Grilled or Roasted Cauliflower (plus proof that Lillian is only a pie-goddess-in-training)

Hooray! We finally got a grill and we put it to use immediately. Crisp, succulent cauliflower seems to be in season around here so we threw some on the grill. I make this in the winter too, using the oven. Simply cut up a cauliflower into fairly large chunks, brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast it in a hot oven (450) with a run under the broiler, if need be, or on a charcoal grill. It may take some time, so be patient.

The steaks simply had salt and pepper on them and were fantastic. There may be hope for my steak-making skills yet. Look forward to more grill recipes!

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In other news, I finally found some rhubarb at one of the farmers' markets around here and I set out to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie. It sure looked good when I finished baking it...

...but, alas, it didn't thicken up enough and was also rather tart!

Reflecting upon what went wrong, I realize that I only used 3 Tbsp. of thickener instead of 4 because I lost count, and I probably should have used 5! I was also using tapioca starch for the first time in years. I wasn't sure how much sugar to add, since the strawberries were frozen in syrup, so I used 1 c. Guess I should have gone for the max. amount of 1 1/4 to account for the rhubarb anyway. Another day, another pie...live and learn.

Comments

Marjorie Magidow Schalles said…

Ahh, the elusive zen of pie. I think that using between 4-5 TBSP of tapioca flour is pretty consistently thick, yet not too thick. Sugar? I think you just have to taste the filing before you add it to the crust - baking it will not change the sweetness. Shore is purty tho!

July 31, 2008 at 11:17 AM

Thick-cut Pork Chops

These intimidating chops were actually pretty easy to cook. They're called an "Iowa Chop", and they're just a thick-cut, bone-in, center-cut chop. I've discovered that the secret to juicy pork chops is to start with a cold pan and obsessively checking the temperature . I find they're best just under 160 degrees. Pork Chops 2 1-lb. Iowa Chops 2-3 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. white pepper 2 Tbsp. dried sage 2 Tbsp. Smoked (or regular) paprika 3 Tbsp. oil Sauce (optional): 1/2 c. chicken broth 1/2 c. white wine (I used Pinot Grigio) 2 Tbsp. corn starch 1 tsp. white pepper 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/4 c. cold water Preheat the oven to 350. Pat the chops dry with some paper towel. Sprinkle them liberally with the salt and spices and allow them to warm up to room temperature while you start the quinoa and chop the cauliflower. Place the oil in your pan, but do not pre-heat the pan. Add the chops to the pan and place them on the stove. Heat the pan up to medium, turning the chop ...

Graphic pig pictures below! >>

Miele Steam Oven Pulled Pork

I've been debating whether I should post some of these more niche recipes--now that we have a steam oven and a high powered stove, I am making recipes that not everyone can reproduce with other equipment. I've decided to post some of them 1) for my own records, and 2) because there are very few recipes available online for these devices (especially the steam oven). Perhaps these recipes will be of use to others. I don't have a photo for this one because I decided to post the recipe after the fact. 3-5 lb pork shoulder roast (~3 lb without bone, ~5 lb with) 1 large white onion, 1/4" slices 1 Tbsp. butter 1 chicken boullion cube 1 c. water 2 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. dried sage 1 tsp. whole coriander 1 Tbsp. coarse ground salt 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. dry mustard 1 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. cayenne 1/4 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. celery seed Saute the onions in the butter in a saute pan over medium for 10 min until the onions are somewha...

Graphic pig pictures below! >>

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

Announcing the first of the Thanksgiving recipes! I got this recipe from NPR during a show about cranberries. It's a very simple and easy pie (great if you need to make a last-minute dessert), which uses our favorite seasonal fruit. It can be served warm or cold and with or without whipped cream, though I argue it's best as-is. I didn't take this awesome picture--it's from the NPR website (Andrew Pockrose). Yes, it's as delicious as it looks. Preheat the oven to 350 and butter a 9" or 10" pie plate. Filling: 2 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen), coarsely chopped* 1/2 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped* 1/2 c. sugar Batter: 2 eggs 3/4 c. melted butter 1 c. sugar 1 c. flour 1 tsp. almond extract *(Retain some of the most attractive cranberries and walnuts for decoration) Toss together the chopped cranberries, walnuts, and sugar for the filling. Place this mixture in the buttered pie plate and pat it down gently. I chopped these using a food processor but you can ju...

Graphic pig pictures below! >>

Extra Schmaltz!

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