cookie sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes.

I think you get a bowl of these, a plate of the wings, a nice cold barley pop and you're set for whatever disgusting events might be happening on a certain Finale. As for that finale, I have just one word - NUTS.

Numbers

1) 67 vs. 60

2) 16 vs. 5

1) In the eight seasons of Top Chef there have been 67 male contestants vs. 60 female contestants.

2) In the eight seasons of Top Chef there have been 16 male chef finalists vs. 5 female finalists.

3) 6

4) 0

3) The number of restaurants in the Craft chain: Craft NY, Craft Dallas, Craft LA, Craftbar, Craft Steak Los Vegas, Craft Steak Fox Woods.

4) The number of female chefs as executive chefs at the 6 Craft chain restaurants: Craft NY - Damon Wise, Craft Dallas - Jeff Harris, Craft LA - Anthony Zappola, Craftbar - Lauren Hischberg, Craft Steak Los Vegas - Matt Seeber, Craft Steak Foxwoods - James Lynn.

Mapril - Day Three

Oh Maple, not even you could have made Top Chef better last night. Still I did a little kitchen whipping. Took some maple. Added some brown sugar.

Combined that with some lime, cilantro and a robust dose of white pepper and cooked it down in a sauce pan. Used that as a wing basting sauce.

Not a perfect recipe by far but certainly a good start. And it all starts with Maple syrup. Oh yeah.

Done

When faced with a chef who hates his food and one who hates women, there's just nothing left about the series Top Chef I feel passionate about blogging.