In the Kitchen

At one time, the term “liquid gold” in Texas meant something black that gurgled and spewed up from the earth. But today, it can also refer to a green liquid that flows smoothly instead of spewing, and rises up from the soil of the Lone Star State. What is it? Olive oil.

At one time, the term “liquid gold” in Texas meant something black that gurgled and spewed up from the earth. But today, it can also refer to a green liquid that flows smoothly instead of spewing, and rises up from the soil of the Lone Star State. What is it? Olive oil.

Austin, widely celebrated for its creative class, is home to many inventive start-ups. While technology companies come to mind, Austin has been developing a more spirited kind of business lately—it’s now home base to several liquor companies, including Tito’s Vodka, Dripping Springs Texas Vodka, Treaty Oak Rum, and most recently, Dulce Vida™, a handcrafted tequila made from organic agave.

Scallops, “Confiture de figues” and Prosciutto Powder

Preparation for Confiture de figues (Fig Jam)
Makes about 11 jars x 260g (9.17oz) each

1800g (3.96 lbs) figs of your choice
1700g (3.74 lbs) sugar
1 large vanilla bean
250g (8.81oz) water

Scallops, “Confiture de figues” and Prosciutto Powder

Preparation for Confiture de figues (Fig Jam)
Makes about 11 jars x 260g (9.17oz) each

1800g (3.96 lbs) figs of your choice
1700g (3.74 lbs) sugar
1 large vanilla bean
250g (8.81oz) water

With his outgoing personality and penchant for storytelling—not to mention that Australian accent—it’s easy to envision chef James Saftich hosting his own cooking show. However, the San Antonio-based private chef prefers to keep a low profile or, as he puts it, to “fly under the radar.” That’s understandable, given the nature of his work, where the emphasis is on private.

With his outgoing personality and penchant for storytelling—not to mention that Australian accent—it’s easy to envision chef James Saftich hosting his own cooking show. However, the San Antonio-based private chef prefers to keep a low profile or, as he puts it, to “fly under the radar.” That’s understandable, given the nature of his work, where the emphasis is on private.

Want to pair wine and food like the pros? With nearly 200 wineries throughout the state, there's a vintage for very occasion. Here's what wine professionals across Texas recommend for your holiday gathering.

1          rack of lamb
(Salt and pepper to taste)
1 tsp.    thyme, chopped
1 tsp.    Dijon mustard
1 tsp.    Worcestershire sauce
2           shallots, diced
2           garlic cloves, minced

Native Texan and cowboy-turned-chef Grady Spears will debut his new book, Cooking the Cowboy Way: Recipes Inspired by Campfires, Chuck Wagons, and Ranch Kitchens at the Burlap Horse in Boerne, Texas on Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Messina Hof Winery and Resort, the fastest growing, award-winning winery and resort in Texas, recently won the acclaimed People's Choice Award at the 23rd Annual GrapeFest, September 17-20, 2009 in Grapevine, Texas. The Buick People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic is the largest consumer judged wine competition in the United States.

POBLANO CILANTRO CORNBREAD

Ingredients:
1 lb        Butter
9            Eggs
14 oz     Cornmeal
13 oz     Cake Flour
1 oz       Baking Powder
1 lb        Granulated Sugar
4 cups    Sour Cream
2 cups    Diced Green Chile
             (or Roasted Poblanos)

The roaring fork restaurant logo, a branding iron-style version of the letters “R” and “F,” hints at what it’s inside, and the understated smoky scent emanating from the place offers a foretaste of a feast to come.

Restaurants across the state are setting a Texan table to help kick off Texas Wine Month in October.

Soft creamy, mildly tart. One bite of CKC Farms’ fresh chévre on a crisp cracker, and you’ll be hooked. Plus, you’ll be amazed to discover other tasty ways to serve this basic goat milk cheese, handmade in the Texas Hill Country.

2 Tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced

2  serrano chilies, minced with seeds and veins removed

3 scallions, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh mint, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup grapefruit juice

¼ cup salad oil

¼ cup brown sugar

* Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

* Refrigerate for future use for up to three days.

1lb. butter (melted)
4 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 cups flour (sifted)
2 Tbsp vanilla
10 Tbsp cocoa powder

Combine ingredients and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Optional: Garnish with candied spiced pecans and chocolate sauce.

1lb ground bison
1 egg
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire
Salt and pepper to taste
Two green onions (chopped)
2-4 sprigs Italian parsley (chopped)
1 cup bread crumbs
1-2 minced shallots (minced)
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)

12-16 baby heirloom tomatoes (quartered, seasoned with salt and pepper, and olive oil or basil-infused olive oil to cover); wrap and refrigerate over-night
1 lb mixed local greens
1/2-1 lb fresh mozzarella (thinly sliced)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil or basil-infused olive oil

Toss fresh greens in enough olive oil to coat, with a pinch of salt and fresh pepper. Surround with heirloom tomatoes, then fresh mozzarella.

24 Roma tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
2 sweet onions (coarsely chopped)
8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup fresh basil
1 can peeled organic tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Heavy cream (optional or to taste)
!/4 cup olive oil

by Beth Goulart

In November, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics published the results of its 2007 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Sounds boring enough. But there's a category for food, so it caught my attention.

Photo: A delivery of produce from Greenling stocks my fridge for the week for $34.99.

And I'm glad it did. There's a lot to think about in the numbers that summarize how much Americans spend on food. Personally, I spend a lot of time thinking about produce consumption - why so many of us eat alarmingly few fruits and veggies - so I was especially drawn to the numbers about how much we spend on those.

Steve Blank’s inspiration for his new career grew slowly over several years. “My wife and I would drive up to Austin on weekends, stopping into Whole Foods and Central Market for fresh bread,” says Blank. “I guess you’d say that we’re foodies. And it eventually dawned on us that what San Marcos really needed was a good bread store.”

Melissa Guerra says every household has its own food dialect. “Cuisine really lives within homes,” she says, and it starts with the distinct rituals and dishes of the homemaker’s family. Her own food dialect derives from the eighth-generation South Texas ranch she grew up on. “There,” she says, “we were very isolated. We actually had our own language dialect. We had our own comfort foods.” The food dialect on the ranch was based in beans and tortillas, which her family ate every day. Understanding the food dialects of people throughout Latin America inspires Guerra’s work today.

by Beth Goulart

Loving to cook doesn't mean never eating out. I love going to restaurants. But letting someone else do the cooking doesn't mean I don't want to know where the food comes from. So I ask.

My friend Lyssa asks, too. She's passionate about eating only free-range meat, so before ordering, she asks her server whether the meat on the menu meets that criterium. But she says it makes her dining companions uncomfortable. They think it's rude. She deserves to know, she insists.

My friend Hillary asks, also.

She's excited about the health benefits - and the flavor - of grass-fed beef, so she asks her servers if they offer any grass-fed before she orders. But she embarrassed her husband by asking this question at a dinner with his colleagues at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Her husband was mortified - he felt the question was totally inappropriate, particularly in a business setting. (The answer was "no.")

In our April/May issue, we showcase Phoenix Rising owner, Steve Blank. As part of his profile, Blank offered to share a favorite recipe with our online readers.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of Phoenix Rising Cinnamon Bread
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

by Beth Goulart

My local bookstore can’t keep a certain bestseller in stock. You’ve probably heard its provocative name. First word: Skinny. Second word: A synonym for “female dog.” Such a title might lead you to expect a novel about a malnourished canine. Au contraire, mes amis. It’s a book about food.

The scandalous title, it turns out, is fair warning. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, the friends who penned this volume, live in Los Angeles, where, I can only surmise, ladies have different ideas about how to conduct themselves. Curse words and crass descriptions of bodily functions normally discussed only in private, with doctors, permeate this text.
 

by Beth Goulart

I like to read cookbooks before bed. These days, The Taste of Country Cooking by the late guru of southern cooking, Edna Lewis, graces my bedside table – and I’m loving every sentence.

Lewis came of age during the Great Depression, growing up in a small agrarian community founded by freed slaves in Virginia. Her childhood, as she recalls it, was simple but joy-filled. Joy fills the pages of her book in even the most unexpected places, like this one, in the introduction to her chapter called "Spring":

Another pleasure was following the plough. I loved walking barefoot behind my father in the newly ploughed furrow, carefully putting one foot down before the other and pressing it into the warm, ploughed earth, so comforting to the soles of my feet.

by Beth Goulart

I've heard of bear markets. But a chicken economy?

My husband and I helped his grandmother move to Austin from Sugar Land last week. She was excited to come here, but not because she'd get to see us more often. On the contrary, she just hoped the food would be better. When she chose her Sugar Land assisted-living community last year, her single criterion was food. She'd lunched at a couple of places before deciding and picked the one that had the best eats. But during her stay there, she says, the quality changed. "When the economy went down, so did the food," she told us. Her number-one complaint? Too much chicken. All of a sudden, it seemed, chicken was for dinner most every night. She surmises it's cheaper to serve chicken than any other meat.

by Beth Goulart

I’m a dial-up girl in a high-speed internet world. That’s not to say that I’m high-tech illiterate. I built my own website and contribute to several blogs and even know how to use my cell phone. It’s just that I’d rather pick up the phone than log onto Facebook. To me, “my space” is my office. Curiosity inspired me to sign up for Twitter, that latest-and-greatest tool for communicating life’s tiniest details to the world at-large, but I rarely “tweet.” The truth is, if I find a spare few seconds, I’d rather wash the breakfast dishes. Or throw a ball for my Border collie. Or stretch.

Imagine my surprise when social networking came to my rescue in the kitchen.

Green Chili Pork Stew
    3 1/4 lb. pork butt, trimmed of fat
and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
    1 lb. onions, diced
    8 ounces poblano peppers, diced
    1/8 cup garlic, chopped
    1/8 cup cumin powder
    1/8 cup coriander powder
    1/8 cup jalapeno powder
    1/8 cup New Mexico green chili powder
    1/16 cup granulated garlic
    1/8 cup onion powder
    12 ounces water
    Salt to taste
Sweat the vegetables in a little oil. Add pork and seasonings and stir well. Add water and simmer until tender. Skim fat and season with salt.

by Beth Goulart

I love to eat. And I love to travel. And in my book, there's no better combination than eating while traveling. So on a getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last week, my husband and I ate. Eating is essential, of course. But we ate. We made meals a cornerstone of our every blissful day. We sought out a hole-in-the-wall taquería, and we asked for the freshest catch at the sushi bar on the beach. We bumbled through menus in a language we don't speak, gesticulating and wordlessly vocalizing as necessary to communicate that we wanted the house specialty. We detoured to a tiny mountain village to find Manuela, a widow who, we'd heard, made and sold goat cheese. We asked our airport-to-hotel driver what restaurant not to miss and made sure we went there.

In honor of our fabulous February issue, our magazine staff brainstormed inspired options for Cupid's list. We came up with terrific food, fantastic getaway options and, of course, jewelry!

Dripping Springs Bloody Mary

1 ½ oz Dripping Springs Vodka

6 oz tomato juice

2 t fresh lemon juice

1 t seeded chipotle peppers in adobo

1/8 t tamari

2 full turns freshly ground black pepper

kosher salt

lemon wedge

Place all ingredients aside from the salt and lemon wedge in a blender. Puree until peppers are liquefied. With lemon wedge, coat the lip of a large Bordeaux glass and rim with kosher salt. Gently shake off excess salt. Fill with cracked ice. Pour in contents of the blender. Experience rapture.

Editor's note: Before he launched Brasserie Pavil in December, popular San Antonio chef Scott Cohen co-authored a cookbook celebrating Central Texas food and flavors. Below are excerpts and recipes from the book--Jamie's Chili and Broiled Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit with Mexican Sweet Chile Salt and Cider Vinegar. These winter treats with a Texas kick are fun options for your Valentine's Day celebration!

By Beth Goulart

The holidays are really upon us now, but you've still got time to whip up one last edible Texas gift. Salty Texas Pecan Caramels showcase the state's number one horticultural crop - and they're festive and tasty, too.  A surprise twist of good flaky salt gives them a savory-sweet flavor that folks will talk about all year.

[recipe after the jump]

By Beth Goulart

Local citrus is one of our greatest assets as Texans. Like so many wonderful things, though, our local citrus is seasonal. Marmalades are a great way to preserve local citrus for enjoyment throughout the year. Even better, a jar of marmalade makes a very tasty holiday gift.

Fans of the long-running Texas Country Reporter will enjoy whipping up these recipes from host Bob Phillips' kitchen.

By Beth Goulart

Nothing beats a homemade gift during the holidays. And whether your intended recipient is a party host or an out-of-state aunt, it's hard to beat Sweet-Hot Spiced Texas Pecans. This recipe hails from my mother's kitchen and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Alter the cayenne to taste, and make sure it's fresh. Cayenne loses its heat when it sits too long in the pantry, and its zing combined with sweetness is what makes these nuts special. To make sure you get Texas pecans, read the label before you buy. Pecans are our state's biggest crop, but you may find "foreign" ones in Texas grocery stores, too.

From sweet to savory, nuts take a primary place on holiday menus every year.

Betty Delmore, owner of Houston’s Fredlyn Nut Company, says close to 40 percent of the company’s business happens in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. “We do a lot of corporate gift packages, but we have all kinds of customers,” Delmore says. “We sell a lot of Spanish peanuts for peanut brittle at the holidays.”

She and her staff, she admits, are curious about what people make with the nuts they buy. “Chefs love honey toasted pecans for salads, and some people use them to make pecan pies,” Delmore says. “A lot of people make candy with pecans, peanuts or walnuts.” For eating out of hand, many try the firm’s deluxe mix of cashews, pecans, almonds and Brazil nuts. Fredlyn sells some 12,000 pounds of it from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
 

For a little restaurant practically in the middle of nowhere, Café Cenizo in West Texas has built quite a reputation since executive chef Paul Petersen started cooking up his fiery cuisine.

Sporting a black-and-red chef’s jacket and standing over a flaming pan in his kitchen, Petersen appears every bit as bold as how he describes his “rustic, yet refined” cuisine.
“It’s been billed as Texas elegance,” he says. “I use Texas ingredients as much as possible, but I cook very French.”

More than two years ago, Petersen was recruited to the rural Gage Hotel café in Marathon, Texas, from the cosmopolitan Austin area, where he was chef and owner of the Little Texas Bistro. Now, fans from hundreds of miles away flock by car, helicopter or private plane to the fine, yet unpretentious hotel eatery, located 40 miles from the Big Bend National Park. Everyone from local wealthy cattle ranchers to vacationing big-city folks dine there on tables adorned with white linens and sparkling stemware.
 

1 3/4 cups raw peanuts

1 cup sugar

(Makes 8 servings)

3/4     cup granulated sugar
1        teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2     teaspoon salt
1/2     teaspoon ground ginger
1/4     teaspoon ground cloves
2        large eggs
1        can (15 ounces) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin

In a slow cooker, simmer 1 bottle of apple juice with 6 cinnamon sticks, 1 oz. whole cloves, 1 oz. whole allspice, 2 sliced granny smith apples, one bag fresh cranberries, and one unpeeled medium orange. Allow the fragrant brew to simmer for 2 hours before serving, adding water if necessary.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove skin from ham. Score fat on ham in a diamond design, and stud with whole cloves. Combine preserves, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Ask anyone in the Fredericksburg area about locally grown peaches, and they'll say, "There's just something about our peaches." Then their expressions change, as if they're still savoring those first juicy bites after the annual peach harvest.

Check out these great recipes from Ham Orchard, Hill Country Fruit Council, Rebecca Rather-Rather Sweet Bakery Fredericksburg, and more!

Learn secrets from a Texas chef who defeated Bobby Flay in one of America's favorite TV cooking show challenges.