Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Seared Mushrooms with Butter, Garlic, and Herbs

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Talking with a client this week by phone and reviewing menu plan options for this fairly innovative home cook (a chef in training actually), we somehow wandered to the topic of searing or sautéing mushrooms.

She agreed with me that searing over higher heat produces very tasty and interesting crusty edges, and finishing in butter with garlic and fresh herbs produces layers of flavor that far exceed the effort involved for this dish. We most often reach for thyme in preparing this one, though my client suggested throwing a rosemary sprig in as well if you happen to have one on hand.

Given supply chain stresses these days, when shopping for a bundle of mushrooms for this cook there weren’t the usual assortment of “fancy mushrooms” available a few days ago at our favorite grocer. Frankly, that doesn’t matter one damn bit, as this recipe works with any fresh mushrooms you can get your hands on, and using a nice grass-fed butter takes it over the top.

And by the way, this is a perfect recipe for that new carbon-steel skillet you’ve recently picked up (or have been eyeing to grab).

1 pound assorted mushrooms, cut into medium to large pieces
2 and 1/2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
2-4 sprigs fresh herbs – thyme and a sprig of rosemary work very well
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 tbsp grass-fed butter, cut into pieces
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in your trusty carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, layer the prepped mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and then don’t touch them for 3-4 minutes until they’re golden brown and beginning to caramelize.

Season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss and turn the mushrooms until golden brown on all sides; I often turn the heat down a bit here to keep them from catching or scorching. This should take only another 3-4 minutes.

Now turn the heat down to medium-low, add the thyme (or other herbs), garlic, and butter pieces to the skillet, and spoon the melted butter over the mushrooms for another 3-4 minutes. You’re looking for the butter to begin to brown a bit, watch carefully and note the butter should almost smell nutty when it’s ready.

Adjust for salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Spicy Merguez Sausage

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Marooned at home during these days of social distancing found us searching for a bit of a different spin on the traditional Easter dinner last weekend.

Our adult daughter Jess is spending some time with us, seeking some sunshine and a taste of spring after the long, cold, and dark Montana winter. She’s a photojournalist working in the outdoor space, and after recent journeys “BC”, which translates these days around our camp to before-COVID, she’s come to really enjoy Middle Eastern flavors.

After kicking around several options, we decided to make up a batch of Spicy Merguez Sausage, using a combination of lamb and pork belly; the pork belly was chosen in part as our favorite local butcher didn’t have pork fat on hand, but some very very nice belly.

We played around with several different batches of spices, and finally settled on this fairly traditional array including fennel seed, coriander seed, and cumin seed, enriched with paprika, garlic, a nice harissa, and a hint of fresh cilantro.

As you home-crafted sausage fans know well, freezing your meats pre-grind until they’re firm (20-30 minutes) makes them handle much better, and pre-toasting spices before grinding and mixing brings all sorts of additional, deeper, and richer flavor notes.

The truly ambitious can certainly whip up a batch of their favorite harissa as well, though we used a trusted commercially prepared brand and were quite happy.

3 pounds lamb shoulder or leg, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 pound skinless pork belly, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tsp whole fennel seed
2 tsp whole coriander seed
2 tsp whole cumin seed
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp good paprika
1 tsp cayenne

6-7 garlic cloves, trimmed and minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/3 cup harissa (perhaps more)
1/3 cup ice water

Prep the two meats then spread in a single layer on a lined baking sheet; throw in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. (See note above.)

Meanwhile, toast the fennel, coriander, and cumin seed in a cast iron skillet over medium heat (preheat the skillet) until fragrant; remove to a pestle or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Place in a small bowl and combine with the salt, paprika, and cayenne.

When ready to grind, scrape the chilled meats into a bowl, sprinkle with half the spice mixture, half the garlic, and half the harissa then toss to combine. Now grind the meats into a bowl set in ice through your small die.

Scrape the meat into the bowl of your stand mixer, add the remainders of the spice mixture, garlic, cilantro, and harissa, add the water, and mix on low speed until the mixture has combined and is uniform (and a little sticky).

While the rest of the sausage chills in the fridge, test cook a small patty and then adjust seasonings (pending how hot the harissa might be, we almost always add more).

Shape into patties (or links) or stuff into prepared casings.

Of course these need to stay in the fridge (or freezer) until cooked, and smell heavenly while sautéing until well-browned and cooked through.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Cast Iron Skillet Wings

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I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit that I’ve been a life-long fan of chicken wings, and before becoming a Primally-aligned eater roughly four years ago, had never met a wing prep that I didn’t like.

Chicken wings are an absolutely perfect hand food, just the right size for easy maneuvering to pick all that delicious protein off the bones, with a great ratio of skin to meat (if prepared well) to satisfy the pickiest grilled protein fan.

We have a house favorite grilled chicken wing recipe (dust them with garlic powder and paprika before grilling) that involves basting the flock of wings with our family secret butter and Worcestershire-based sauce, but sometimes the weather just won’t cooperate when you have the itch for wings.

We’ve just come through the rainiest first three months of the year on record here in the DFW area, and recently on day 8 or 9 of what was to be an 11 day straight run of rain, my lovely wife said it was time for wings. Figuring who the hell am I to argue when Momma says it’s time for wings, this recipe came back out of mothballs from a particularly long winter during our Montana days.

With a tip of the hat the original Buffalo Wings recipe which called for a sauce made simply of butter and Frank’s Hot Sauce, we prefer to make this recipe using either a traditional Louisiana-style hot sauce (hello Crystal, my old friend) or with a Tex-Mex bent using something like Valentina.

Oven roasting the wings in a hot oven on a base of cast iron allows the wings to cook slowly enough to absorb the flavors and fat used, yet in a hot enough setting to get nice and crispy and build layers of flavor as you add the hot sauce just a bit at a time over 20 to 30 minutes. Yep, you’ll use an entire bottle of sauce; be patient, you’re building layers of flavor that beat anything you’ll ever see at that wing eatery down the road.

These are great party food by the way, and we like to pour a batch onto a big platter, set it in the middle of the table and let everybody go to it, with your favorite dressing for dipping on the side (we’re torn between blue cheese and a creole honey mustard, with a good ranch a close third).

Roughly two pounds, wings, separated (see note)
7-8 ounces of your favorite hot sauce (see above)
2 tbsp grass fed butter
1 tbsp avocado oil
Good salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or Cajun/Creole seasoning)

Fire the oven and preheat to 475.

Prep the wings by cutting off the tips, and then separating the drumettes from the wingettes; save those discarded tips for your next chicken stock batch.

When the wings are prepped and the oven’s almost there, set your largest cast iron skillet on the stover over medium-high heat; when it’s warmed for several minutes melt the butter and oil together in the skillet.

When it’s hot, add the wings and stir to coat, then sprinkle liberally with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and then spritz just enough of the hot sauce over the wings to give them a coat. Stir the wings and throw in the oven.

Now for the next 2o to 30 minutes, until the wings are fully cooked, browned and crispy, you’re going to pull the skillet from the oven every three minutes, turn the wings over, and coat with more hot sauce (again, just enough to coat the wings).

Serve hot from the oven with your favorite dipping sauce alongside as per above.

Hot damn, these are good. And easy.

Enjoy.

 

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Thyme Butter Basted Red Snapper

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For today’s Friday Feast I’m pleased to share a little trick that I learned this year during my brief stint working in a commercial restaurant kitchen during my “take a peek behind the curtain” look at the food industry.

As it turns out, the executive chef of the team I was working with had spent years running an upscale eatery in the Dallas metro that primarily focused on fresh seafood. The volume of fish and shellfish they prepared and served back in the day was absolutely staggering (Dallas/DFW is a metro that loves eating out), and this gentleman handled fish, shrimp, and oysters with a deft efficiency that was a marvel to watch.

Every time I had a chance I pestered him for tips and tricks that were readily translatable to the home kitchen, and the most useful one he shared was this very preparation that works for almost any fish, though we talked most often about using it for a firm fleshed white fish like red snapper and redfish here in Texas, though flounder, cod, halibut, and several other of course work as well. Leaving skin on one side (on the half shell, at least down here in the South) helps maintain the integrity of the fillet, though of course that’s up to you.

Having been taught over the years to pan sauté fish fillets over higher heat, I was a bit surprised at Chad’s insistence that the best way to prepare this dish was as follows.

Having prepped your fish (trimmed, washed, removed any remaining scales), the fillets need to be patted dry thoroughly while pre-heating a (preferably non-stick or a well-seasoned carbon steel) pan over medium-low heat.

Splash a tablespoon or two of avocado or olive oil in the pan (you’re cooking over lower heat, so olive oil works here), then season the fillets generously with good salt and perhaps a grind of fresh pepper (we also use a fresh cajun spice mix occasionally) and place skin side down in the heated pan.

You need to pay attention here, if the oil smokes, you’re running too hot; removed the pan, turn down the heat, put the pan back over the heat and be patient. Pending how thick your fillets are, you’ll most likely cook for 4-6 minutes before turning, and only after the fish has released from the pan. Don’t try to turn or “scrape it off” if the initial side hasn’t released – it will eventually.

Carefully turn the fillets using a fish spatula if you have one, and then drop in several generous pats of your favorite grass fed butter and a handful of fresh herbs – we’re partial to the magic that thyme brings to the dish, though experiment and try your favorites.

As the butter melts (and it might take a bit of time as you’re cooking over lower heat), tip the pan to one side, pooling the butter, and then spoon it over the fillets as they cook. Continue basting intermittently until the fish is cooked through to your preference.

After removing the fish to warmed plates and topping each with a few sprigs of thyme, squeeze half a lemon’s juice (or more if you wish) into the butter remaining in the pan, stir it in, and spoon over the fillets.

Enjoy this one, you’ll be coming back to it again and again.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: OB NOLA BBQ Shrimp

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Strolling by the seafood counter in my favorite grocery last week I spied a beautiful bin of wild caught Gulf brown shrimp on sale; after confirming they were plump and fresh I grabbed a pound and a half to cook through the last trial of this NOLA BBQ shrimp recipe we’ve been adapting (and spicing up) from Emerill’s version.

Barbecue shrimp done “New Orleans” style implies not shrimp done on the barbie, but shrimp pan sautéed, dripping with a garlic and Worcestershire spiked butter sauce, though there are probably literally dozens of variations floating around out there.

There are two things about Emerill’s classic recipe that my family has really enjoyed over the years – one is the deep, rich flavors that build using his technique to craft a shrimp stock using the shells. I’ve found that for the occasion when you buy a load of shrimp that have been shelled, you can sub in a prepared seafood stock for the water with great results too. Simmering the stock with a handful of various spices and lemons, then reducing it down significantly, yields flavors you’d never guess you could craft in your home kitchen.

The second thing we really like about this recipe is the fact that the cream based sauce has a bit more body, especially when mounted at the end with some nifty grass-fed butter.

This looks much more complicated than it is and comes together very quickly for the final cook. Just plan a bit of time to give the sauce simmer and reduction time to yield their magic.

And if you’re incorporating a carb refeed day into your routine, this is an absolute delight over a scoop of rice. Hot damn.

3 lb shell on or 1.5 lb shelled shrimp
1 tbsp creole/cajun seasoning
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp fresh minced garlic
Reserved shrimp shells if using
3 bay leaves
2 tsp creole/cajun seasoning
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 lemons, peeled and sectioned
2 cups water (or seafood stock if not using shrimp shells)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Optional: 1/4 dry white wine or sherry
1/4 tsp good salt

2 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp grass fed butter
1 tbsp chives or small green onions, chopped fine

Wash and peel the shrimp if using shelled, reserving shells. Rub with 1 tbsp of your favorite creole seasoning and 1 tsp Old Bay, dust with black pepper, then throw in the fridge.

In a medium saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp oil until just soft, then add the shrimp shells, bay leaves, creole and Old Bay seasonings, the prepped lemons, Worcestershire sauce, wine or sherry, salt, and 2 cups water (seafood stock if not using shells). Simmer for 30 minutes, cool and rest for 15 minutes or so, then strain into a small saucepan (should have about 1.5 cups).

Now reduce the flavored stock over medium-high heat until roughly 1/3 cup remains, set aside.

Finally, in a medium skillet heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat and sauté the spiced shrimp for 2 minutes or so until just opaque; add the cream and the reduced flavored stock, stirring to mix well.

Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then quickly remove the shrimp to a heated platter. Now whisk in the butter (cut into small pieces) and remove from heat. Spoon the thickened sauce over the shrimp, garnish, and go to it.

Hot damn, and enjoy.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Older Bolder Links, Reads, Podcasts, Recipes, and More 18 March 2020

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After leading off with links covering SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 for the past several links posts, let’s lead off with a few other interesting reads and topics today – the pursuit of wellness and good health goes on despite the 24/7 news cycle of doom and gloom.

Low and very low calorie ketogenic diet safe -and effective- in mild renal failure patient group.

Stubbornness lessens ultimate AD risk?

Germans spending less time on Facebook are happier.

Another shot across the Sucralose bow.

Don’t let perfectionism get in the way of achievement.

Squat for health?

COVID-19 Links and Reads That Caught My Eye This Week

Please note, this is in no way meant to serve as a comprehensive posting of the very latest news and data on the story – you’re inundated by that around the clock, and we’re (as greater humanity) still hampered by lack of hard data regarding how this virus behaves and how to best combat its impacts.

A Seattle Intensivist’s One-pager on COVID-19. (Note – updating continually, full size image at the link)

Medscape’s COVID-19 resource page.

Youth sports in the COVID-19 era.

One view of social distancing.

30 home workouts when you’re bugging in.

Speaking of workouts, I’m a longtime fan of BeachBody’s home program (P90X still rocks.)

Podcasts of the Week

Brad Kearns with the PHC team talking keto and longevity.

One of the clearest thinking minds I’ve found on the COVID-19 story is that of Karl Denninger, a Florida-based economist breaking the story down daily from a math perspective. He’s candid, unabashedly not politically correct, and one of the brightest minds I’ve read in a long time. Try this podcast, or look for the latest posted on his landing page (click the logo at the top of the page).

Food, Glorious Food

Southern chefs talk hot sauce.

Add this one to your organ meat list – the lost art of Southern Hash.

Our favorite Mu Shu Pork cheat for home.

The Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Easy Mu Shu Pork Cheat

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This has become one of our favorite family quick stir fries, and it has a bit of history behind it as I shared several years on ChiWulff (a fly fishing blog) –

Our clan fell in love with the classic Chinese dish Mu Shu Pork believe it or not when camping at Gros Ventre campground out of Jackson a few decades back.

It became a must-do ritual to drive up from SLC, set up camp as quickly as possible, and then beat it back to town for dinner at the Lame Duck. The little hole in the wall place was down East Broadway, past the hospital almost to the end of the road where the branch to the Elk Refuge peels off. I don’t know how many times we ate there with the kids as they grew up; we even got to know one of the waitresses pretty well one summer.

The Duck’s long gone now, a victim of Jackson’s (unfortunate in many ways) transformation, though the memory of great dinners past lingers. They had the best sizzling rice soup any of us have ever tasted, and among many other delights – a great Mu Shu Pork.

We’ve tried over the years to recreate the dish; we’ve come close but never hit it on the money and haven’t tried for years now – until this quick (kinda’ve a cheater) version came across our radar a few weeks ago.

She Who Must Be Obeyed has been out of town all week on business and I can knock this entire prep out in under 20 minutes now (after a few practice rounds), given how it’s based off using an (at least partially) pre-seasoned commercial sausage you bring to life with some minced ginger and garlic…

With even the most basic of knife skills you can chop your way through this recipe in less than 10 minutes, and then you basically just sauté everything up in a large skillet, preferably a big-assed cast iron one.

As per the images attached, we most often enjoy this one hot right out of the pan, drizzled with sriracha or a paleo version of hoisin sauce. Classically the dish is served with small rice flour “pancakes”, which you can easily sub with any of the low-carb tortillas on the market today.

1 and 1/2 pounds commercial hot Italian sausage (casing removed)
2 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, minced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
Avocado oil or EVOO
7-8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced thin
3-4 ounces wood ear mushrooms, sliced thin
8-9 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced, divided
1 large bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced into 1-in pieces, reserve 1/3 of total
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp good tamari or coconut aminos
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Butter or other lettuce leaves

Optional
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and cut into matchsticks
Sriracha, primal/paleo hoisin sauce, low-carb wraps

To get started, mince the fresh ginger and garlic and add to the sausage in a small bowl; work in evenly with your hands.

Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over med-high heat and brown the sausage mixture well, breaking it up into a small-medium crumble as you go. When it’s done, remove to a clean plate, reserving the drippings in the skillet.

Without reducing the heat, sauté the trimmed mushrooms in the drippings, you want them to release a bit of liquid, then brown and crisp up a bit (4 to 5 minutes should do it).

Now add half the sliced cabbage, the bamboo shoots and 2/3’s of the green onions: keep things moving until the cabbage is wilted. Now add the rice vinegar and soy sauce and simmer quickly until the liquid is for the most part reduced (won’t take but 2 or 3 minutes).

Remove from the heat and add the remaining cabbage and green onions, sprinkle the sesame seeds and oil over and stir it all in.

Serve hot in your lettuce wraps (or the wrap of your choice) slathered with Sriracha or your favorite primal/paleo hoisin.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Hot Damn Tri-Tip Chili

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As much as many of us would prefer it not be so, it’s still winter in much of the country, and still soup, stew, and chili season.

We’ve been big chili fans around our camp for many years, and have a slew of recipes we always reach for. Like most of you, we have recipes using all sorts of different proteins, and a few vegetarian recipes as well, though many of those utilize legumes in higher volumes than we typically consume these days.

And while when I hear the word tri-tip, I most often think of a grilled Santa Maria styled tri-tip, with a crusty spice layer and cooked to a tempting medium-rare finish, and sliced thinly across the grain, tri-tip is a great braiser too.

This Hot Damn Tri-Tip Chili owes it’s chili magic to two key things.

The first is the simple fact almost all of the chili flavor comes from a chile puree you make right in your own kitchen, one that you can in fact customize to suit your own preferences (by varying the chiles) quite simply. Once you get this routine down a whole new world of chile (and chili) goodness will open before you.

The second part of the magic is the wonder that happens to a cut of protein that’s a little on the tougher-chew side but imbued with an amazingly deep, rich flavor when it’s slowly braised in a spicy liquid in low heat over several hours. You can have your Instant Pot – there’s no way it can touch the flavors that low and slow cooking imparts.

Don’t let the length of the ingredient list and instructions fool you, this is a very straightforward recipe and only takes 25-30 minutes of actual hands-on time if you’re handy in the kitchen.

Git ‘er done.

5-8 dried ancho chiles, prepped and cleaned
5-8 dried guajillo chiles, prepped and cleaned
2-4 dried New Mexico chiles, prepped and cleaned
4-5 pounds tri-tip , cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 tbsp avocado oil (or EVOO)
2 fair-sized poblanos, stemmed, seeded, small dice
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, small dive
1 large onion, medium dice
6 cloves garlic (the big ones), minced
4 (or more) chipotles in adobo, minced
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice
2 tbsp of your best chili powder (to cover all the chili flavor bases)
1-2 tbsp ground cumin (start with one)
1 tbsp good kosher salt (or more to taste)
2 generous tsp dried Mexican oregano
2-4 cups chicken broth as needed

Optional
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 bottle Mexican beer
More chilis!

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small saucepan, add the dried and prepped chiles, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. When softened, puree chiles until smooth with a bit of the soaking liquid or chicken stock.

While the chiles are soaking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in your trusty Dutch oven; brown the tri-tip in batches, remove to a platter.

Fire the oven to 325.

Now sauté the onion and poblanos until soft, then add the garlic and chipotles and stir for a minute or so. Now stir in the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, salt, and oregano; stir for another minute or so until well mixed.

Now add the beer if using, crushed tomatoes with juice, the chili puree, and the tri-tip back to the pot, mixing well, and topping off with stock if needed to cover the meat. Cover, and throw in the oven for at least three hours, stirring every hour and adding chicken stock as needed. It’s ready when the tri-tip loosens up and begins to fall apart.

When it’s done, pull from the oven, let rest for 20-30 minutes, skim the fat, and then go to it.

Enjoy.