Spiny Serindipity

Coming home from my walk on Thursday morning, a neighbor was parked near our house and asked if we wanted some lobster. Like, "Who wouldn't?" He was selling them after a night of Lobster Diving. I bought two, each were about 1.5 pounds. These are spiny lobsters, not New England Lobsters, so they have no big claws and there is also meat in their bodies. You cannot buy these lobsters in any stores here, you have to know or meet a diver.

Lobster season here is from September 1st through April 31st. There is no spearing allowed and there is a minimum size of 3 1/4 inches carapace (head portion.) My personal rule of thumb is that if they are not alive and moving that I do not buy them. Many fishermen have an aerating pump that they keep going in a cooler filled with sea water to keep them alive.

Simple is best when it comes to lobsters. I like to either boil them and serve them with crackers and picks or par-boil them, cut them in half and put them on the grill to finish cooking with some olive oil to hold in the moisture.

If you buy an extra one or two, then you can save the extra meat for something like pasta with lobster. In this case, I just boiled them, cut them in half, grilled them for a few minutes and served them with clarified butter, a salad and garlic bread. It does not get much easier or better than that. Of course one of the great things about lobster is Lobster Bisque a few days later. That is coming up.

Indian Flavors in a Yellow Pepper...

For a while Suvir Saran has enchanted me. His restaurant Devi in New York was one of my favorite places in a sea of wonderful restaurants (more of them than any other place I  have ever been to unsurprisingly so). Partly because of the incredible flavors that emanated from his kitchen but also because my own nickname has been Devi since childhood. I coveted the matchbooks. I loved coming into the saffron scented rooms, the very tall and yet intimate space of Devi. The first time I went there (2004) I saw (and grabbed) a postcard advertising his then new book, Indian Home Cooking. It is to this day one of my favorites because as much as Indian Cuisine is an immense subject floating over many regions and capturing spices and flavors that are uniquely Indian, it also has some deep roots in small home kitchens. Suvir captured the essence of home cooking in India in this book. Not much of the food at Devi resembled Indian Home Cooking at first glance, it looked more complicated, more special, but deep down the roots of Devi's food were intertwined with everything Suvir learned in his younger days. He is an astonishingly handsome, gentle mannered man and he has a true gift for teaching the art of Indian Cooking. I suppose I bow to him among other culinary influences in my life. And that is what brings me to today's post. I recently picked up Indian Home Cooking and rifled through the pages to get some inspiration. It did not take me long to start bookmarking the pages for things I wanted to cook again. In the coming weeks I may share more of the meals I have been enjoying from his books (he also penned American Masala), but for now, let's just get to something simple and amazingly complex at the same time, Bharwaan Mirchee: Stuffed Bell Peppers

While I adore Suvir's inspirations, I do play a bit with my food, so this recipe is my take on his concept... I have altered a few things and added things like curry leaf which I adore and have in abundance in my Hawaiian garden. For much of my Indian cooking I find myself asking friends to send me spices from Indian markets on the mainland. But this recipe can be made almost anywhere. The fresh curry leaves grow here as  massive trees. But most Indian Markets on the mainland have them fresh if you ask.

Bharwaan Mirchee: Stuffed Bell Peppers
Serves 4

The connection between food and the visual arts has always fascinated Suvir. These spiced potato stuffed peppers are a food he remembers from his youth. You can adjust the heat a bit by adding more of the hot peppers or discarding more of their seeds and membranes. You might want to add some garlic paste. I have done that before. I sometimes halve this recipe when it is just the two of us.

1 1/2 pounds of golden or red boiling potatoes (or you can use 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes as I did)
4 small brightly colored bell peppers
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 serrano chile or two hot Hawaiian chiles, seeded and chopped finely
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped
2 scallions or chives finely chopped
a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger grated with a micro plane
3 tablespoons fresh curry leaf finely chopped (optional)
Juice of 1 lime or lemon ( I prefer lemon for this)
crushed black pepper corns
sea salt (about a teaspoon)
1 large egg whisked with a pinch each of salt and cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil

Put the potatoes in a large pan with cold water to cover and boil till very tender, 30-40 minutes

While the potato cooks, core and remove the seeds & membranes of the peppers leaving a 2 inch opening.

In a dry skillet, toast the seeds till they begin to pop, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Coarsely grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder (I use both... and have  a dedicated spice grinder (used to be a coffee grinder)

When the potatoes are cooked, peel and mash them in a large bowl. Add the ground spices, ginger, cayenne and herbs, lemon juice, peppers, salt and black pepper stirring to blend then taste. You may want to add more salt or pepper or even a hint of ghee. Sometimes I also add shredded paneer.

Fill t he peppers to the top with the potato spice mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the oil in a medium oven proof pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, dip the peppers open sides down into the egg to coat the stuffing.

Place the peppers egg side down into the hot oil  and cook until a golden coating has developed.

Turn the peppers right side up and place the whole pan in the oven for 30-40 minutes and serve hot.

Makin' Bacon

Living in what I lovingly call Pig World (Pigs are revered in Hawaii and were once the food of royalty) many cuts of pork are more abundant and affordable here. Pork Bellies are one of those. I just made two pounds of some of the best bacon I have ever tasted for less than $4. Bacon, always imported the mainland here sells for $6-7 a pound when not on sale. This however was not at all a decision based on money, but instead on flavor and the kind of satisfaction brought about by making things from scratch whenever possible. I roast my own coffee beans, bake my own bread, why not make my own bacon?

I have a Bradley digital smoker which enables me to smoke at any temperature or even to cold smoke. Bacon, as you can imagine needs to be smoked at a cooler temperature than say a Turkey, which I actually slow cook in the smoker. My smoker also allows me to smoke with most any kind of wood, as it requires pressed wood chips. Every 20 minutes a disc of wood is pushed onto the smoker element and the ashes of the remaining disc are then pushed into a bowl of water, making this also a smoker that you do not have to tend to or check frequently. 

Maple is one of my favorite smoking woods, as it has a sweeter and less bitter element than say... mesquite. However sometimes I use apple or cherry for delicate smoking too. Pecan is another favorite. There are times though that the intense flavor of mesquite is best. It all depends on what I am smoking. In this batch of bacon, I used maple. 

Here are the simple step by step instructions to making your own bacon at home. I have to say, it is one of the most delicious things I have ever made, as simple as it is. 

The Cure

If you have ever cured salmon, this is basically the same process. Another great reason to make your own bacon is that you can make it nitrate free! A simple cure of a spice rub is all that you need. I used one made with my smoked Hawaiian Salt, a bit of Maui Raw Sugar and some spices.  I had two slabs, so I did one adding lots of cracked pepper corns (A mix of 6 different kinds of pepper) and the other with maple sugar and California chiles ground up.  As you can imagine there are a multitude of combinations you can try. For a good  cure though, some salt is needed. All you do is rub the spices onto the flesh of the pork belly and then put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. In the end, the cure is rinsed off of the slabs and then you can add more aromatics for the final smoking process. The bacon can stay in the bags for up to a week, but need at least 3 days for curing. Turn every day and it is also helpful to have a weight on the bags. After the first day you will notice that the salt is drawing moisture from the meat. 

When you are ready to smoke, rinse the slabs and pat dry. Using a sharp knife (I use a boning knife for this) slide the knife just beneath the skin of the pork belly and essentially filet it, removing just the skin (not the fat beneath it) from the meat. Next, add whatever aromatics you want for the final product. These flavors will be present at the edge of the bacon. In this case I used the crushed peppercorns on one and some maple sugar & crushed rosemary from the garden on the other. 

Smoking

You will need to have a smoker that does not have a fire under the meat. One with a smoke box on the side is good, or one like mine which you can digitally set the heating element. A stovetop smoker will not work for bacon. You do not want to heat the slabs higher than 125 degrees or you will be roasting them. I place the slabs on a rack above a drip pan. I do this whenever I am smoking meats, as it just keeps the whole smoker cleaner and eliminates chances of flare ups.  

If you have a large smoker like I do, you can experiment imparting smoke flavors to other things while you are doing the bacon. I figure if I have empty shelves, I am "wasting" smoking space. I often do salt, rice, polenta, garlic and other items that taste good with a bit of smoke flavoring. 

Smoke for 8-10 hours with the vent nearly closed. 

Remove, cool and put in to zip lock bags. 

When ready to slice, use a very sharp knife if you do not own a meat slicer (I do not) and slice it. I found after a little experimenting that cutting the slab in half lengthwise enabled me to make thinner slices. Since I was using the bacon for a BLT anyway, it made the bacon just the right size for sandwiches. 

And so for a valentine's brunch today, I had home cured Bacon, garden fresh tomato, fresh genoa basil and arugula on home made sprouted whole wheat with home made mayonnaise. I also had local coffee beans roasted here at home! Life is good on the BIG ISLAND! 

Wordless Wednesday :Backyard Pineapples

Tamale Time!

As promised, I am giving you the recipe for tamales. The masa or dough is my basic and most favorite masa, made with fresh corn. I also rendered my own lard. You can see step by step instructions for rendering lard here. The fillings and wrappings can vary greatly in style as well as ingredients. I used dried corn husks that had been soaked for a few hours in hot water. You can also use fresh or frozen banana leaves or Ti leaves but they will need to be softened briefly on a grill so that they will bend but not break. I used lengths of cotton cooking string and strips of the corn husks to tie the tamales, but there are versions that are made folded and not tied at all.

A variety of condiments or sauces can be served with tamales. In this case I opted for a New Mexico style chile sauce which is extremely simple to make. All you have to do is take dried New Mexico Chiles or California Chiles (these are the Anaheim or simular varieties, mild in flavor). Remove the stems, then the seeds and toast slightly on a griddle. Soak in boiling water for 1 hour. Remove from the water and place in a blender with just about 1/4 cup of the liquid or chicken stock and puree completely. Then strain with a food mill or sieve. This sauce will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator and also freezes well.

For this session of tamale making, I wanted finger food, so I made the tamales as small as I could. That is not an easy task if you are using a filling. Some tamales such as Cuban tamales are made with all the ingredients included in the masa, therefore they would be much easier to make small.

Basic Fresh Corn Masa

• Fresh corn cut from 10 ears of corn or good quality frozen corn either way you need about 4 cups of corn. 
• 4 cups of Masa para Tamales this is a dry masa available in the flour section of most any grocery store. Do not get masa para tortillas, which is an instant tortilla masa. 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of fresh rendered lard. If you do not want to make your own lard, you may be able to find it at the butcher counter of most Hispanic markets ask for manteca. DO NOT buy packaged hydrogenated lard in the baking section. We don't have Hispanic markets in Hawaii, so making our own is pretty much the only option. Read the article on rendering lard for more information about lard vs shortening. For those of you that are lard-phobic or on very restricted diets, there are other options of course butter being the next best and after that any vegetable shortening that has not been hydrogenated. Do not use oil as it will change the texture completely. 
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chicken stock. I made stock when I cooked the chicken thighs for the filling. But if you don't make stock, boxed stock is fine, just look for organic lower sodium stock. 

*I also added some chile powder to one of my masa recipes just to add some variety in color. 

Method: 

• Place the corn kernels in a food processor w/steel blade and pulse till it is roughly chopped up. This should only take 4-5 pulses. Add the masa, the baking soda, salt and sugar and just pulse a few more times to mix. 
• In a mixing bowl or a clean food processor bowl beat the lard till it is light and fluffy. 
• Mix both batches of ingredients together in a large bowl. If your food processor is large enough, that is fine, otherwise stir very well until the masa is well incorporated. Add as much stock as it takes to make a very moist but firm dough. You should be able to roll it into a soft ball. Make it as moist as you can while still being able to roll into a ball, This is crucial for having moist tamales. Cover and let rest at least 30 minutes before using.
• The masa can be made ahead and refrigerated, but allow it to come back to room temperature before using. 

Fillings: 

I made two filings and there are endless combinations. 

Queso Blanco and Green Chile Filling

• Roast 6 large green chiles (poblano or anaheim) on a grill, place in plastic bag to steam for 15 minutes and then remove the skin, stems and seeds. Cut into 2-3 inch slices about 1/2 inch wide. If you cannot find fresh chiles, you can use canned chiles (not jalapenos) .
• Queso Blanco or Jack cheese cut into small fingers 2-3 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide

Chicken and Cheddar with Caramelized Onions Filling

• About 1-2 cups of cooked chicken
• Caramelized Onions: 2 whole onions rough chopped cooked down in olive oil till caramelized 
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese cut into 2-3 inch fingers 

Assembly: 

• Take about 2 tablespoons of masa and put into the center of a wet corn husk. Using wet hands (the dough will not stick) pat it down about 1/4 of an inch thick, making a rectangle at least 3 inches wide and about 5 inches tall. Put the filling in the center. 
• Using the side of the corn husk nearest you pull the husk up and over the filling to the edge of where the filling ends and pull in as you would do in making sushi maki, to complete the roll. The dough should not be sticking to the corn husk.and it should be covering the filling. You can then roll or fold the corn husk around the tamal and secure with string or husk ties.  

Cooking:

In a steamer or large pot with a folding steam basket, add enough water to cover the bottom but not too much so that the tamales are not sitting in water. Add tamales and cover. Heat water to a gentle boil and maintain the boil (and water level) for about an hour. I use about two or three layers of tamales, small batches are best. Since this is a labor intensive endeavor, I tend to make extra tamales and freeze them. Just pop them from the freezer to the microwave  or thaw and steam later. 

If you liked this post, you might also like these recent posts on Mexican Cooking in Hawaii: 

Chiles en Nogada   Turkey with Rich Dark Mole Sauce

Superbowl Sunrise

This post is mostly pictures because I am busy cooking up a storm for our Super Bowl party. The game starts at 1:30 here. This morning as I was stirring the red chile sauce that is going with the mini tamales I could not resist taking some shots of the spectacular sunrise with a cruise ship coming in. The whales were playing too, but I could not catch them in a good shot today. I will post tomorrow with the recipes and pictures for the mini tamales. I am making two kinds, green chile w/queso blanco and a chicken w/caramelized onions and cheddar. I am also serving a maple smoked pork but in the form of pulled pork sliders with pickles and cole slaw. No Super Bowl is complete without Buffalo Wings. I do mine in the traditional way, except I use saracha sauce instead of Tom's hot sauce. All of the guests are bringing food, so it should be fun to see what else arrives at Hali Pali. 

Check back for tamale post tomorrow!

This surfer girl was paddling out to see the whales!