Biscochitos

5-6 C Flour
1 Tbsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 lb Lard
1 C Sugar
3 Eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp Anise, ground
1/2 C Orange juice
2 Tbsp Whiskey

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.

Whip lard in mixer for about 5 minutes on high.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Add dry ingredients in 3 additions.

Add ground anise, juice and whiskey. Add flour if its tacky.

Roll out to 1/4" or less. Cut, handling as little as possible.

Bake at 425ºF til very lightly brown - don't over bake! For me that's 7 minutes.

As soon as they come out of the oven, while still hot sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. I find it better to dredge the cookies in a large bowl of cinnamon sugar.

*Not traditional, but I added some orange zest.

Southwest Burger

Cuz people always ask me for this recipe; Our vegetarian Southwest Burger

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Onion, small, diced

2 Garlic, cloves

1 Jalepeno

1/2 Red bell pepper, chopped

1 Ear corn, fresh, kernels removed

12 oz Black beans (we use our day old from the burritos which are from dry beans, but canned should work fine)

1 Tbsp Cilantro

1/2 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Cumin powder

Salt to taste

1/2 C Bread crumbs (we use panko)

Heat skillet with oil, sauté onion til translucent; add garlic and jalepeno, red bell and corn. Sauté 5 min. Add beans into center and mash with the back of a spoon. Add cilantro through salt and cook about 5 more minutes til any remaining moisture is gone. Add the bread crumbs a little bit at a time smooshing in with the spoon. Add just enough til the crumbs won't absorb anymore - if you add too much the patties won't hold when you try to form them. Chill mix for 1 hour.

Form patties, toss if flour, dredge in egg wash, toss in panko. Chill for 1 hour. Fry at 350º. We have and sometimes do cook in a skillet, and it works okay but you have to watch very closely to make sure the center cooks. For a gluten free variation, replace flour with rice flour and the panko with chopped rice crackers.

*With acknowledgement to @Grumpys

Boxed Wines

Boxed wines that are really worth it - not just what Oprah says we should buy:

1. From the Tank

Best Food Writing 2014

A story written by Amy Gentry about me was selected for Best Food Writing 2014!  The story was called Seven Bald Men and a Kumquat Tree.  How fun is that!

The Curious Kumquat

Random Pics from San Francisco

Gluten Free Flatbread

This is the recipe for our gluten free/yeast free/egg free flat bread that we use for pizza and sandwich.

Oven to 450º
Place seasoned cast iron skillets in oven and pre-heat at least 30 minutes.  We use 8" round cast irons - two at a time to make a perfect personal pizza size.

1 C. each Millet and rice, soaked overnight
1 3/4 C. Water
3 T Oil
1 1/2 t Salt
1 T Sugar or honey
1 t Apple cider vinegar

Combine all in a blender and blend on high for 2 minutes.  Add herb (rosemary) if you want.

1/4 C Flax or other seed (sesame, amaranth, chia)

Add seeds to blender and blend another minute.

2 t Baking powder

Add baking powder and blend :30.  Immediately pour into hot pans and bake 15 minutes.

Korean Dishes

Recipe by request:

Korean Sauce

This sauce is the base for two of our more popular dishes.

¼ C (70 g) Korean pepper paste (Gochujang)

4 T (35 g) Sesame oil

4 T (44 g) Sugar

4 T (48 g) Water

4 T (35 g) Roasted sesame seeds

2 T (20 g) Yellow miso

6 t (30 g) Rice wine vinegar

4 Garlic cloves, peeled

Combine all of the ingredients in the blender and process til smooth.  The seeds may remain in the final sauce. Adjust to taste.

Korean braised elk shank

6 elk shank (Other shanks can be used if elk is not available)

2 C Korean sauce

Heat roasting pan on stove top while pre-heating oven to 325ºF.  Add a light coating of oil to the bottom of the pan and bring to just smoking.  Season the elk with salt and pepper.  Add the meats cut side down and sear until a nice dark brown crust forms.  Turn the meat and crust the other side.  Pour sauce over the browned meat, cover with foil, and bake in the oven for one hour.  After one hour has passed, lower the oven to 225ºF and continue baking for at least 3 hours or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.  Add sauce as necessary and salt to taste.  Serve with roasted potatoes.

Korean Cauliflower Salad

2 Cauliflower heads

2 C Korean sauce

Heat oven to 375ºF.  Coat heavy duty baking sheet with cooking oil.  Cut the cauliflower in ½” slices trying your best to keep the slices intact although they will inevitably crumble.  Lay the slices single depth across the pan.  Coat with more oil – be generous not healthy!  Bake for 20 minutes.  Turn the cauliflower over (this is why we try to keep it in big pieces) and bake an additional 20 minutes.  Turn one more time and continue cooking until the cauliflower becomes dark brown.  Near the end, brush the Korean sauce generously over the cauliflower and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.  Lightly salt and serve.