Mushroom CrackToast - Best in LA

Mushroom Toast is my favorite go-to appetizer / snack at the moment. It is so incredibly packed with flavor and richness and just mouth watering savory decadence that it’s absolutely perfect for a cold winter’s day. And I have to be honest, over the holidays I was not afraid to have this for breakfast!

My obsession began a few years ago when I first dined at Gjelina in LA, where Chef Travis Lett serves up the best MT in town. But I thought I may be able to do one better – not because I can cook better than Travis by any possible stretch of the imagination, but because I can spend a bit more on the ingredients (perhaps) and solely use Chanterelle Mushrooms, which if you have not had them, are absolute gold. While in the 1700s they were reserved for the tables of nobility, you can find chanterelles at many gormet markets these days. I get mine at the farmer’s market from LA Funghi, who have amsolutely amazing shrooms (http://www.lafunghi.com/)

What you need:
A good handful of chanterelle mushrooms.
Butter, Olive Oil
White wine
Red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Garlic - 1 clove
Cream

Heat up your pan to high, throw in your butter and olive oil and get it melting (but not brown) as soon at the butter is melted, ass your mushrooms and turn the heat down to Med. High. Add a good pinch of salt and some pepper. Stir your mushrooms around, coating them in olive oil and butter. When they look well coated and are starting to become tender, turn the heat back to high and add in a glass of white wine, it should bubble up a bit and when it does, back the heat off to med. Let the wine and mushrooms cook down for about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put a nice piece of sourdough toast in the toaster oven, or grill it on a grill pan if you want to get fancy, until your toast is a nice golden brown. While the toast is in the oven, quickly peel a clove of garlic. Take the toast out and rub it with your clove of garlic – it’s amazing how this hint of garlic completes the dish. I just made it again for a friend this weekend and forgot to, and instantly I said “This is off…something’s missing. It’s ok, but not great.” And it wasn’t until just now that I remembered that I forgot to rub my bread with garlic.

Check on the shrooms. They should be nice and soft and most, but not all, of the wine should have cooked off. Taste your mushrooms. They should taste really nice, well seasoned with salt and pepper and should have a real richness to them – almost too rich. Get your seasoning straight, then add a splash, like a capful of Red Wine vinegar, to add a little twang and subdue the rich flavor. Then, turn the heat to low and stir in a touch of cream, until the white wine has become a beautiful creamy sauce.

Then, grab a plate, put your toast on it, and scoop on your mushrooms, finishing by spooning that sauce on, which will get sopped up by the bread…like when you did a baguette into the leftover butter sauce from clams or mussles.  If this dish does not completely blow your mind and instantly put you into a happy mood, then you have serious issues my friend…

Mark Manguerra's Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander and Chili

This is a "re-blog" of Mark Manguerra's brilliant recipe, from his blog No Special Effects.  I've cooked this three times, including on Thanksgiving, and it was amazing!!!

What you need:

500g head (18-oz) of cauliflower, washed, green leaves removed and cut into florets (half-florets if you want extra crunch)

sea salt

olive oil (add a knob of butter that has been melted for serious flavor, but I wanted to keep it wholesome)

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or 2 dried chilis)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Make sure the cauliflower is completely dry by patting it in between paper towels. In a sheet pan or roasting pan, toss the florets with a good glug of olive oil. In a mortar, bash the spices with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle over the florets evenly and toss well. Make sure they are laid out in a single layer on the pan. Roast in the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes, then give them a good toss to ensure even cooking, and roast for 10 minutes more or until the edges are brown and crunchy. Serve immediately.

My Thanksgiving Beer Can Turkey!!!

That's not a chicken it's a turkey baby, yeah!!

Full disclosure:  I have been absolutely obsessed with cooking birds on the beer can this year.  Why?  Because it consistently makes the absolute best poultry on the panet and is incredibly simple to do.  The reason is because you're steaming the inside of the bird and infusing it with flavors at the same time as you're roasting it.  The result?  A beautifully crispy bird that is flavorful and incredibly moist.  I've done this with chicken plenty of times, but this Thanksgiving, I got the wild idea to do it with a Turkey... 

Now, for years I have listened to people tell me how to properly cook a Turkey, and everyone has their own idea on how to do it : "Brine it".  "Cook in in a bag".  "Cook it breast side down, then flip it at the end for color".  "Put cheese cloth on it to keep in the moisture".  "...the real key is basting it every 20 minutes". 

There is more discussion around how people cook their turkeys than just about anything else, and quite honestlly, the results are usually just ok.  Not to mention the fact that people spend hours and hours prepping and roasting their bird.  "There's got to be a better way!", I thought to myself...and so, I decided to try the old Whiskey Tango (aka White Trash) special:  Beer Can Turkey.   And I swear to you, this was the best turkey I have ever had.  Crispy, moist and packed with gorgeous flavors.  And the best part is, it took me about 15 minutes to prep, and 1 hour and 45 minutes to cook the 9lb bird.

Here's what you need:

Turkey - I suggest using smaller Turkeys, which first of all are more flavorful, and secondly, you need to make sure that your turkey(s) are small enough to fit under your grill the long way, with a beer can in it.

1 oil can of Fosters
1 bottle of a hoppy, really flavorful beer, I used "2 Below", by New Belgium Brewery.
4-5 sprigs of rosemary
4-5 sprigs of time
olive oil, salt and pepper
Gas or propane BBQ
Meat thermometer

First off, rinse your turkey in cold water and pat dry.  Then rub generously all over with salt, inside and out.  Put it in the fridge and let it sit for at least 2 hours -- you can even do it over night.  I did 3 hours and it was perfect.  But before you start cooking, make sure that you've taken your bird out of the fidge at given it enough time to get to room temperature.  You don't want to cook a cold bird.  When you're ready to start cooking your bird, go outside and turn on your BBQ at full whack, close the lid and get it piping hot.  Should be 400-500 degrees.  Now go back inside, grind some fresh pepper all over your turkey and rub it generously all over with extra virgin olive oil.

Now open your can of fosters and pour out 3/4 of it.  Then, take a the sharp end of a bottle opener, or a knife and punch 4-5 holes in the top of the beer can -- these are vents for your beautiful perfumed steam to come out of.  Now, pour in 1/2 of your other, more flavorful beer.  You really want to use something with some flavor here, but keep it gold or amber in color -- don't use Guinness or a brown ale or anything.  Fat Tire is a also good choice or even a wheat beer.  For chicken, I would use a citrusy beer, like Hoegaarden or Shock Top...anyway -

Now take your sprigs of thyme and rosemary, give them a rinse and shove them into the can.  These guys are going to boil and steam the flavor right into the meat of the turkey...

Take your bird and beer can outside.  TURN OFF the center burners of your BBQ, but leave the outside ones on, making your BBQ just like an oven, with no direct heat on the bird.  Here comes the difficult part, one person can do it, but two is better.  You need to insert the beer can into the cavity of the turkey, without spilling the beer into it, then you set the beer can on the grill, using the legs of the bird like a tripod to hold it in place.  It's surprisingly easy to balance.  Gently close the lid to the BBQ as to not knock your turkey over, and cook until internal temperature reaches 165...mine 9.5lb bird took 1 hr 45 minutes. 

When it's ready remove from the grill -- careful not to spill the remaining beer inside, and pull out the beer can using pot-holders or oven mitts.  The can will be really hot.  Then take your bird inside, cover with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.  if you try to carve it while it's piping hot, you will shred your bird. 

Uncover the foil carve and get ready for the most flavorful, moist turkey, with the crispiest skin you have ever tasted!   

Cheesy Toast

If you're like me, you prefer something savory for breakfast.  I'm not much for flapjacks, waffles or french toast...once in a blue moon maybe, but day to day, I only like my sweets after dinner.

 Now, good cooking doesn't always have to be elaborate or fancy; sometimes simple is best and that's what cheese toast is.

Who doesn't love cheese toast?  It's phenomenal and a great quick thing to throw together in 5 minutes before you run out the door.

What you need:
1 slice of sourdough toast, preferably Francisco International, it's the best...I'm a sourdough fanatic.
Small handful of shredded parmesan
Small handful of shredded Greyure
1 clove garlic (optional)

Put your toast in the toaster oven (or toaster if you don't have a TO) and toast it halfway. 
When done, take it out, slice your garlic clove in half and rub it on the bread, just to get the essence in there.  If you're worried about your breath you can skip this step, but you'll be sorry!
Take your parmesan and put it on the toast first, spread it evenly, then spread out the greyure on top.  Put it back into the toaster oven (or in the oven on broil) set to broil and cook until the cheese starts to bubble and look delicious.

You start your day off with that, and things will be turning up roses...

Shouts out to Russia, Australia, Canada and Germany for checking out the blog this week!

Wild Duck Pasta ala Jamie Oliver

This dish is one of my absolute favorites and perfect for the holidays.  The wine, garlic, duck and cinnamon make your house smell like Christmas morning.  It's time and love intensive, but well worth the effort.  

Now, I'm a hunter and have been duck hunting ever since I was a kid.  The problem with duck hunting is that when you're done hunting, you have a ton of ducks and most people don't know what to do with them -- myself included!  Wild duck is much different than raised or farmed duck that you get in a restaurant or store. They're smaller, not nearly as fatty, and have a much gamier flavor. Also, because they're migratory birds, the meat is much tougher than ducks that grew up on a farm. For years, I have gone to "duck dinners", large dinner parties where the hosts cook up a massive batch of ducks for a huge group of people, in hopes of getting rid of all of their duck meat for the year. With enough wine flowing, you usually manage to put a good dent in your haul, but it's tough to muscle 2 whole ducks down, that aren't cooked with care.

So, this recipe from my man Jamie has been a lifesaver.  It's in "Cook with Jamie", which is my favorite alltime cookbook.  In his book, it's called Gorgeous Slow Cooked Duck Pasta.  Now, I can't get my hands on enough ducks, and get requests to make this dish all the time.

What you need: 
2 Wild Ducks or 1 Raised Duck
6 Rosemary stalks, leaves taken off and chopped
6 Slices of Pancetta, chopped
1 Red Onion, diced
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, sliced
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Oranges

1 28oz can of whole, peeled, plum tomatoes

1/2 bottle fruity red wine, like a zin

Handful of golden raisins

Handful of pine nuts

Red wine vinegar

1 lb pasta, rigatoni, fettuccine or pappardelle are my faves for this.

First - roast your ducks.  Pre-heat your oven to 350F, salt and pepper your ducks, inside and out, then rub olive oil all over the outside.  Quarter one of the oranges, squeeze the juice into the cavity, then stuff 2 of the orange slices into each duck.  Roast, breast-side down in a roasting pan, for two hours, turning every 30 minutes. 

Now, I don't roast my ducks in the oven...  Funny story, when my dad was ill, he started watching TV, which he never did before, and become fond of the Home Shopping Network.  One day, a package arrived at my door -- it was the RONCO "Showtime" Rotisserie.  My dad watched the infomercial for an hour or so, and was so excited about it that he had to buy it for me...he was medicated at the time, I'm sure.  But, I gotta say, this thing really works!  I've made incredible roast chicken and pork on it, and for duck it is outstanding.  Easy to clean, too.  Thanks, dad.  So, roast or Ronco your ducks, and while that's going on, chop all your veggies. 

Get a large pot going on med heat, add a little olive oil and your pancetta.  Cook until golden.  Then, add your diced red onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery, rosemary, cinnamon stick, and garlic. Cook slowly until it all softens up, then add the 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes (drained).  Let that cook for a few minutes, then add your wine. Let simmer for about an hour.

When your ducks are roasted, take it out and let it cool, then strip all of the meat off the ducks.  Shred the duck meat and add it to the sauce.  Using 2 forks to pull apart the sliced duck meat works well.  But really spend some time shredding it up -- this will make your duck tender and gorgeous.  Then add that into the pot, cover, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, I recommend an hour an a half.  Check the consistency.  If too dry, add some more wine or a bit of water.  If too thin, take the top off and let it cook down.

When you're ready to eat, boil your pasta and when it's ready, toss it into the pot, and stir.  Than grate in the zest of 1 orange, and add in a good handful of your raisins, pine nuts and Parmesan.  Mix it in, plate, add a little parsley, and Happy Hunting.   

Awesome Cooking Blogs!

I recently discovered two AWESOME cooking blogs:

The Paupered Chef - www.thepauperedchef.com, by Nick Kindelsperger and Blake Royer, professional food writers and cocktail enthusiasts.

and

No Special Effects - http://manggy.blogspot.com, by Mark Manguerra - a 20 something(maybe now 30 something?) amateur chef from the Philippines, who is a Doctor in real life.

These are two really incredible sites with recipes that are right up my alley. Last night my wife made some amazing Califlower roasted with Cumin, Corriander and Chili from No Special Effects. It was out of this world.

I debated whether or not to share these blogs, because once you go to these sites, you may never visit The Regular Guy Again!

The bar has been raised, so I've gotta step up my game big time.

Finding Inspiration

Just got back from my annual fall trip to Montana. So incredibly beautiful and peaceful there.

What was I doing in Montana?

Well, wait for it...wait for it...

Hunting.

GULP.

I know that many readers out there may have an issue with hunting, and I can tell you that I sometimes find myself conflicted about it as well. But, at the end of the day, I'm not a vegetarian and I believe that hunting is actually a much more humane way to provide meat for your family than buying it from growers. Even when you buy organic and free range meat and poultry, those animals are being farmed versus living free until the end. They have good lives and are eating completely naturally. There's nothing more organic than that.

If you haven't seen the wonderful documentay FOOD INC., I highly suggest you check it out. It's a really informative film, done by the guy who wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Anyway, Montana's natural beauty and game provided me with some culinary inspiration -- great dishes for pheasant, duck, wild turkey and venison coming your way, right in time for the holidays.