Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 7 December: Bazinga (Christmas) Chili

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I first shared this recipe back in 2011 on a fly fishing blog called Chi Wulff; from that post –

Traditions are a funny thing.

Though admittedly our clan has a fair number of traditions that we more or less cling to with stogged fidelity, some traditions can begin to reek of routine.

And routine has crushed the heart and soul of many a fine man and woman.

So it was with a dumbstruck stare that She Who Must Be Obeyed eyed me after I announced several days ago I thought we should break from tradition this year and serve tamales and chili for Christmas dinner.

As a bit of background, we’re once again entertaining what could be shaping up to be a bizarrely diverse group of friends and fishers who couldn’t be with their own families for the holiday.

SWMBO was probably envisioning a meal of a traditional (there’s the ‘t’ word again) ham with all the trimmings, eaten at a beautifully set and decorated table, complete with fresh flowers, two expertly chosen wines, ruthlessly efficient wait staff and classical music playing softly in the background.

I deftly countered with the fact that this has been a brazenly non-traditional year for us, and that traditions, which are often just dull routines dressed up in their Sunday-go-to-meetin’ clothes, are simply meant to be broken now and again.

Her response…”Bazinga…”

…For a high-brow company meal, have your butcher grind a nice cut (sirloin or tri-tip for us) into a large chili grind and pick up some fresh-made, well-spiced bulk sausage too. This recipe works incredibly well with brisket diced small.

This recipe, at first glance, looks like it uses almost an obscene amount of chili powder – it does call for a fair amount, though most chili powder doesn’t really provide heat – it provides flavor (use a really good, really fresh chili powder). Try it once as the recipe is written and you’ll see what we mean. Just don’t spill any of this deep red treasure on anything white. The touch of brown sugar also softens the bite of the red chile just enough to work a little magic (without breaking the carb budget).

3 lb. London broil, tri-tip, chuck or sirloin ground into rough chili grind or cubed
8 ounces bulk sausage (spicy)
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
2 tbs avocado oil or EVOO
2-4 cups beef broth
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce (Hunt’s by tradition)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 bottle robust beer
11 tbsp commercial chili powder (Spices Etc or Gebhardt’s)
2 tsp garlic powder
1-3 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp ground cumin
Kosher salt to taste
Optional: 1-2 tbsp brown sugar

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and then brown the beef (will probably need to do in two batches); then add to your favorite chili pot. Now brown the sausage, breaking it up as you go, then add the onions when about halfway browned; cook until just soft and the sausage is brown. Add to the chili pot.

Now add two cups of the beef broth, bring to a slow simmer. Add the tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, beer, 6 tbs of the chili powder, garlic powder, 1 tbs of the brown sugar if using and 1 tbs of Tabasco. Simmer uncovered for an hour and half, stirring occasionally and adding more broth as needed to keep it fairly soupy.

Now add the rest of the chili powder (yep, another five tablespoons), a tsp of salt and the cumin. Taste for sweetness – we like to have just the tiniest smidgen of sweetness as an undercurrent to the heat and other flavors – we almost always end up using 2 tbsp of brown sugar. Keep simmering for at least another 30 minutes.

Now it’s time to fine tune the flavors. Taste for chili flavor, heat, and salt. If your chili powder is wimpy you might end up adding even a bit more chili powder, adjust the hot sauce and salt as well. Reduce or thin to desired consistency.

Serve it up as you see fit; we can’t imagine this without a bit of grated cheese, chopped onion and cilantro, maybe a pepper or two, and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 5 December: Avocado Oil Roasted Leeks

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We dined with friends several weeks ago and the hostess served these simple yet delicious Avocado Oil Roasted Leeks with the meal. They were a perfect texture with a soft body complemented by just enough crispy browned edges, and what an amazing flavor.

We love leeks around our camp, using them in a number of soups and stews, as well as my wife’s favorite boeuf bourguignon recipe (I don’t think we’ve posted that one yet, I’ll make sure we get that done before the holiday week upcoming…)

These couldn’t be more simple to do, though with a two-hour cook time, you’ll need to plan ahead a bit. And by the way, our hostess had prepared these with a very nice olive oil, though we’ve since made them with avocado oil (both for taste preference and avocado oil’s much higher smoke point).

By the way, the oil remaining after cooking makes an amazing contribution to your next vinaigrette…

8 leeks, white and pale green sections, split lengthwise
1/2 cup good avocado oil (maybe a little more)
Good salt

Throw a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 400.

Prep your leeks, minding to use only the white and the pale green stem sections; cut them in half lengthwise and wash thoroughly to remove the sand and grit. Take care to pat them as dry as you can after washing.

Now toss with the avocado oil and season generously with your favorite salt.

Pull the hot baking sheet from the oven, arrange the leeks cut side down on the hot sheet, then cover loosely with foil. Throw them back in the oven, reduce the heat to 300, and leave them alone for an hour and 20 minutes. Check at that point to see if they’re tender and lightly browned; they might need another 10-20 minutes.

Now remove the foil and turn the leeks cut sides up; turn the over up to 400 and slide the leeks back in until they’re golden brown and the tops (cut sides) look a little crispy.

Save that oil by the way, it’s great for roasting vegetables or making a flavorful vinaigrette…

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 2 December: Broccoli Caesar

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Back in late August I shared about how much we love a great Caesar salad around our house, though we struggled for years to find a dressing recipe we truly loved and could make at home without an advanced food degree or pestering our friend Chef Libby to work her magic.

Though not a new concept, we’ve been making this Broccoli Caesar as often as a traditional Caesar of late; the cruciferous crunch is delicious, especially when topped with this Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo you’ve prepped in your own kitchen.

The shaved Parmesan is always a great touch – that nutty, salty Parmesan flavor is essential in our book, and the toasted walnuts will make you forget there’s not a crouton in sight…

One recipe Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo

2 medium to large heads of broccoli
1/4 head Napa cabbage (more to taste)
Good salt to taste

Shaved Parmesan
Fresh lemon zest
Freshly ground (coarse) or cracked black pepper

Optional: Toasted Walnuts

Trim any rough, darkened ends from the broccoli stems, and remove the florets as close to the dark green flower buds as you can, then trim or break into bite-sized segments, placing in a large bowl. Now slice the stems into thin rounds, starting with narrow stalks that held the florets.

When trimmed down to the main stems, peel the tougher outer layers off, exposing the more tender inner cores, then slice crosswise into narrow discs and add to the florets.

Slice thinly/shred the cabbage (add more if you like) and stir into the broccoli pieces.

Now pour the dressing over, salt to taste, stir to coat, and let rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir once more, topped with shaved Parmesan, the lemon zest, and the pepper. Add toasted walnuts if desired.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 30 November: Puerco Guisada

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As we turn the corner from late fall into early winter, here’s one to help you beat back the crush of winter’s hand – Puerco Guisada, a south Texas / Mexico inspired take on the spicy ‘meat in gravy’ stew (carne guisada) gracing every worthy taco stand from Austin to the southern border in Texas.

One might certainly argue this dish is traditionally made with beef (carne guisada) – and you can certainly do that by exchanging the pork with a cut of chuck or bottom round – though the pork version seems a tad lighter and sweeter to us.

This puerco guisada is another one of those recipes that are so simple they’re child’s play, thought there are a couple of caveats to note. Flavors are dramatically improved by actually browning the meat in the oil up front; if you overcrowd the meat it steams and doesn’t brown. Browning in two or three batches works wonders and leaves a hoard of those tasty browned ‘pan crispins’ behind to scrape up and flavor the stew.

The other caveat pertains to the peppers; jalapenos and serranos can very dramatically in their heat level. Cut off a small chip of the pepper and touch it to your tongue to get an idea about the heat; the last two jalapenos I picked out of the bin were searingly hot, so we left out the serranos on that batch (even though they add a slightly different heat and flavor pattern).

This Puerco Guisada makes for a killer bowl of spicy goodness standing alone (with a few toppings of course) and it makes a mouth-watering taco or burrito too. We’ve even been known to use it to make a puerco guisada huevos rancheros for breakfast when special company is in the house.

4ish pounds of pork shoulder or loin, trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 tbsp avocado oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
14-oz can diced tomatoes with liquid or 3 fresh tomatoes with seeds and core, diced
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp good chili powder
2 tsp (preferably Mexican) oregano
1/2 cup chopped cilantro or more
2 bay leaves
2 cups of water
1 bottle cerveza (Corona or Negro Modelo for the spirit of things)
Optional: 1 tbsp masa if needed for thickening

In your trusty dutch oven, heat 1/3 of the oil over medium high heat and brown 1/3 of the meat; remove to a plate and repeat to brown all the meat.

Add a splash of oil if needed, and sauté the onions and peppers until soft; then add the garlic, and cook, stirring now and again, for another couple of minutes.

Now add the pork back to the dutch oven, along with the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, oregano, bay leaves, water and beer. Stir until well combined, turn up the heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently.

Now turn down to a simmer and let it go low and slow for 4 to 5 hours, stirring once an hour; you’ll notice the pork begins to tenderize and break down a bit, thickening the mixture as the water cooks off. (You can always add the masa at the end to thicken it more, though we never do.)

Traditionally this would be served steaming hot in a big bowl, sprinkled with grated cheese, maybe a few chopped fresh peppers, cilantro, and fresh or pickled onions. The possibilities are endless as noted above.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 28 November: Cajun Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese

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A friend asked me a few weeks ago to suggest some Primally-oriented foods he and his wife could serve at a football party they were hosting. He’s a child of the South, and like many of his brethren, exhibits a crazy devotion to college football rivaling any we’ve ever seen. (For matter of record, he’s from Alabama, and I’m sure has a Roll Tide tattoo somewhere out of everyday sight so as to not impact his law practice…)

One of the foods I suggested was this Cajun Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Crumbles. It’s certainly not a new concept in the Primal/Paleo world, though you don’t see many recipes with the Cajun spice twist. I happen to like this recipe as it’s a great introduction to those who don’t typically think about eating healthier snacks and sides, and packs the same great spice and flavor that classic buffalo wings do.

You certainly can serve this one as finger food, but we always seem to serve it up in a bowl…

One medium (2 to 3 lb) head cauliflower, leaves and stem trimmed
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp of your favorite Cajun spice mix

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of your favorite Cajun hot sauce (Zatarain’s or Crystal for us)
1/4 cup of your favorite Sriracha
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room-temp, in 1 tbsp pieces

1/2 cup (or more!) crumbled blue cheese

Fire the oven and preheat to 450.

Foil line a baking sheet, place the cauliflower in the center stem down, drizzle with the oil, then rub in the Cajun spice mix. Now roast for 30-35 minutes; it should become tender and begin to brown a bit. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

When cool enough to comfortably handle, trim the florets off the head; some suggest aiming for chicken-wing sized pieces, we tend to make pieces of all sizes and shapes. Don’t forget to trim the stem into thin-ish slices.

Now into a large saucepan over medium-high go the two sauces; when bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pan, whisk in the butter 2 tbsp at a time until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cauliflower pieces, and stirring often, heat for 4-5 minutes until the cauliflower is heated through.

We like to serve immediately in bowls and sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 25 November: Thai-Inspired Celery Salad

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Here’s a nifty salad to get you back on track if you’ve wandered a bit during the holiday break – a Thai-Inspired Celery Salad.

Celery doesn’t necessarily get a lot of love in many kitchens beyond nut butter and pimento cheese-stuffed celery sticks (if you grew up in the South, you know what I’m talking about with the pimento cheese…).

We’re long time celery fans around our camp; for instance, I can’t imagine serving a chicken or tuna salad without celery included, celery leaves work wonders in flavoring soups and other dishes, and a crispy, crunchy stalk or two, sliced thinly, winds up in most of the salads we serve as well.

Finally, celery packs a host of health benefits in its long, green stalks, including a very low soluble carb burden, and meaningful amounts of vitamin K, folate, vitamins C, B6, and A, as well manganese, calcium, riboflavin, and manganese. Celery packs a host of phytonutrients too; perhaps we’ll spend a bit of time at some point digging a bit deeper into those, though in the context of today’s recipe, we like celery because it tastes great in this salad too…

Update: I came back and updated this recipe on the 25 of February, after making a few changes along the way since last November – another dressing option and 1/2 of a large sliced and peeled cucumber…

The final winning point for this recipe – ten minutes or less prep time even with average “knife skills”.

8-9 celery stalks, with leaves, thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 small or 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
7-8 trimmed green onions, thinly sliced
1-2 red chiles (think a Fresno here), stemmed, thinly sliced
1 and 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems

Dressing #1
4-5 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1-2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1-3 tsp red chile pepper flakes
Good salt and pepper to taste

Dressing #2
4 tbsp avocado or EV olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp good fish sauce
Good salt and pepper to taste

Optional
1/3 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts (or nut of your choice)
1-2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Combine the prepped celery, green onions, chiles, and cilantro; toss to combine evenly. Whisk the dressing one final time, pour over the salad, and toss to coat well. Sprinkle with the peanuts (if using) and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 23 November: Ed’s Kitchen Sink Turkey Hash

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We have a good friend, Ed, who’s been something of a family icon now for over a decade. He’s been a continual font of inspiration and wisdom, a mentor, a business partner, and even an occasional pain-in-the-ass for most of those years.

Ed loves good food almost as much as we do, though you’d never know to look at him. His thin, fit build looks like that of a fifty-something runner, which is somewhat amazing as he’s in his mid-80’s (he constantly lies about his age, so we don’t know the genuine number). He’s sharp as a tack, more active than most men half his age, and was eating LC/MP/HF long before most of us had heard a whisper of the concept.

Back in 2016, Ed pestered us to help him come up with a “turkey hash recipe that he’d really like”; the final result was this Ed’s Kitchen Sink Turkey Hash, built on the foundation of spicy sausage with a big pile of fairly traditional hash vegetables thrown in. By the way, the poblano adds a nice bit of heat and flavor and the sweet potatoes tie in with the whole Thanksgiving theme, as does the fresh sage.

And just in cash you’re not a “hash expert”, one of the critical steps for this recipe is the repeated compress, crisp, and turn of the mixture to get crispy, browned, caramelized edges in every bite. Be patient; keep turning and crisping until it suits you. The browner and crisper the better…

The soft poached or fried eggs aren’t really necessary, but the runny yolks are magic. And Ed insists that this be drizzled with hollandaise sauce, though he’ll eat it with a real-deal turkey gravy too.

1/2 lb bulk spicy sausage
1 large sweet onion, chopped medium
1 medium red onion, chopped medium
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, chopped medium
1 poblano chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, chopped medium
1 large sweet potato, partially precooked (firm), cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 tbsp good butter
1 lb turkey, white and dark meat, chopped to 1/2 inch or so pieces
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped, optional, more to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 – 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp good salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Optional
4-6 eggs, poached or fried, with soft yolk
Hollandaise sauce if Ed’s coming over OR leftover gravy

Scrub and dry the vegetables; dice and chop to your heart’s content.

Sauté the sausage until browned; remove from the skillet to drain and remove all but (roughly) 1 tbsp of the remaining fat.

Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter over medium-high heat in the same skillet; add both onions, both peppers, the sweet potato, and the garlic. Cook, stirring now and again, until the onions and pepper begin to soften.

Now add another tbsp. of butter, the turkey, the sausage, sage if using, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to mix well.

Up your hash game by crisping it up. Smooth the mixture in the skillet out and gently compress it; raise the heat a notch and don’t touch it for 3 minutes or so to let a crispy-crunchy layer of caramelization develop. Then, turn that brown, crunchy bottom over and mix into the upper hash layers. Compress the mixture again and repeat at least two more times – the desired goal here is lots of crunchy, brown goodness. Add the parsley on the last turn and stir.

Serve it right now, topped with a runny-yolk poached or fried egg and drizzled with hollandaise if Ed’s coming over. He won’t eat it any other way, though if there’s any real turkey gravy left over, it might even be better.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Snack Wednesday 21 November: Citrus Spiced Olive Mix

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On this day before Thanksgiving, a preparation and travel day for many, here’s a simple snack or side dish we’ve served at family and friend gatherings many times before, a Citrus Spiced Olive Mix.

Friends and readers here know the goodness that olives (and olive oil) bring to any healthy food discussion, and even something this easy to prepare can really dress up your holiday, entertainment, or everyday table.

Adjust the spices as you see fit, though try it as written once to see what you think. We typically add a bit more red pepper flakes than listed…

3 cups good mixed olives (your choice, with pits)
1 cup EVOO (or 1/2 cup EVOO and 1/2 cup avocado oil)
Three 3-inch strips of orange peel (see notes)
Three 2-inch strips of lemon peel (see notes)
Two 2-inch strips of grapefruit peel, optional (see notes)
1 jar roasted red peppers, cut into strips
3 bay leaves (freshness matters!)
1 small-medium head of garlic, cut in half
1 tbsp fresh whole coriander, toasted, roughly crushed
2 tsp fresh whole fennel seeds, toasted, roughly crushed
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp fresh whole black peppercorns, roughly crushed

Place the olives in a medium mixing bowl, stir to combine the different types.

Over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, combine the oil(s), the various citrus peels, the garlic, and bay leaves. Cook, keeping an eye on the mixture, until the garlic (the cut edges) has slightly browned and the oil is fragrant. Remove from the heat and let the oil infuse for 90 minutes, then remove and discard the garlic.

To the olives add the roasted red peppers, the coriander and fennel seeds, the peppercorns, and the red pepper flakes, then pour the infused-oil mixture over all. Stir/toss to coat, and marinate at room temp for at least 2 hours before serving. Will hold in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Enjoy.