Tuesday, September 25, 2012

word/rock/sword, umami! & kundalini foods for healing/magic/bliss!!!


let's talk about dinner parties...

you know? like the one a week before your birthday when a long-lost friend surfaces out of the clear blue, & invites you over to to THROW DOWN on her real, state of the art grill/smoker b/c she knows you're a grill whore?  ok maybe not the greatest hypothetical set up, but there it is.

friends, a few words about grills:

don't buy a gas one.  please?  don't buy a gas one?  there is absolutely NO difference whatsoever between broiling in your oven, & throwing stuff on a GAS grill.

it sucks.

friends, the whole point of grilling is the smoke flavor.  it cannot be obtained in any other way.  you need to start a fire, let the coals/wood go white/red/glowing, then GRILL.   this is why @ a time in civilization when we, as a culinary culture need to be making info on the most fabulous smoking woods (hickory, apple, & mesquite among them),  more generally available, we are instead flipping a switch, & getting no flavor.

sub-par.

not only that, but these gas joints employ all types of technology, & are EXPENSIVE.  K???  & for WHAT?  it is the greatest scam of our time, & so symbolic of where we are as a culture:  expensive, meaningless style over substance.

i had been separated from one of my favorite pastimes for too long.

& since central park has outlawed grilling, & since apparently grilling on a fire escape is a fire hazard (philistines!), my grilling options were SEVERELY limited.  & when my grrrrrrl the epic/alpha/A  reached out, i had to put whatever lingering tensions there were from our last silly argument aside, & roll.  A is a grrrrrrl who is always, without question, the boss.  this can... chafe, if you call yourself a friend & not a staff member.  still, that  FLY-ASSED gas grill:  it haunted me.  finally, a week before my birthday, i woke up w/wisps of grill smoke haunting my barely remembered dreams & said fuck a beef.  what beef you ask?  oh you must be talking about the 10 yes, count them 10 juicy, freshly cut, grass fed porterhouses i got in my refrigerator, right? (stew leonard's, y'all - i travel far & wide for my madness & you should too - it is in white plains, but don't people be traveling for like, casinos???  ya.  so i dispatched my dad - who lives nearby to make it happen & stew's b/c - they are genius.  they have their own farms, & so can offer grass-fed beef @ a cut rate.)

ya.

i called epic A:  "i am in."
"yay!"  she trilled.  "& grrrrl, don't even brang nothin!  i got it all covered."

the porterhouses would wait till my next grill trip.

when i got there, she had a perfect grill feast waiting to be marinated...




she had:

scallops
salmon
shrimp
chicken
corn
peppers
zucchini &
yellow squash




she has a palate, & so there was an astute selection of flavorings, as well.  i like to go fairly subtle on some grill flavors, like the salmon, which i marinated in a simple
garlic,
soy
lemon juice &
sesame oil
joint for about an hour per pound, then prepped the rest.  the salmon ultimately got grilled for about 5  - 7
min on each side.

all the veg - except for the corn - got a brush w/fine olive oil, doused liberally w/sea salt & pepper, then was grilled till marked, & removed to a light drizzling of soy sauce & balsamic vin.

the shrimp got a  15 min soak in habanero hot sauce - cause she had some.  & it was dope! - (you can simply puree 3 habaneros & 6 TBSP apple cider vinegar & use this mixture)
salt, black pepper &
vinegar situation, & got grilled w/the shells on till pink.






in other news, she had in her possession, walkerswood jerk paste.  now the classic recipe for jerk has among the lead flavors:

thyme
allspice
habanero - this is a recipe that works quite well, actually:

5 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
* a beautiful secret addition, if you want to ratchet up the flavor a notch:  2 oz rum, & 2 oz angostura bitters...  they do something special to the meat...

blend all ingredients together.  mix w/about 3# chicken cut into serving pieces.  let it hang around for an hour or two.  then grill!!!

but then my grrrl already had the walkerswood, a magical paste that i have seen reduce mainland jamaicans to their knees.  so i was ecstatic.  an ecstatic virgo, nevertheless,  so tinkering was a must:  i added some soy sauce & doubled the garlic.  also, the orange juice became a 1/2 & 1/2 mix of lemon & orange juice, & we were on.

there's a deep love in the pit of my soul for pit grilling, lol.  there is something so ancient/free/primal about it.  people have been cooking this way since the discovery of fire.  & i just love that.


the next week, i was still in possession of the porterhouses.  & then it was Happy Birthday!  to me.  yes, yes happy birthday - i love to cook for friends on these days, or work, or both.  a friend once advised that whatever you are doing on new year's eve, you will most probably be doing for the rest of the year, & i tend to agree.  & for the new year's day of our lives - the day of birth, what could be better?


which is how i found myself on my birthday, in the seafood section of fairway, agonizing over scallops,
not even daring to lust over the live lobsters, those attention seeking bastards, swimming around in their tank...
when my homeboy F swooped in & joyfully called out a request for "6 whole live ones, my man..."  a shopper gazed up @ his beauty, speechless, as if to ask, "why so many?"  @ this invitation, he offered helpfully to the gathered seafood shoppers, "'tis the season.  & you better snap them up this year.  'cause it ain't gonna be this way next year - maine had some sort of crazy surplus...  mark my words."  "good to know"  she beamed.  we were all beaming. F is a portable party.  the all-stars were there:  F, the Siren, the Smartest Bitch I Know, et. al... & it was fabu.  sometime during the fine festivities, F was like, "what do you want to do w/the lobster?  i was thinking thermidor."  a quick google search revealed the recipe:

2 (1 1/2-lb) live lobsters
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 lb mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream, scalded
2 large egg yolks

the recipe i read instructed me to parboil the lobsters. but ever vigilant of the precious flavor lost to even the most minimal cooking of shellfish, we declined.  instead, we split all the lobsters raw.  then cleaned the innards & poured the custard over the lobster halves.

custard:

heat butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook mushrooms, stirring, until liquid that mushrooms give off is evaporated and they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. add lobster  claw meat, paprika, salt, and pepper and reduce heat to low. cook, shaking pan gently, 1 minute. add 1 tablespoon sherry and 1/2 cup hot cream and simmer 5 minutes.

 whisk together yolks and remaining tablespoon sherry in a small bowl. slowly pour remaining 1/2 cup hot cream into yolks, whisking constantly, and transfer to a small heavy saucepan. cook custard over very low heat, whisking constantly, until it is slightly thickened.  add custard to lobster mixture, stirring gently.

 preheat broiler.

 arrange lobster tails & shells, cut sides up, in a shallow baking pan and spoon lobster with some of sauce into shells. broil lobsters 6 inches from heat until golden brown, 10 - 15 minutes. serve remaining sauce on the side.

 * when salting water for cooking, use 1 tablespoon salt for every 4 quarts water.



we had tons of great stuff to play w/:  like filet mignon, again smeared w/garlic, copious black pepper, sliced shallots, & the ethiopian spice F still spurns me for:  request after request for the name of said spice still leaves me w/no eye contact... & no answers as to the name of said mysterious ethiopian spice.




friends.  how many of us have them?

oh well.   @ least i have sea scallops.   we did them w/a wild mushroom emulsion:





1 & 1/2 # sea scallops sprinkled w/sea salt,
lemon zest
black pepper
grated garlic

a melange of mushrooms, dried, worked well for my purposes.  they were in one packet, & the mix was black trumpets
chanterelles
hedgehogs
matsutake
morels 
porcini
shiitake
reishi - (chinese medicinal mushroom royalty - also good tasting w/great texture)
hydrate in water room temp then chop roughly.

to this i added fresh crimini &
fresh maitake
also chopped rough

get a saute pan going & saute the scallops on one side to a thick brown crust.  turn & sear on the other side for 2 min.  set aside.

then in the same pan saute
6 sliced shallots
6 cloves black garlic
6 cloves roast garlic

& caramelize over medium heat.  raise heat & add the shrooms.  saute till the shrooms give up their liquid & begin to glaze.  pull from the heat. add fish sauce, reduced balsamic vinegar, 2 TBSP, & a few squirts of lemon juice to a blender.  then the shrooms.   pulverize. add olive oil while the blender is running, until the mixture becomes creamy.  stop blending immediately, & pour onto a platter.  arrange the seared scallops, crust up artfully.



what a spread!!!  happy birthday to me.  do i feel old, you ask?  since i am methusula, i will say this:  i have a sneaking suspicion that old  =  strong/sexy/wise.  in which case, yes, i am old.  oh!  & old is rich:



you already have the balsamic vinaigrette recipe that i used for the green salad, just search this blog for balsamic vinaigrette.  & add it to 3x washed greens, in this case romaine, & add walnuts, pomegranate seeds & goat cheese to this, & you have the salad to the left.

the corn was simply boiled & buttered - my favorite!

after this i did a third, yes you heard me, #3! dinner party & repeated the greatest hits of the previous party w/the addition of clams, & a bruschetta for my vegan friend:

broil slices of a nice whole grain bread to desired done-ness. drizzle w/olive oil.
then make a walnut pesto w/1 whole bunch of clean basil
2 hands full walnuts
6 cloves garlic

& some creminis sliced in quarters, & sautee in olive oil till brown @ the edges & seasoned w/sea salt & black pepper.

smear the grilled bread w/the pesto.  randomly smear some st. andre on top of this & add the mushrooms.

voila:



enter word rock sword,



& a chance to sample my concepts w/a clan that i love:  the artist/womanyst/creatrix group that makes up a festival of freedom fighting luminaries who gather once a year to bring awareness to the fact of being a woman... anywhere.  this year it was yet another feminist bonanza:  a series of events:  spoken word, short films, outreach to woman prisoners, a concert, & the closing ceremony, to name a few.  as caterer for the closing ceremony, i knew that i would have a grouping of people who don't hold back on the truth w/stellar/well-cared-for/well-traveled taste buds to test my evolving food philosophy on.     word rock sword, a return engagement (see september 2011 for the recipes from last year) that always leaves my soul healed/refreshed/ready to party.  a gathering of some of the most talented/glamorous/hot-to-def ladies get together to wax poetic, dance, do yoga, & sang, do you hear me?  all in the name of supporting women's worldwide rights.  this year a gathering/awareness/city-wide ritual circle like this is IMPERATIVE.  b/c the rethugs are trying to slap women back to the 17th century - & let's not even delve into what they are trying to visit upon black folks. (it has occurred to me more than once that the right wing's tea party is tantamount to haiti's ton-ton macoute:  government terrorizing its own citizens by dressing up as ghosts - i hope y'all are voting...)  it is always heartening to commune w/my sis's who give a fuck what is going to happen to the country & are not afraid to take to the streets/yoga studio/stage to announce it.  & the sight of nashira reaching out to touch her incandescent aunties as they alighted to the stage to set our hearts on fire was priceless.  she & i scored a seat, stage-side, B/C SHE DEMANDED IT, & were right under the nose of the legend the lovely Miss Nona Hendrix as she belted out her ode to Rush Limbaugh & his porky politics. i swear i saw the Siren, S, LJP, TR, & LW levitate.  i swear!

nashira's eyes were like saucers.

& then, the closing ceremony...  which i was catering.



nervous much? - oh always.  especially since, for the first time, my goofiness was caught on film/video by my grrrrrrrl/circle sister E/S, of whom i have always said, "this bitch waves a magic wand in jersey, & there is a tidal wave in Bali" who, among 1 million other skills is the capturer of the most ritual/powerful/beautiful images on film?

this time, the epic musician whose name is power called me, & i was ready.  b/c over the last few months, 2 things have obsessed me: kundalini foods, & the concept of umami:

umami is the japanese word for 'delicious'.

japanese food is, by definition, seafood based, so the prevalent taste of seaweed is a non-issue.  indian food is highly spiced, & it is easier to break down its components & scatter them around a bunch of different dishes, but the healing essence is also less localized than w/japan.

w/regard to kundalini foods, it is my opinion that kundalini demands sexiness/deliciousity/vibrance from its food. it should be food that connects the DNA strand of magickal energy that emanates from us as life force. it should strengthen our organs, soothe our souls, nourish us past the point of any illness or di-ease to wellness, & it should encourage us to use this every day healing w/pure abandon. as far as i am concerned, the japanese & the east indians have mastered this in a way that i can only hope to touch in this life time. the japanese have infused healing seaweed into everything they do. it is the backbone of the cuisine. & it is detoxifying/healing/soothing. east indians have been, for centuries, practicing a special form of alchemy which connects their, what? 3,000 year old system of ayurvedic medicine to their perfume-y sumptuous vittles.

how could i, i wondered, combine the 2 concepts into a series of menus that would work for the local palate?

so my first steps, & you are taking them w/me, were to integrate the seaweed w/taste compatible ingredients.  hence the concepts, & menus...


the main idea:


1  Shakti is the primordial creative force of the Universe that lives as The Goddess, Kundalini Shakti. Shakti Ultimately desires to be united with Her Divine Cosmic Lover, Shiva, who resides at the top of the brain in the crown chakra.

2  The Great Serpent Power, Kundalini, lies coiled, three and 1 half times around our tail bones and can be aroused spontaneously by different means. This is known as a Kundalini Awakening

3  The Microcosmic Orbit is a main energetic circuit that nourishes all the channels and meridians in the body.

4  The Functional Channel starts at the tailbone and moves up past the genitals, stomach, heart, and throat-and ends at the tip of the tongue. 

5  The Governor channel also starts at the tailbone but moves up through the spine into the brain and terminates at the roof of the mouth.

6  The tongue is like a switch that connects the two streams of energy.

i did a kind of demo/presentation/tasting that centered around the concept that

1 - your tongue is a magical tool.

2 - food = magical ingredients. &

3 - when eating for kundalini/manifestation, visualize the area of your body/life that you are stimulating & imagine/visualize the food literally feeding that chakra.


menu:

1st chakra,  mooldhara:  root place red/black: survival/elimination -   spicy beet salad w/roast garlic, matsutake mushrooms e.o. bk pepper, & balsamic vin - trying to make the rent? see yourself as successful, as safe/taken care of/secure, & while you are eating your beet salad, also visualize your root chakra as the lovely, juicy, clear red of the beets.  taste the earthiness of the beets, & feel yourself rooted to the soil, cared for/nourished ENRICHED by the soil. 

this is kundalini food magic.

Roast Beet Salad w/Black garlic, Walnuts, & Goat Cheese for 10 - 15 people




roast 6 beets @ about 450 for 45 - min to an hour for medium sizes & allow to cool. skins should slip right off.  then cut them into 1 inch cubes.  add pink himalyan sea salt, copious black pepper, & if desired, 1 drop only - essential oil (e.o.) of black pepper. sautee in
1 TBSP grapeseed oil 
w/roast garlic, 6 cloves chopped roughly,
3 cloves black garlic: 



also chopped roughly, on high heat till the garlic becomes extremely fragrant, but not burnt.
when the beets have given up all their liquid & begun to caramelize, remove from heat & set aside while you dress the greens:

to clean, dry, hand-torn greens, singly or a mixture of red leaf, green leaf, & butter lettuce, add olive or grapeseed oil* to coat. then add the plum/balsamic vinaigrette:

6 cloves garlic
2 anchovies
10 drops fish sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
6 TBSP umi (plum) vinegar
6 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP lime juice
1 drop black pepper essential oil
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
2 TBSP e. v. olive oil

whir in a blender/food processor everything except for the oils.  in drops, then a mid stream, add the oils one right after the other.  this will render everything creamy, as it emulsifies.  add sea salt to taste - & taste;  you may not need it!

add to the vinaigrette to your discretion.  then toss in

1 - 2 cups shelled walnuts
the cubed beets

& mix.

garnish each plate w/1 tsp.  fresh goat cheese, which looks stunning against the beets, i feel:

grapeseed oil has tons of vitamin e, & has an extremely high smoke point, so for regular saute & even for deep frying, below 400 degrees, there is no chance of rancidity.  it is chock full of healthy, unsaturated fats, a fine balance of omega 3's & 6's & powerful antioxidants.


2nd chakra,  swadisthana: place of one's abode 2nd chakra reproductive - orange

this recipe addresses the 2nd & 3rd chakras: miso is orange, w/yellow properties, re:  the probiotics in miso!!!  miso not only has tons of umami, but also precious probiotics, just like the ones in yogurt that make the system alkaline, restore the natural flora of the intestine, & keep illness far away!
grapefruit yellow, miso is orange...

Miso Perfumed Salmon w/Sake & Butter

2# salmon steaks
4 TBPS miso paste
1/2 cup sake
2 TBSP soy sauce
grapefruit juice
lemon juice
2 TBSP butter, pref. grass fed

marinate salmon in the miso mixture for 1 hour.  sear in melted butter, & set aside. serve w/

superfood caesar salad:

6 anchovies
2 tsp capers
2 TBSP lem j
1 TBSP worchestishire
1 TBSP sriracha
1 TBSP mustard
3 TBSP soy sauce
6 - 8 oz olive oil
1 TBSP blue green algae

add all to a blender.  dress clean dry greens w/this mixture.

heal/enjoy!

3rd chakra,  manipura:  city of sparkling jewels digestion/analysis - in feng shui, this is the taichi -  sacral chakra, yellow:  adrenals/power/ego  spiced yellow dal w/shallots miso, yll. onions, yll. peppers, yll. toms

4th chakra,  anahata: unstuck/heart - creative expression/emotion/love:  watermelon/cucumber salad
or green salad w/balsamic/ume (plum) vinaigrette

5th chakra,  vishudh:  throat/thyroid - purification/communication:

Kombu Wrapped Bluefish w/Sake Glaze

3 # bluefish, fileted & scaled
sake
soy sauce
lime juice
1/2 package kombu soaked briefly in water to cover.  when soft, wrap the fish in the kombu.  let marinate for an hour.



oil a screaming hot pan.  lay the fish skin side down & allow to sear to a crust.  the flesh side facing you will begin to look a bit opaque.   when the skin has browned, flip to the skin side up. another 5 - 10 min, & it is done.

if you want, you can then deglaze the pan w/some of the kombu water, & a touch of sake.  reduce this a bit, then add 2 TBSP butter.  OMG.

just a note - for a non party situation, i would saute some garlic,then spinach in hot oil, then serve the bluefish on top of this.  yes.

6th chakra,  ajna:  pineal/pituitatry gland/nervous system:  command - lavender/lemon tea bread lavender is calming

this one is gluten free - i have all the ingredients for it. when i make it, i shall post pics:

preheat oven to 350

2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 C almond milk
2 cups almond flour
2 tsp lemon zest
2 eggs
4 oz. virgin coconut oil
1 cup honey/maple syrup/brown rice syrup/anything but AGAVE which is cactus' answer to high-fructose corn syrup
4 Tbp yogurt - can be soy/coconut/cashew/dairy yogurt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp cornstarch
optional: 2 - 3 drops e.o. lavender, lemon

cream together the honey & coconut oil.
lightly whisk the eggs & add to the mix.
mix the baking soda into the yogurt then alternately mix 1st amond flour, then yogurt into the honey/eggs/oil.

bake @ 350 till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 - 45 min
smoothness. ♥

ps the frosting: dissolve the cornstarch into 1/2 tsp water, mix w/the 1/2 cup honey, & @ this point add the lavender flowers & if you wish, the lemon &/or the lavender e.o...
smooches

7th chakra,  sahasrara:  third eye/base of brain: - clarity

Seared Scallops w/Wild Mushrooms




^^^ see birthday recipe above!^^^



i know artists.  & for the most part, success as an artist has everything to do w/balancing the natural stressors of life while keeping a clear creative channel.  so a spread that energetically focuses on stability/sensuality/prosperity was a must.  all the chakras are presently represented by the menu, w/a concentration on the 1st (red/black/survival), 2nd (orange/will/power), 3rd (yellow/digestive analysis), 4th (green/pink/creativity/love) & 5th (blue/expression).


& it must be said here:  of course, as usual, nashira was the belle of the ball.  & the laughter/sisterhood/beauty that evening!  took on an otherworldly quality.  was it the chakra twiddling?  the level of sorcery/magic/genius in the room?  or what???

no way to know for sure, & nothing to say now but:


jai ma!!!

peace/love/thank you for reading!

chef/healer stefanie kelly

Monday, July 9, 2012

thisters!!! goddess, interrupted...the vineyard




whew!!!  what a couple of weekends.  for the first one, i had plans.  yet i was broke - or as H (my manny, more about that later...) likes to put it, temporarily out of cash.  luckily, eyes were wide open going into the weekend, so a biatch knew to economize.  the thought was to clean my way through my broke weekend. i had some allies on my quest for wind/water perfection:  google, of course.... for weeks/months/years i had been lusting over recipes for homemade laundry detergent.  (don't you hate it when, already cash-poor, you go to the store to get stuff to wash your clothes w/& EVERYTHING is $20? for a combined total of $75 - for some damn laundry?   (& i would consistently think to myself, 'it's just not sposed to be like this.  really. it's... not.'  whatever happened to 'wash your ass!!!  water is free & soap is cheap!'?... gone... the way of the bison... which is really so delicious - k!  i'm rambling.)

thank goddess my grrrrl the lovely & aforementioned SHM/mamasutra needed help w/childcare overnight; a visitor is good to keep nashira occupied, especially her BFF, W.nashira was thrilled. & b/c of it, this weekend, while W's mom, mamasutra taught me the true myth of medusa (the so-called ugliness is a contortion of features resulting from profound embarrassment & an inability to complete the molting process from which a goddess is created;  leading to - & leaving us with - a goddess yet unevolved; frozen in time; interrupted), nashira & her best friend W taught me about friendship.

the cutest tings ever!!! (yes... sigh, i mean to leave the 'h' out of tings...)

best outtakes:
first, upon meeting nashira, (years ago, when she was a little grrrrl, as nashira puts it @ the ripe old age of 4) W stared dead in her eyes & was like, "you look like my thister!"  & let me break it down real quick like:  that was when she stole my soul, right along w/nashira's. among the magical tings about W:

W asks for water... (& i just love that about her.  no dairy, NO sugar, no nothing; such a healer.  W, unlike my daughter the baby-rexic, LOVES.  FOOD.)

they tend to exchange wild-eyed looks over the theme song to such goodies as  Angelina The (rat - why are they all rats & pigs??? from minnie mouse to olivia - i just... don't get it.) Ballerina.

they compose arcane songs like:  "somebody is looking @ my yoni", "somebody is looking @ my lingam", & nashira's favorite: "somebody is looking @ my poo-poo".  yes, yes yes & more yes.  (i KNEW  i'd watched far too many Chappelle Show reruns when i was pregnant.)
& of course last, but, never least, sigh, who could ever forget the epic, "you have a yoni like me!"

the abuses were relentless, joyful & hilar.

 @ some point while i was running a bath for them, i was blindsided by the two of them barreling toward me in a frenzy of giggly profanity:
nashira & W:  "nipple nipple nipple!!!" (screeches, the two of them convinced that they are shocking me to pieces.)
me:  "yeah yeah yeah nipple nipple... lemme get y'all's crackers... y'all want cheese too, or is this dry?"
nashira & W:  "somebody's looking @ it though!!!"  laughter in peals. 
me:  "that person is... me... are y'all bathing, or what???"

heh-heh.

negrettes please!!!  when i was nashira's age, my mother - the pistol - furnished me w/an anatomically correct pop-up book about Where Babies Come From;  so don't try to phase me ladies.  i can't be phased.

W is a self proclaimed stylist (yasssss hunty, she is 4 not 40) & dresses nashira in fabulous, feather/sequin/spike festooned fantasies.  nashira would give W the bedazzled tutu off her back.  
"aw!!!" they (ritually) exclaim @ each other, "you look so cute!!!"

i can't.

a word about W's mom, SHM:   yogini/rootswoman/midwife???  she is  oya's daughter, a fierce air element (& PLEASE.  please?  believe that air cuts.  in the tarot deck, air is represented by SWORDS.) fairie/warrior, & i have always loved/been awed by her, (in fact, you know the color of perfectly cooked cornbread?  that perfect honey/gold/brown?  holding her (((absolutely GORGEOUS.))) son in my arms when he was an infant, it came to me that his spiritual name was 'Cornbread-Earl-&-Me'... his mom rarely comments when i affirm this to her... hm.) & our meetings have always been epic.  right now, she is putting my green/kitchen/witchery to shame, do you hear me?  in her L.E.S. palace, the shelves of her lovely earthy kitchen are lined w/healing herbs.  she teaches kundalini in her living room.   & both Cornbread-Earl-&-Me & W kiss nashira  on both sides of her cheeks, when we visit.  i could go on, but then this post would really end up just being a love letter to my sis & her cubs... & i don't even know if she is aware of my poetic waxings - she's as busy as me!  point being: it was a must that, broke or not, the red carpet be rolled out for W's weekend stay:




Tuna Casserole:

preheat oven to 375
1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
1/2 cup diced vidallia onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced cremini mushrooms (rich, brown, baby portabella - once you have gone cremini, there is no other)

*saute the divine trio w/the butter, then set aside*

*1/2 # butter, melted, to which 4 oz flour have been added.  cook till lightly toasted, & add
2 cups milk - this is a simple bechamel.*

Freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) cans tuna packed in water, undrained or *1 pound of fresh tuna, cut into chunks, marianted in lemon/garlic then seared to opaque*
1cup buttered bread crumbs

*1 lb.fusilli, cooked al dente*

2 cups grated white cheddar
2 eggs, whisked

add to your cooked noodles, all other ingredients save 1/4 the cheese &the breadcrumbs
once the total mixture is loaded into a grease baking dish, sprinkle the reserved cheese & breadcrumbs on top, & bake for 45 min to 1 hr - till bubbly around sides/toasty on top

...while all of this was going on, i was rockin out on the laundry!  after studying a few recipes & combining them, this seemed to be the one that drew from the best of all parts:

laundry detergent:


8 oz. soap, octagon, castille, ivory for children's clothes...  grated
1 box washing soda
1/2 box borax

combine all well.  scoop out 2 cups of the mixture (there should be close to 64 oz.  altogether)
add a gallon of water to this in a pot used only for this purpose
heat to simmering, then stir, & let cool for 24 hours.
the mixture should become a gel.  <--- so, so cool...

use 1- 2 cups per load.

homemade oxyclean, anyone?

equal parts peroxide & washing soda (arm & hammer) - you've probably passed this by a million times in the supermarket, & not known what it was for.  it is what baking soda dreams it is @ night -  a super powerful natural salt that cleans/disinfects.  yes.
pre-soak laundry for 30 - 60 min, then run it -

^^^as per the above household hint:^^^

i am not even claiming to be a domestic goddess w/that one.  i wants revenge:  once, recently,  on my second $20-something jug of scandalously ineffective tide, i noticed that the ring around the collar remained.  i don't think so.  not like, $60 in - we are all too broke for this crap.  so i finally indulged my homemade detergent fantasies:  the shit is non toxic, ACTUALLY WORKS,  unlike damn near everything else, & is 2 cents a motherfucking load.

& that's my 2 cents... lmbao.




the next weekend, & next chapter in the thister's book of enduring childhood memories, was a lot less broke;  & thank goddess, b/c one of my oldest friends, the most kindhearted, sumptuously beautiful grrrrrrrl, SR, (whose name means - yes - *good friend*, & which means that in my mind, she will forever be called 'my good friend, Good Friend') had a birthday party in the vineyard.  i thought this was a priceless adventure for me & the grrrrls.  visiting my good friend Good Friend, sun, sand, toddlers, spells awesome.   so the 3 of us set out:  & BTW it is 3 buses, a train, & a ferry to MV.  & yes!  i was economizing, & did not drive;  (must take the effing road test this year.  no excuse.)  i knew what kind of adventure i was getting us into.  was it worth it, you ask?  worth the hour long delays @ every juncture, worth the mocking manhattan mini storage ads throbbing from within my skull - "bad things happen when you leave the city" - was it, you ask, worth the Dolores Claiborne flash backs?

the answer: a resounding YES.

mac diva initial D, the writer/director was the first person to expose me to the fabulous teensy idyllic paradise.  since she herself reminds me of yemaya, i thought that the island's charms could only be extended in her presence.  she was the first person to school me on the fact that we should all get out of the city periodically.  not just the little mermaids.  we need the salty ocean & sand to heal us.  not only that, but apparently the underground railroad runs all throughout the north east w/key stops in brooklyn heights/fort greene, sag harbor, rhode island (as a cab driver in newport once sagely informed me:  "you haven't yet noticed all the street town names: freeman's drive, freeport, liberty way, but you will.  i did.) & finally, martha's vineyard.  it is believed that slaves' ancestral bones are among the priceless riches @ the bottom of the sea.  it is also said that while lovely orisha yemaya, star of the sea, owns the top (turquoise/silver/translucent) upper half of the sea, that her consort/twin olokun owns the bottom half.  the tsunami half.  the blackest, coldest half, filled w/the bones of those who did not complete the crossing.  whenever i am in that region, it is as if the deities & the ancients have woven forces in a protective/magical/purifying DNA stand of flyness.  i feel their closeness in the healing, saline mist that films my eager face on arrival.  i see their ascendant influence on the preternaturally joyful little mermaids.  i taste their influence in my food.  it is so much more full bodied/vibrant/straight yummy on the island.  orisha yemaya, w/her transformative influence on/ownership of children, fertility, birth, the home, womb, & friendships/sisterhood btwn women is in all her glory on the island, &  in fact the island imagery is almost comically indicative of her pervasive presence as the symbols of the anchor, fishnet, seaweed, & mermaid are all her property. all hail to orisha yeye-omo-eja (mother-of all-fishes)!!! she  remains all powerful, fully realized, gloriously un-interrupted...





on this outing we only had time, since we were only doing the weekend, to do some

nothing in particular reunion chicken

& a brunch that included sublime - do you hear me? SUBLIME honor system sage sausage... omg - from the store near aquinnah, of course!  that doesn't charge any set price, really, for grassfed milk, cage-free eggs, or the aforementioned SUBLIME sage sausage... the tiny seaside store has no employees, & is run in such a way that you take what you need/contribute what you can.

the quality? speechless.

here's the chicken, & the homefries that we had for brunch:



nothing in particular reunion chicken:

preheat oven to 425

2 3 - 4 # fryers cut up & marinated in a mixture  of whatever seasoning salts you have in your possession, (just discovered a new one: camp - from new england; love...)
1 TBSP lemon zest 

sriracha
fresh cracked pepper to mist the entire bird
8 cloves garlic pulverized, or grated on a cheese grater
soy sauce
set aside to marinate for 1 - 2 hours, particularly if the bird is cut into serving pieces
pull from marinade & sear in a black pan till nicely caramelized;
remove to the oven
while baking,
add 
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock (from a previous post), *pictured below*

simmer till  particles have lifted from pan, till reduced to a near syrup then add
1 stick of butter cut into 1-inch pieces, stirring until each piece dissolves into the sauce.  when all the pieces are dissolved, remove from heat.  when chicken pieces are completely cooked, & juices run clear, pour the lemon butter garlic sauce over all & serve. 



homefries:

8 lovely potatoes: idaho, yukon gold, redskin.
1 stick butter, preff. grass fed
3 vidalia onions cut into medium dice
6 cloves garlic sliced thinly
2 red bell peppers medium dice
chopped scallions
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
paprika
seasoning salt - old bay, borsari, camp

make a cross @ either end of the potatoes & drop into salted, boiling water.
when a fork pierces each easily, remove & chop into 1- inch cubes.saute  onion, garlic, shallots, & scallions bay leaf & thyme  - in that order, till light brown around the edges, & translucent.  add boiled, chopped potatoes & toss in the oil onion mixture till coated w/oil. let sit on flame till the potatoes develop a crust.  flip, & do the same on the other side.  break up w/a spatula, stir, & let sit again till again, crisp.  once the potatoes are @ desired crispiness, they are done.

after this weekend, my life feels sparkling fresh, just like my laundry... & the grrrrls?

thisterhood is powerful:



thank you for your time!

Monday, May 14, 2012

pressure cookers. trayvon. bbq's/picnics; juicyness. redemption.

 teachings of the white tigress:

to empower a woman to claim her birthright as sensual, ecstatic, juicy.



spring!

the season's madness all started w/women's sexuality during the most punishing/rewarding month of my pro(fessional) life...  my grrrl the tantrika - of the white tigress sect - had a women's sexuality workshop & wanted me to contribute the chocolate dipped offerings from my blog.  so i did the aforementioned (found in feb/2012 'hungry niggas are the worst') spiced chocolate oranges & bananas - & let me just say that while i really hate watching chefs pat themselves on the back @ a feast well done ("Mmmmmm-Hmmmmm - this is good, y'all" - ala paula deen - as a matter of fact, fuck a paula deen & a rachel ray, given that paula's sinister ass kept cooking diabetes specials long after she knew she had 'sugar in her blood' (((fried butter, anyone?  no? well how about a burger nestled betwixt 2 GLAZED DOUGHNUTS))) & rachel ray, who devoted an entire show to pertinent cooking tips that involve poking holes in hot-dogs - yes hot-dogs - b/c who doesn't need a cooking class on hot-dogs??? - when you boil them so they don't explode & a coleslaw made of unseasoned shredded cabbage, mayo, mustard, ketchup, & bad taste all around - do these people just not like food???), still, it must be said - the oranges specif.  were AMAZING.  this is less about my skills than the flavor combo.  there is the type of good that smacks you over the head - yet you can only stand so much of it.  - like tiramisu, good but cloying -  this is where sweets generally live for me.  (total cheap, manipulative hype: - an old master lady chef i once worked for cynically said, "if you give people enough fat/sugar/salt, then they will always be happy".)  in my career i have always tried to appeal to something more deep/perfumed/mythical than just sweet.  the adage sugar tastes good = people are always going to love it - isn't good enough for me.  but a sweet that isn't all that sweet, that in fact employs bitter chocolate & oranges w/minimal extra sugar & not only tastes good but MAKES you eat more & more so that by the time you take stock of your sins you have devoured 10 - 15 from a plate of 30 & can only hang your head in shame muttering "but i am not even that sweets bitch!"???  that's my kind of dessert, yo.  - & this is a nigga that hates fruit & chocolate - sachertorte?  naa - i'll be alright - but the fresh coolness of the orange against that dark bittersweet chocolate?

still recovering.

to this simple offering, working backwards from dessert, i offered a seared scallop dish in a lemon Dom (yes, as in Perignon) butter sauce:  yes chile:

sexy seared sea scallops for all around juiciness!!!

1 # sea scallops patted dry, seasoned & set aside to dry once more - this helps them to cook more evenly
3 shallots, sliced
6 cloves garlic sliced
1 cup dom perignon
lemon juice
6 TBSP butter

melt 1 TBSP of the butter in a hot pan; add the scallops immediately, & sear to a crust on one side, about 6 min. turn, lightly brown the other side, & remove from pan.   then add the shallots to translucent, the garlic, lem j & dom.  reduce a touch, then add the rest of the butter 1TBPS @ a time, whisking till glossy & smooth.

serve.

to add to the pressure cooker that is my life, went to my daughter's school to read green eggs & ham, & to make green eggs & ham ..."& remember kids, Sam-I-Am's narrow-mindedness keeps him from experiencing delicious new foods, & people, too!"  & can you believe i was tons more anxiety riddled before presenting to a bunch of (REALLY adorable) 3-year-olds than i have been before most of my catering jobs???  for, like dignitaries & shit???  SMH.  but it went well...  some of the short ones even had seconds... & i think they even maybe got the inspirational message?  maybe.  lol.






green eggs & ham:

 preheat oven to 375


potato latkes, 1 bag, from fairway
1 dozen eggs, preferably cage free
1 bunch parsley  (spinach, arugala, or swiss chard)
1 sm bunch scallions (leek tops or chives)
4 oz grated parmesan
4 tbsp butter
4 oz heavy cream (coconut milk or soy creamer)
1/2 pound turkey pastrami (or turkey bacon, or ham) sliced into inch squares


i used a saute pan, & 2 pie pans - 1  for baking & 1 to bake the turkey-ham squares:  bake them w/2 of the TBSP butter till slightly crispy around the edges,

& while that's happening,

slice the latkes thinly, & arrange them in one layer on the bottom of the pan(s) melt the butter & pour over the latke slices
whisk the eggs together w/the cheese, salt & pepper, & the cream
add half the whisked mixture to the blender & pulverize the scallions, & parsley till the mixture is an even green, like 1 min
combine green mixture together w/the other eggs, pour into the latke-lined pie pans, & bake for about 1/2 hour, or until the center has risen, & no longer jiggles...

the next day, it was off to F's for the release/healing/soul-feeding that is an evening @ F's...(BTW -  F is nashira's good godfather)





F woke me up in a frenzy:  "i'm on my way to JC penney's, picking up a pressure cooker... & i want to make oxtails tonight... you down???"  he was breathless.  damn.
of course i was down.  but he... didn't want to meet like, right now... did he?  it was 10AM.  sunday is the only day i get to sleep in.  i went back to sleep.  next thing i knew, another call from F:  "& just picked up the oxtails!!!  what time you comin?"

no way to sleep even a minute longer.  uptown to F's house it was... nashira was happy.

to be honest, i've been lusting after a crockpot, & a pressure cooker for a VERY.  LONG.  TIME.  this is what got me out of bed before 5pm. we CAREFULLY read the instructions, & hopped around remembering every story we'd ever heard about someone's entire dinner ending up on the ceiling, while their entire family ends up in the emergency room getting treated for 3rd degree burns.  cautious as hell, we followed the directions to the letter, although  F is so brave/dumb/thrill-seeking.  he kept playing w/the whistling top - you know the thing that regulates the steam right on top of this thing that could explode @ any minute? - while i literally hid behind the kitchen door.  we carefully timed everything, so that by the end, we were both comfortable w/the pressure cooker.  & the fall off the bone tenderness was not to be fucked w/y'all!!!

the real perfect cooking time is 1 hour simmer over moderate heat, 1/2 hour pressure cooker, & then back to the simmering pot for another hour.



revolution oxtail stew:

3# oxtails pref. halal
2 vidalia onions sliced
2 heads garlic sliced
4 shallots sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced into rings
1 quart chix or beef stock
1 cup red wine
soy sauce
home-made tomato paste (w/no canned taste - yuck.) = 1 pomi pckg tomato puree reduced to a thick paste w/1 TBSP virgin coconut oil, about 45 min to 1 hr on a very low, whisper-like flame
red wine to taste we used about 2 cups
1 pound uncooked, unsoaked fava beans

saute the onion family, including the garlic till translucent.  add the oxtails & brown a touch.  add the tom paste, the stock, & the fava beans, soy sauce, s & p & simmer for about an hour.  load the pressure cooker to no more that 2/3 full.  follow manufacturer's directions on sealing closed, then pressure cook for 30 min.  dump into a second large pot & simmer while you pressure cook the other batches
serve w/rice & peas, if you have any sense.


mushroom rice w/turmeric

crimini mushrooms, 1/2# chopped into quarters
1# rice
3cups chicken or mushroom stock
1 tsp turmeric
2TBSP butter
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 lg vidalia onion, medium dice

 saute the diced onion & turmeric in the butter till soft/translucent. add the mushrooms & let it rip over a med-high flame till they are nicely toasted around the edges. add the rice, & saute in oil till every grain is coated. add the stock, cover to seal, & do not, for any reason, disturb lid till done.  (it's a no-no, you need the steam) bring to boil. covered & when boiling, turn flame down to a whisper.  let it rock for 17 min, turn the flame off, let rest for 5 min, then your rice is ready.

next sunday, OMG we were back @ F's for his birthday:

fond memories bouillabaisse:






...there's those butter poached lobsters again (found in the 'don't fuck w/my groove' post, along w/ butter poached oysters), my fantasy was seared scallops lemon/butter/garlic on top of a scandalous bouillabase - & here it is:


1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup each chopped onion and leek
4 cloves mashed garlic
6 cloves roast garlic
2 or 3 large, ripe tomatoes
2 1/2 quarts water
Fresh herb sprigs: thyme, parsley, fennel fronds and basil (in any combination)
1/2 teaspoon saffron1 tablespoon sea salt
3 - 4 pounds fish heads, bones, trimmings, shrimp shells (& on this special occasion i had in my possession  LOBSTER shells - yes.)
1 # wild sea scallops marinated in lemon zest, salt, garlic, fresh ground black pepper
butter poached lobster (cited in the don't fuck w/my groove post, 5/7/12)
1/2 pounds each peeled shrimp (use the shells for the stock); wild cod, halibut and/or sole cut into chunks, & debearded, scrubbed mussels or clams
2TBPS roux medium brown*

Heat the oil in a tall pot (I used an 8 quart stockpot) over medium heat; add the onion and leek and cook gently until softened. Stir in the garlic(s) and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, water, herbs, saffron, salt and fish bones. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat so that the broth bubbles slowly without boiling. Cook 60 minutes, then strain the broth into a large bowl or another pot and discard the solids. Pour the broth back into the stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, a minute or two. Add the rest of the fish and shellfish, the roux, cover and simmer until the mussels or clams open. Taste the soup and add more salt and freshly ground pepper if needed.  add the butter poached oysters & lobster to the bottom of each bowl.  ladle the soup on top of this & add the seared scallops last.

*to make a basic roux, use equal weights of fat and flour. melt the butter over medium heat; slowly add the flour to the butter, whisking constantly. within 2 to 3 minutes the roux will have a consistency of a cake frosting. a white roux is done when the flour loses its "raw" smell and begins to develop a toasty aroma but goes no further than a light tan. for darker roux cook, stirring constantly, until the desired color. if you're adding liquid, now is the time.  otherwise, immediately remove the pan from the heat and transfer the roux to another container to cool.  refrigerated or frozen roux will keep well for up to 2 months.

this was a seafood feast enjoyed by all.  & not to be all sensational & shit but really? there was something in the back  of all our minds, those two consecutive sundays:

trayvon.  trayvon.  trayvon.  trayvon.  trayvon....

& we all know the details;  problem is it is not just one death that we are collectively reacting to.  it is 
 rekia boyd, ervin johnson, ramarley graham - all unarmed young people & - these just since 2012 began,  & all of this brings to mind one latasha harlins.  1995.  buying orange juice in a way menacing enough to justify a korean shopkeeper shooting her in the back & walking, ostensibly on cultural differences (her lawyer argued that she showed no remorse b/c she came from a culture that was, essentially, stoic.  how 'bout, she showed no remorse b/c she straight didn't give a fuck?  k...)

the country was literally a pressure cooker, waiting to explode those long weeks leading up to fatboy's (GZ = fatboy) arrest.  & when there is no way to get the peace of mind/justice that is needed in ay given situation, i usually turn to ancestral feedings.

let's talk about the ancestors, y'all.

BTW, nashira's evil godfather, the lothario D,  has authored  himself a masterpiece: a curating of ancestral photos from all those who want to contribute.  this is my contribution to the black vernacular:

 http://theblackvernacular.tumblr.com/post/20081569814/davidgrant


& not to be all on a soap box or anything, but, feeding the ancestors, if you're into that sort of thing, is a good way to keep their knowledge & power near:  pick any of your ancestors' collective favorite foods, prepare them w/little if any salt, light a white candle on top of or in front of the food, & pray & meditate.  of course if you're not into it, aiiight!!!  but those of you that are...  ya

i guess it makes sense; this post started w/sex & leads up to ancestral feeding... sex leads to progeny.  progeny worship ancestors to create more ease in their lives, & to create descendants whom they must leave behind when they become ancestors... to await the well-deserved worship of their collective descendants...

everyone says, don't read the replies to articles on news sites - but i can't help it.  in any case, there was a link to about.com in one of the replies on Huffpost.   it was intended to be a link to an explanation of the connection between picnics & lynchings.  well, according to about.com, this is fictional b/c "who can really imagine people picnic-ing next to lynched bodies?" ...& that, folks, is why reading the reply section is as important for finding out what people are saying as it is for finding out what people do & do not know:

ACTUALLY,
it is well documented that lynchings were well attended during the daytime & that they, in their heyday took on an almost festival-like levity: w/professional photographers, festive signs commemorating the death of yet another non-white person, & w/memorabilia themed POST CARDS... - please see the fantastic site WITHOUT SANCTUARY for more detailed photographic evidence:  

http://withoutsanctuary.org/



i think Miss Lucille Clifton says it best:

When I get to where I’m going I want the death
of my children explained to me. 


anywhoo, status quo better watch out...  not a good idea to continually allow some of the population to live continuously in a nightmarish past life loop, knowing that our children can be murdered @ any time.  it's going to be a long, steaming summer.

& let's talk about summer:  we have to be all about reclaiming.  this one coming, i shall be transforming everything hateful associated w/bbq's & picnics - b/c we just don't deserve another moment of hatred/injustice/suffering. 

& this summer, we will be grilling...  & reclaiming joy, which, as far as i'm concerned, is the birthright of black folks...  b/c that's the way it's supposed to be isn't it???

peace love, power, & strength y'all till next time, & thank you for reading!

chef/healer, stefanie kelly

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

...don't fuck w/my groove...

one more chance...

in 95, every hip-hop video seemed to be the sexiest, lushest, most exclusive party - that i wasn't invited to.  (biggie: one more chance.  you remember, right?)   how fun to have been plopped smack in the center of this exact type of scene (albeit, in 2012, w/an exclusively female cast of characters)while catering my grrrl's music video...




y'all remember the Mack Diva initial D, right?  the one from Detroit, for whom sushi is soul food - well, y'all, she would slap me for this one, (& although her films have gone to sundance & telluride)  if she took hype williams' throne, i would be the last one to be mad...  & she got her start along these lines directing the video described above, & which i was privileged to cater.

funniest lines from the shoot:

the producer, A, so sweet & cute, takes her first bite of the lobster mac & cheese & murderously mutters @ me, "you are hannibal lecter out this mothafucka!!!" - i take this to be a positive critique -  then proceeds to keep me posted on everyone's all around happiness by texting me gems such as:

"there's about 20 lesbians tryin ta wife you up"

"everyone is saying that this is thee best food they have ever had on a set"


& i personally observed lovely A, walking by shoving food in her mouth & barking defensively on B, one of the (extremely ladylike, also gorgeous) line producers.  A:  "& don't say shit to me."  unnamed producer, staring pointedly @ A's full mouth chewing spits back:  "you've already said all that needs to be said..."



a feminine/nist environment overflowing w/beauty & creativity... my kind of scene - & lemme just say this:the past few months have been so demanding, so filled w/food & the macabre lore that fills my life, that you can expect a monster post w/the full chronicles; for now, my lil menu for the 'thee satisfaction' shoot:

ps!!! -  here is a link of the video, & following that, a link to Mac Diva raving about the shoot food in ebony.com:





http://www.ebony.com/video/entertainment-culture/watch-theesatisfaction-queens



 lobster mac & cheese:

serves 30 as an app/15 - 20 as part of a larger meal, in ramekins about 4 oz each

6 lobster tails averaging 6 - 8 oz each
3# conchiglie (nice shell shape) boiled in copious, sea-salted water
1 # butter
1 quart (pref grass-fed) half & half
thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups flour
6 eggs whisked w/a touch of salt & white pepper
4 different cheeses, grated & combined:  about 1 # each: white cheddar, gruyere, provolone, parmesan or locatelli romano
6 shallots sliced into rings - a bit of shallot trivia: cut in one direction only.  if you chop these too much they will become bitter. try to handle them as little as possible -
6 cloves garlic sliced thinly
6 TBSP lemon juice  & lemon zest, about 1/2 tbs is optional
old bay the best louisiana/crab boil/seasoning salt ever.
*borsari seasoning salt the best straight ahead seasoning salt there ever was.  period, point blank.*

*to butter poach lobster* while melting 1/2 pound of butter to which the shallot & garlic slices have been added,  break down the lobster:  using kitchen shears, cut the lobster's shells straight up the middle on the front & back.  the meat pulls easily out of the shell.   @ this point, the butter should be foaming, the garlic & onion should have just started to perfume the mixture.  lower the heat.  it is the right time to add your shelled lobster tails.  when they become opaque, & the teensiest bit firm, remove them to a shallow bowl, & pour the butter lemon mixture over them, then allow them to cool.  this is butter poaching lobster.

the pasta:
make bechamel from the melted butter, heated to foam.  add the flour, thyme, & bay leaf.  saute till combined, & till a very light nutty smell emanates.  add the half & half.  whisk, simmering till smooth & combined; velvety.  set aside to cool.
w/two large spoons, or your hands, mix the pasta, eggs, bechamel, & half of the cheese. 

spoon about 2 TBSP of lobster into each ramekin, then spoon mac & cheese mixture on top of lobster, & sprinkle additional reserved cheese on top of that.

blackened salmon ceasar salad -

first, marinate the salmon:



3 meyer lemons, juiced strain for seeds, zested for all they are worth... get every bit you can & scrape into marinade
6 cloves elephant garlic (love!!!)
fresh ground black pepper

2 TBSP soy sauce

pour above mixture over
1 whole salmon, cleaned & scaled, skin on - (ps.  yes, i like to clean my own salmon. but if you are not a fan, you can still buy it whole, & have the fishmonger do this for you)

w/both halves of the salmon coated in mixture, rest in fridge to marinate for 2 - 4 hours, then sear or broil to desired doneness

blend together:
1 head  garlic, mashed and minced
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 egg yolks
3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt
pepper
lemon juice
6 anchovies or 1 tsp thai fish sauce

then add in drops @ a time:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

once all is emulsified, add:
1 cup grated locatelli romano
1 cup shredded parmesan

lastly, add
add 1 bunch fresh parsley &
3 sprigs fresh thyme

when thoroughly blended, pour over 3 bunches clean, shredded romaine.

curry fried chicken wings  *see above, this recipe published 7/1*

thank you for your time!!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Hungry niggas are the worst... & My Gift To You: Aphrodisiacs for V-day!!!






... throughout my career, i have found that to be the case.  whether we are talking about petulant diners, or crazy-making bosses, i have always found that shit always becomes more hectic than it ever needed to be w/a hungry nigga in the mix.  the energy - desperate/unfulfilled/survival mode isn't really good for much.
& when we are no longer speaking of mouth/stomach hunger but soul/gonad hunger?   take that result & multiply it exponentially:  horny niggas are the worst...

 experiment with kissing first.

so happy valentine's day, lovies!!!  this is the post i've been waiting for my damnself - since my lit-kitchen idol vertamae refused to give up the info on such things in vibration cooking - she said something like,  '& i won't even get into those secret ingredients;  either they won't work & y'all will be mad, or i'll end up on the list of house un-american activities...'  i am paraphrasing...

still, that one line lit such a fire under my ass to find REAL aphrodisiacs, that it was w/a strong sense of acid-trippy-ness that i sat in the presence of my most devastatingly sexxxy grrrrrrl, who is now a trained tantrika (daughter/practitioner of the tantric arts), in the white tiger sect, as she broke down to me what foods  open the  gateway to nirvana.  so without another moment of introduction, here it is, y'all, (w/the help of my sensuous sis, D)

 then use your hands; feed each other 





aphrodisiacs...  a couple of questions, a couple of answers:

belly:  do real aphrodisiacs exist?
sexxxy D:  yes. They are real chemicals & stimulate natural substances in the brain - ones related to arousal.  Some of the most potent ones are the ones that resemble genitalia:  (Figs - I feel they look just like nut sacks, & that's true externally, but when dissected, my tantrika grrrrrl emphasized, they look more like female genitalia. "Clams then!" I exclaimed.  Oysters, was the reply. Not only do they basically mirror the feminine genitalia, but the pheromones of the oysters are proven) b vitamins, found in oysters, for example, are essential to testosterone/estrogen production are what to look for when providing a sense igniting feast to your lover.

b:  what is tantric food?
D:  foods that activate the five senses foods & are designed to put you in an awareness of the five elements as they interact with your body. Sex is a creative force that moves throughout our bodies & feeds our emotions, our thoughts, creating feelings of desire.when we experience sexuality we experience it as raw, unrefined. this is how we want to think about food when we are trying to create a pleasurable sexual experience. it's very much about understanding the physical/spiritual balance w/our food & our sexual essence, so it goes much deeper than the physical. Sex happens whether we are aware of it or not. So the point is to raise the vibration to realize that however we get off, that the energy is a force that we need to learn to move it consciously throughout the body as a healer & a manifester. sexual energy is kidney related, so foods that positively affect our kidneys, positively affect our sex lives.

 incorporate the touching while you do this:  explore every sensation with your entire body/being

b:  How does this relate to food?
D:  1 -  Heart energy is directly connected to communication.
2 - Communication is directly manifested through the tongue. This is why food is a direct path to the heart, but but the heart is pumping that love energy to the brain, & the brain controls all. Aphrodisiacs are about working w/ the direct essence of sex - through the brain, which processes all sensation, including & especially those related to taste/smell.




b:  How does the food we eat affect the energy that we connote to our partner?
D:  1 - the healthy function of our organs is directly connected to the healthy function of our genitalia.   with chocolate, the love chemical dopamine is released when you eat it, as when you are peaking in orgasm - it is associated w/attraction/euphoria.  so since food directly affects our energetic structure, the vibrations that this produces are what affect your partner.

in relation to this, & for your (erotic) pleasure, dear friends, i have for you today,

fondue for fornicators!

melt chocolate in a double boiler.
add cinnamon, cardamom, powdered rose petals, & honey

fruits are bananas -
oranges
strawberries
& of course, figs

dip. paint. eat.  feed.  please.  enjoy.

serve w/jasmine green tea, & champagne  - the champagne & jasmine for the aphro qualities, the green tea for the much needed caffeine - if this goes the way it's supposed to, you'll be up all night -   




really focus on the sensations of the textures on your skin in your mouth and then progress to eating off the body  

happy v-day!!! 

& thank you for your time...