Home made pasta for dinner

I have not forgotten that I have a blog, it is just that not getting a lot of cooking done of late.  This is good for my favorite BBQ joint, less good for my wallet.  Does this mean I will not be there for stuffed jalapenos on Saturdays, well, no it does not.  Anyways, the knee felt mediocre, so to the kitchen.  I threw together some pasta combining one egg with enough flour ( I use 50/50 all-purpose flour and semolina flour), a couple pinches of salt and a little kneading.  After a one hour rest to hydrate and rest the gluten.  It gets rolled, hand cut and allowed to dry on a rack.

I also used some jar sauce, fried it up with a little olive oil, some Lucky Dog Hawaiian Pepper hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.  Once the pasta had tried for a couple hours, I boiled it for 3 to 4 minutes, since it was fairly random and thick pasta, the minute extra got it to al dente.  I think it needed maybe even a minute more as it turned out.

I added the pasta and a little pasta water to thicken the tomato sauce and plated. Fairly low in protein and very filling.  I ended up eating only half of what is in the photo.

A little more fresh black pepper ground on top and dinner was complete.

Yakisoba Fridge Challenge

Well, as the recovery goes along, I am finding that some days are better than others.  Last night was one of those nights that I did not feel up to getting out for some groceries, so, it was time to forage in the kitchen for something to put together.  Now, coming off of having been sick, the freezer and refrigerator are not as well stocked as normal, but, the spice rack and pantry is still there.

I found a package of ramen, a package of frozen mixed vegetables, some fresh-ish myoga and a stub of liguica (conveniently just about 2-3 ounces).  So, I decided on yakisoba, Japanese style fried noodles, which is not usually made with ramen noodles.  I also found some Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce, some Furikake and a small pack of katsuo-boshi.  This could actually work.

A small lexicon:
Myoga - A form of ginger plant, the Japanese eat the fresh shoots as well as the blossoms. It has a complex flavor with ginger overtones.
Yakisoba - Literally translates as 'fried noodles', it is more of a street food in Japan. Use a type of noodle called Chukasoba normally.
Furikake - A mix of dried seaweed, sesame seeds, chile peppers and other spices and seasonings. Typically served on rice dishes.
Katsuo-boshi - Flakes of dried bonito, resembles wood shavings, has a strong fish taste.  A staple of Japanese cuisine.
Japanese Worcestershire sauce - sweeter and milder than English Worcestershire sauce, they do not substitute for each other.

And off we go, I boiled up the ramen then allowed it to air dry for 15 minutes. This removes the moisture and makes frying the noodles go so much better.  I then took the katsuo-boshi and myoga, sliced thinly, and fried it in several tablespoons of safflower oil to season the oil, I removed the katsuo-boshi and myoga and added the vegetables to saute up until about half done (2-3 mins).  I would normally have left the Myoga in, but, it was a little woody in the center as the buds were not truly fresh.  The veggies were removed and the linguica, sliced very thinly, was added in to brown.  The sausage was removed and the noddles added back in, then the veggies and sausage were put on top.  At this point, I added a small amount of the Worcerstershire sauce over the veggies.  I allowed the noodles to brown on the bottom (perhaps 3 to4 minutes at med-high heat). I then tossed the mess, threw in 1/8 cup of water and covered to steam for a few minutes. I sprinkled the Furikake over the noodles, which adds a great seasoning to noodles, especially since I lacked the more traditional aonori flakes.

Plated on my finest disposable tableware, I would note that it is very difficult to photograph fried noodles. Somehow they just end up looking like a mess on the plate.  But, this was a simple and filling dinner which stayed within my ludicrous protein allotment.

Protein...and not being a vegetabletarian

One of  the interesting aspects of my recent adventure into the health care system has been yet another interesting tidbit of information about how we fuel out bodies, and how interesting that process can become.  While undergoing the many tests and analysis of my somewhat deteriorated condition, it was discovered that I needed to pay more attention to how my previously massive protein consumption has affected my kidney function.  And a bit about that whole kidney function thing.

One of the myths many of use operate on is that we have these miraculous kidneys, and that they can heal themselves, that we have two (hence a spare, if you will) and that they function like filters sort of like an oil filter for our blood.  To some degree, these ideas are more true for your kidneys than they are for say, your pancreas or liver. However, they are filters that cannot be changed or flushed, it turns out that two kidneys are sort of the norm, and one is not a spare and that while they have some ability to heal themselves, they have a finite life span, which means, so do you.  One of the things that can actually damage a weakened kidney is protein.

So how much is too much, interesting question, as there are different needs based upon how you live and exercise.  My current situation finds me limited to 6 ounces or so per day, in grams this would be 198 grams of protein.  Prior to this latest round of illness, when actively weight training, I would supplement close to 50 grams of protein per post workout recovery drink and closer to 8 ounces of meat (226 grams) or other protein per meal.  I was ingesting closer to 700 to 800 grams of protein per day.  For a healthy kidney, this is simply excess material to be processed and dumped.  With a compromised kidney, much of this protein ends up as residual material that can lead to clogging and failure.  Certainly vegetarianism holds the answer, that is what everyone seems to think.

Of course, this would be simple, life is so rarely simple.  Vegetable protein is not a direct substitution for meat based proteins, the chemical constituents such as mineral content and amino acid structure vary widely between animal and plant.  The minerals phosphorous, potassium, magnesium and sodium play key roles in the muscular function (think heart here) of the body, the composition of amino acids in plants is often not complete in singular form and then there is the pesky matter of hormones in everything.  Faced with my particular situation in which potassium and phosphorous is excessive and magnesium and sodium are deficient, it turns out that plant based protein sources are actually potentially more damaging than lean meats to my overall dietary requirements. Staples in my prior diet, things such as bananas, beans, whole grains and soy are now foods I have been directed to avoid. Meats such as poultry, fish and lean cuts of pork are now the items that I am to build my diet around.  Anyone who has paid attention to 'common wisdom' in today's nutrition culture would be surprised to find that vegetarian protein is not the panacea to our dietary woes.

What is a BBQ aficionado to do. A big part of my passion for BBQ is eating the low cost, gristly, fatty cuts of meat such as ribs, brisket and pork shoulder, and in mass quantities too boot.  I am not certain if the direction I will be taking from here, although there are some references in my life that I am thinking about.  Growing up, we lived with my grandmother, in fact, I cannot remember a time in my life as a child that a grandparent did not live with us.  And their diet was very Japanese in nature, this meant limited protein, heavy on vegetables such as leafy greens, roots, herbs and fruit.  I also grew up at least in part in a rural setting, we grew out vegetables and they held a lot of the table space as well. I think in coming posts, I will begin to explore this avenue to cuisine, and as I return to the kitchen, I will cook in a manner that is more in keeping with this thinking.

Does this mean no more smoking, hardly likely.  For me, BBQ has never been about sitting here eating my cooking by myself.  As opportunities arise, I will do as I have done all my life and cook for others.  Those who do not share my particular disability can still enjoy mass amounts of meat, I can still be the guy who cooks it. In terms of this blog, there will still be some pork butts burned up, some brisket flame dried and a few oddly cooked tri-tips, it is just that there will also be a little more of those heritage dishes along the way.

I was NOT on vacation

Well, I am back, more or less.  I had a brief interlude with the medical professions after having an 'minor' infection expand into something altogether life threatening.  The details not being altogether that interesting, or even fully understood, I managed to land in the hospital for 14 days with some pretty serious challenges to overcome.  It is amazing that with no external trauma or dramatic acts, you can somehow just fade into dire condition.  It is also amazing what the medical profession can do to keep you ticking while your body heals itself.

This little interlude will have an effect on this blog however.  I have been directed to make a concerted effort to limit my daily protein intake to no more than 7 ounces of protein er day.  Yes, per day, 7 ounces, I mean, 7 ounces of meat is a snack!  That means my daily limit if now similar to what I used to eat for a single meal. I anticipate that I will not really return to cooking for another week or two and this return will be marked by some changes, I suppose, to how I eat.

I suppose when you see changes like this, they are best faced as challenges to one's knowledge and skill.  How will BBQ fit into my new dietary lifestyle.  it is gonna be interesting.

Burgerettes

Well, I am back, back from vacation, camping, a sort of bad case of altitude sickness and from having a non-functional left hand.  I decided I am not back enough to fire up the grill, but, I am back enough to cook on the flat top. And that means burgers.

The cold team consisted of locally grown tomatoes, Vidalia onions (not super local, or even remotely local) and kim chee mayonnaise.

The hot team consisted of these small, but not slider small, brioche buns I found at the store and some ground beef. The ground beef is grass fed/grain finished and was on sale. Bonus for a cheap meal (or it makes up for the really tasty brioche buns). Some Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust was harmed in the making of these burgers.

These elements were combined to make a plate of burgerettes. I put the veggies on the bottom and kim chee mayo on top.  This turned out to be too much for dinner, so I did not eat all three, although I was tempted.

I know, the kim chee mayo looks a lot like cole slaw, which is not what I was going for, but, it was perfect for adding a little kick to the meal.  I love a simple burger, but, once in a while a touch of the exotic helps.

Kim Chee Mayonnaise
Recipe:
3 parts kim chee, spicy, chopped
1 part mayonnnaise, store bought or home made
1/4 part Lucky Dog hot sauce, a local not yet for sale roasted green jalapeno/carrot/garlic hot sauce that is really good.

Mix all ingredients well and allow to sit for 15 minutes covered in refrigerator to blend flavors. No salt or pepper is needed for this recipe. I would recommend home made mayonnaise so that you can control the salt even better.

Back from Camping

Spent a week in Lassen National Monument and Park, where we did a little cooking over the camp fire. Sadly, I did not get pictures of everything we cooked, however, there were these.

Fire roasted Triscuits with cheddar cheese...

Just a slab of cheddar cheese on a Triscuit cracker, roasted on a rack and covered with aluminum foil to reflect some heat to assist in melting the cheese. Foil or metal reflectors are invaluable for cooking over a campfire, the ability to reflect heat allows more control and direction over heat distribution.

Here is a shot of the rack of cheesy Tricuits cooking under foil, and yes, that is a string cheese stick being roasted. Simple treats over the fire after a day of hiking can be so much better than when munched at home.

Life is a bowl of cherries, organic pitted cherries on the way to a cherry maple cobbler that is...

Most everything you eat here is gonna taste better than at home.

Home Made Sourdough

I recently was gifted a sourdough starter from my sister in Humboldt County.  I have been feeding and growing the starter and decided to make some sourdough. I decided to wing it a bit and make a wet dough, in an attempt to get the old chewy interior texture I like in bread.

I used roughly this recipe

900 g white flour
120 g whole rye flour
600 g water at about 74F
360 g ripe 100% hydration sourdough starter
23 g salt

Autolyse was 35 minutes
Rise was 2 hours
Proof rise was 2 hours

Here is the dough after mixing...

And again after autolyse, note how fully hydrated and relaxed the dough has become.

It was actually quit soft and difficult to work at this point.  I gave it a few folds and shaped the loaves, then proceeded to let the bread proof.

Here they are in the oven about 12 minutes in. So far, looking good.

Here is the bread, after cooling for an hour, it looks great.  At this point, the bread has a nice hollow sound and a perfect aroma.

Here is the cut, showing the airy texture and medium sized holes. The crust is a little thicker than I would like, I suspect it is because I forgot to spray the loaf with water before the first 12 minutes of cooking. The lack of steam would cause the thicker crust. This did not affect the taste of the bread at all.  The interior texture was moist and delicious.