Monday, August 29, 2011

No Power...

Power is down at The Snack Bowl Central this week...So hopefully things will be back to normal next week. Stay Tuned!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Sous Vide Duck Breast w/Plum Chipotle Sauce

Being in the path of Hurricane Irene this weekend, I figured I'd cook something extravagant...just in case we lose power for a couple days...

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Lamb Meatballs w/Tzatziki Sauce


Lamb Meatballs w/Tzatziki Sauce
Makes About 14-15 2oz(Golf Ball Sized) Meatballs
1lb. Ground Lamb
1 Medium Onion(Small Dice)
2 Garlic Cloves(Minced)
1 egg
3 Tbsp Milk
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
1/4 tsp Cayenne(Optional)
1 tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Fresh Mint(Finely Chopped)
1/2 Cup Feta Cheese
Fresh Ground Pepper and Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil


Tzatziki Sauce(Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
3/4 Cup Plain Low Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup  Peeled and Seeded Cucumber(Diced)
1 tsp Dill (Fresh or Dried)
1/2 Fresh Squeezed Lemon
1 clove Minced Garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Heat 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil on Medium Heat in a small skillet for 3 mins. Add diced onions and sweat for 5-7 mins...stirring occasionally.  Add the Garlic and stir for about 1 min. Remove and set aside to cool.
Once the onion and garlic have cooled, Combine with Lamb, Bread Crumbs, Milk, egg and Herbs in a bowl.
Cover and let sit in the fridge for 30 mins.
Prepare the Feta by cutting into 1/2" cubes.
Remove meat from fridge and roll the meatballs, pressing one of the Feta Cubes into the center of each meatball.
Place the covered meatballs in the fridge overnight.


Combine Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce and Refrigerate overnight as well.


Preheat oven to 425°F
Set a rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
Arrange the meatballs on the rack and place in the oven for 15-20 mins...until the Meatballs are browned. Remove and tent with foil for atleast 10 mins.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Brunch!

Basil and Gruyere French Omelet w/Sriracha and Diner Style Home Fries

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Spicy Tuna Melt






















The Snack Bowl Tuna Salad Recipe:
Makes 2 servings

1 can of White Albacore Tuna(In Water)
1 Hard Boiled Egg(Diced)
1 Small Jalapeno(Diced)- seeds and ribs removed
1/2 Small Red Onion(Diced)
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1.5 Tbsp Reduced Fat Mayo
1 Tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha Sauce
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Grated Colby Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese

Pile it on top of  your favorite crusty bread and broil until the cheese is melted.


Flank Steak Tacos
























Marinated Charcoal Grilled Flank Steak with Corn Tortillas, Sour Cream, Cabbage, Queso Fresco, Salsa Bandera, Pickled Onions, Jalapenos and Bell Peppers

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Sous Vide Cooked Deep Fried Egg Yolks

























So to reveal what they are. Thanks to Scott at Seattle Food Geek for the recipe and the plans to the DIY Sous Vide Water Cooker
Egg Yolks...cooked Sous Vide...then breaded with Whole Wheat Flour, Baking Powder, Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper. Then quickly fried and garnished with Lemon Zest.

I think I can make these twice a year. Any more and I see a bypass in my future. ;)

My Sous Vide Cooker
Eggs in the Sous Vide
Post Cook...resting in a bowl of water




Egg whites washed away to reveal fully cooked yolks

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Peach Raspberry Crumble


With the overabundance of fresh peaches and berries in the summertime, it's the perfect time to make delicious desserts. This is a fave of mine and can be made and other fruit can be substituted. It's a great dessert for the fall with Apples. So feel free to get creative.

I made this recipe in 4 individual sized ramekins but you could also make it in a casserole dish.

Recipe:
3-4 Peaches -- sliced
1 pint Fresh Raspberries
1 C Rolled Oats
3/4 C AP Flour
3/4 C Brown Sugar -- firmly packed
4 Tbsp Butter -- softened
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat an oven to 375°F
Layer the Peaches and Raspberries in the container and fill it almost to the top...alternating between the Peaches and Berries.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a spatula or your hands until completely combined.
Crumble the mix over the fruit to cover.
Place the dish or dishes on a baking sheet just in case anything spills. Place in the oven for 30 mins or until the crumble is browned and the fruit is bubbling up a little.
Remove from the oven and let stand atleast 15 mins before serving.
Serve with Cream, Ice Cream or some fresh berries on top.
So easy. So tasty and perfect for this time of year with all the fresh peaches and berries. Let me know if you try it and if you change anything!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Meatopia! BBQ NYC 2011

The entrance to Pier 5
Meatopia started out as a private Birthday Celebration for Food Writer Josh Ozersky, and has, in the past 2 years, blossomed into a full fledged BBQ Festival. With some of the country's greatest chefs sauteing, smoking, grilling, sous viding and butchering every cut of meat from a plethora of animals.

"Which Chefs and Which Animals were available at the 2nd incarnation of MEATOPIA?" you ask? So glad you did! Close to 50 Teams were collected. From traveling BBQ Squads, to World Famous Celeb TV Chefs to High End NYC Restaurant Crews pumping out succulent morsels for the 5 hour event, set on the East River, overlooking NY Harbor. Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park was the perfect setting for the 2nd year of Meatopia(2010 was set up on Governor's Island, just a stone's throw across the water) Although the festival was set for the majority of the public to enter at 5:30pm and continue til the gut-bustingly generous hour of 9:30, the sun was blazing but heat-be-damned, we plowed through and enjoyed the offerings.

 Le Menu du MEAT
This may look daunting...and in many ways it was. But check out this menu/map and see if you're not curious enough to attend next year...with gloves, antacids and bib in tow. I could write pages and pages about this event...from the Singing Chef's of The Meatball Shop proclaiming that their Spicy Lamb Sloppy Joe's will cure all your worldly woes, to the 750lb beef carcass being offered by Pat LaFrieda...it was a meat lover's paradise, both visually and gastronomically.

Some of the food that was sampled this year, which sealed the deal for me to purchase a ticket to enter the 3rd year of Meatopia...

I present my first entry at TheSnackBowl...Meatopia 2011

Spicy Lamb Sloppy Joe from The Meatball Shop

Lamb Belly Sliders from 42

Pulled Pork Shooters(Pulled Pork, Coleslaw, Cornbread) from 4 Rivers Smokehouse

Blood Sausage w/Sous Vide Quail Egg from Bar Basque

Mangalitsa Pig's Head Torchon with Horseradish and Mustard Seed Vinaigrette Green Beans from Edi and The Wolf

Burnt Ends Sammy with Pickled Pepper and Onions from RUB BBQ


Roast Chicken wtih Foie Gras Crouton

Duck from the Hurricane Club


Some Obligatory Sunset Shots...