Savory Choice Broth

Savory Choice's broth line is a good alternative to the morning cup of miso soup. (photo by Courtney)

At Fancy Food West I picked up some samples of Savory Choice's line of broths and demi glace. I was intrigued by their product because it is sold in really small quantities - broth comes in boxes with as few as four individual packets, and the demi glace retails in a single unit.

The broth comes as a thick liquid in a single-serving pouch. (photo by Courtney)

For my breakfast soup this morning, I tried the beef broth instead of our usual miso soup. As I often do with the miso soup, I mixed in a couple of sliced mushrooms and scallions. The result was quite good, with a distinct beef flavor that was not too salty. Because the broth is already in liquid form, it mixes up as quickly as instant miso, without having to stir and blend, as you must with Better than Bouillon. Although Better than Bouillon remains my favorite line of bases for cooking, I would definitely use the Savory Choice broth for a quick cup of broth to drink, and appreciate having a new choice for breakfast.

Sous Vide Wagyu Beef Brisket with Pepper Sauce

Wagyu beef brisket is perfectly tender and has just enough of a bite after cooking in the sous vide with a handful of peppers. (photo by Courtney)

I am not obsessed, just lazy. Really. These little slices of heaven resulted from total inattention on my part as Kameko-san (the sous vide) cooked some Wagyu brisket (from D'Artagnan) for 36 hours with a dozen kung pao peppers, a teaspoon of juniper extract, and a dash of Peychaud's bitters. So good, I didn't bother with salt and pepper. The juices were so spicy they would have been overpowering made into a gravy. I've saved them for use in very small doses.

Sous Vide Cauliflower with Herb Butter and Duxelles

Sous Vide cauliflower with herbal butter has subtle herbal notes throughout. (photo by Courtney)

This is the first time I've used the sous vide for cruciferous vegetables. They cook at a higher temperature (83.5C) than meat and take longer in the sous vide than if you just steam them, so it's a bit inconvenient for me. I had received a set of flavored butters from Epicurean Butter to try, and needed the gentle heat of the sous vide so that I could cook the veggies with the butter without losing the aromatics, and that prompted me to finally use Kameko-san for this purpose. Easy instructions after the jump.

Easy Food Pr0n: Walleye with Bacon, Herb Butter and Duxelles

Sliced herb butter and duxelles dress up a simple bacon-fish entree. (photo by Courtney)

Mondays is rehearsal night, so I like something quick. Super-easy recipe (assuming you've already made the Duxelles) after the jump.

Worthy Successor?

Sonja takes an interest before, during, and after eating. Here she has eschewed her normal spot in front of the vent for the raised vantage point of the dishwasher. (photo by Courtney)

Sonja may turn out to be a kitchen goddess. While a bit shy to sit in laps, she is Right There in the kitchen, and on the table, as well. She is far quieter than Kitchen Goddess Nadja but no less imperious, and has no problem accepting her Kitchen Goddess tithes, which she dispatches with authority.

With Sergei's encouragement, I'm sure, Sonja makes sure all dishes to be washed are pre-cleaned. (photo by Courtney)

Not content with food as it's being prepared and served, she also keeps an eye on the aftermath. Shortly after the picture above was taken, I heard a small clatter. Having managed to pull out the top shelf and take a plastic container down, she was busy pre-cleaning it. She also has dragged out the cutlery to be sure all are free of visible residue. And who says cats (or goddesses) aren't helpful?

In other news, I'll be away from the computer for a week or so, partially to visit Fancy Food West and hopefully pick up some new ideas. Back soon!

1966 WDEC - Steamed Egg-Parmesan Pudding

Served with greens and tomatoes, the steamed pudding makes a full meal. (photo by Joachim)

I can't resist steamed pudding, and this looked like it would be filling enough for a dinner entree. So. Recipe after the jump.

1966 WDEC - Eggs Hongroise

Eggs Hongroise have a sauce dominated by paprika. (photo by Courtney)

Moving up another letter in the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery to "E." I chose not to make Eclairs; much though I love them, they are very complex to make and I'm fortunate enough to live near a bakery that makes extremely good pastry. "Eel" would be a logical thing to try, but the two northern European recipes provided paired them with onions and celery and white sauce, and I think I'd rather try something with a cleaner and more interesting sauce than that. So this brings me to "Egg" and "How to Cook Supeerbly: Eggs and Omelets." The article writer, Helen Evans Brown, is especially fond of the omelet, "a cook's best friend...quick, inexpensive, versatile, and impressive...elegant enough to serve to your fanciest friends and nutritious enough for a family meal."

I've decided to make one recipe of each egg style, and the first section is devoted to hard cooked eggs. While there are several ideas for stuffed eggs and a couple of summer salad molds, I was in the mood for something warm for a cold day. Paprika is what makes these eggs "Hongriose" - in the Hungarian style. Recipe after the jump.