My most recent batch of country pancetta was finished yesterday. It’s officially gone, but I’ll start another batch in a day or two. If you’re in Portland and would like to arrange a tasting or possibly get your hands on some, simply contact me.
What delightfully mild little fish the smelts are, and how terrific that their smallness and abundance lends to my eating more of them. I estimate that I put away twenty-five of them last night at supper time. Their preparation was delightfully simple. Since there is a negligible amount of innards in the tiny body cavity, no gutting is required. Simply rinse and dust the whole fish in well-seasoned flour, then fry in about 3/4 inch of nearly smoking vegetable oil until browned to your liking. I like to add an ounce or two of olive oil to my fish-frying oil for body.
Drain them on a paper towel, sprinkling a little sea salt on while they’re still hot. A dash of lemon juice and a drizzling with olive oil are all that are really necessary, but as with calamari, a variety of dipping sauces and aiolis can complement the fish nicely. Smelts are just mild enough to act as a canvas for dipping sauces, and generally cheap enough to regard as you would a gang of chicken wings. Sauce ‘em up. They won’t be insulted.
For those of you who didn’t catch it, here’s my write-up of Mimice, the oldest fish cafe in Zagreb, where they serve lots of fried smelts, sprats and other wee fishies. I bought my fresh smelts at Newman’s Seafood in City Market, just up the street (735 NW 21st Ave, 503.221.3007), and Liz Crain has this nice little bit about Newman’s at Food Lover’s Guide to Portland.
If I haven’t mentioned achar before in another post, I’ll take this opportunity to proclaim Achar Pachranga from Pachranga Foods as one of the best spicy oil pickles on the market. I’m especially fond of the lotus root and Indian gooseberries in their signature blend. You can put the stuff on just about anything, or merely eat it straight from a fork.
When you have beautiful fish such as these exquisite filets of Dover sole, please don’t tamper with it so much. In this case I sea-salted and peppered each filet, heated the cast iron skillet to wicked-hot and then removed it from the stove. I gently placed each filet into the pan and let them cook on the residual heat for about ten seconds on each side. Onto a plate they went, where they received enough olive oil and lemon juice to mingle with the juices of the fish and give me something to soak up with a crust of bread.
… I’d probably enjoy this simple miracle of ingredient cross-utilization on a fairly regular basis. It is, quite obviously, an uncomplicated salad of carrot julienne, cremini mushrooms and basil chiffonade with an impromptu strawberry walnut dijon vinaigrette and cracked pepper.
One of the great pleasures of having one’s own meat grinder comes from the luxury of autonomy over the fat content of ground meats. It seems that most store bought ground beef comes with a fat content of no greater than 30%. But we all know that a fattier burger is just where it’s at sometimes.
I came home the other night with a burger craving so unrelenting that I pulled some beef chuck from the fridge, trimmed the fat from the lean, diced it all, then blended to a consistency of about 65% lean, 35% fat. This I put through the medium grind plate of my hand-powered Universal grinder. The result was formed and pan-seared to medium rare.
Of course I didn’t stop there.
I didn’t have any cheese afoot, and so I pulled out a little leftover garlic peppercorn bechamel sauce that I’d whipped up for creamed kale over the weekend. This I warmed atop the burger in the pan. And when you’ve got fresh mushrooms and basil about, it doesn’t make sense not to saute them in the beefy pan juices and thicken yourself up a nice little mushroom sauce. That’s what I did.
The result of all of this went between two wedges of toasted sour black rye, and onto a plate in a photogenic position before being squarely devoured. I give you the Bechamel, Mushroom and Basil Hamburger Sandwich.
For those of you who have wondered why I’m not scribbling on this wall or my others very often, I should explain that I’ve gone into business. I am now at the helm of the Nob Hill Pasty Co. in Northwest Portland, Oregon.
Kitchen organization is one thing all cooks need to master. But what’s the best way to organize your space? Not only do you need easy access to utensils, cookware sets and ingredients, but you also want your kitchen to look and feel good as a warm living space. While some might argue that our day-to-day lives are too compartmentalized as it is, compartmentalizing your kitchen is a necessity if you want to enjoy the time you spend there and maximize productivity. Here are some tips to help you organize your kitchen in a stress-free, aesthetically pleasing way.
Storage Drawers & Utensil Crocks
I’ve lived with and worked in some extremely small kitchens in my time, often with very few drawers. This made utensil storage somewhat problematic. In one kitchen, with only two drawers to work with, I had no choice but to put my flatware in one drawer and all of my utensils in the second drawer. Sure, I got a utensil divider for my forks, spoons, knives, etc. but I had nothing for my other utensils. Now that I have a great deal more storage space in my kitchen, I’m exploring other utensil storage options. Here are some of my favorites.
Cutlery Storage:
I don’t know about you, but I actually don’t feel a kitchen is complete without a nice-looking knife block sitting on the countertop. If you don’t purchase a cutlery set that includes a knife block, you can purchase one separately. Check out the manufacturer’s website for the knife set you purchase to see if they make their own, as most knife blocks are made to custom fit a particular series of knives. Another option that I highly recommend is a magnetic knife strip. These can be affixed to any wall or cabinet and feature a long magnet which keeps your knives within reach while you’re preparing your meal. While I wouldn’t advise using these in a house with kids running around, they are another space-saving idea to consider for a small kitchen, where counter space is a rare commodity. And they look… sharp.
Spice Racks:
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a good spice rack or two. My favorite type of spice rack is the carousel model that spins around. Alphabetize your spices and spin till you find what you are looking for. Wall mounted spice racks are fine too, as long as you don’t mind the relatively simple installation process.
Pot Racks:
Pot racks are underrated, if you ask me. Available in both a wall-mounted variety as well as the more traditional hanging style, pot racks are a great tool to help you keep your most frequently used pots and pans within reaching distance. Some models also include a storage shelf, giving you even more storage space for your money. Hanging pot racks are perfect for a kitchen with an island, while wall-mounted pot racks are great for a smaller space or a kitchen without an island.
Kitchen Carts/Portable Islands:
While not an essential accessory for every kitchen, portable kitchen carts are great if you’re looking for some really versatile storage space. You can use your kitchen cart as a microwave cart, extra storage for pots and pans or even as a small kitchen table. Some styles include closeable cabinetry, while others feature open shelving good for cookbooks, spices or other ingredients. Some specialty carts even have built in wine racks or space for a trash container.
An organized kitchen is a necessity for any cook or foodie who spends countless hours slaving away over a hot stove. By taking the time to eliminate excess kitchen clutter, your time spent in the kitchen will be infinitely more rewarding and enjoyable.
This is the best video I’ve found on cooking in the peka, an ancient indirect roasting oven handed down to the Balkan people by their Illyrian ancestors. I have some video on the subject on the editing room floor, but time has been slippery.
The peka is most commonly used on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, but one can find dishes cooked this way in other regions of the former Yugoslavia.
