Did your momma give you the Chicken Talk?

Last night, Vasily and I were going to throw together some dinner and rush out the door for the Maroon 5 concert. 

So. Good. 

I was driving home from work, talking to my mom when Vasily called in. I switched lines, asked him to thaw some chicken for me really quick while I drove home because I forgot to set it in the fridge the night before. So he put it in a bowl of hot water. I switched back to mom, told her sorry that I had to ask Vasily to thaw some chicken and she goes,

"How's he thawing it?" 

"In a bowl of hot water." 

"WHAAAAT!!! NO NO NO! Tell him to put it in cold water!" 

"Huh? Cold water? Why? We always do it this way?" 

"WHAAAAT! You shouldn't! Bacteria grows and it's... I can't believe you haven't Googled this."

I sheepishly called Vasily back, told him the deal. He switched it to cold water but by the time I got home, I'm pretty sure Mom had read aloud the entire "Safe Thawing" section of the USDA website and I wanted to both hurl and never eat chicken again. So I took one look at the chicken in the bowl and threw it out. Luckily, we had another package in the freezer so I put that in cold water. I made my rice (successfully, mind you) and continued to stare at the still-frozen chicken. 

This is the pic I sent my mom "Is this right?"

"Vasily! Let's go. We're eating out." 

Aaand we went to Chili's. Not bad, but... you know. It was Chili's. So I didn't Instagram anything.

And just in case your mom didn't give you the Chicken Talk, you might want to know:

FSIS recommends three ways to thaw chicken: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Never thaw chicken on the counter or in other locations. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator.  

We've never really gotten sick thawing it wrong (that I know of)... but I'm wondering if any of yall have? Or did everyone know this?

In a pinch: Something out of nothing.

Ahoy, eaters! I have nothing nautical to say in this post, I just felt like saying Ahoy! So there!

This weekend I found myself in a bit of a food bind. I was sick most of the week and never made it to the grocery store, so most normal people would probably take the opportunity that we call a weekend to go to the grocery store, however, I have some neuroses rules about shopping at the Thunderdome Dekalb Farmer's Market on a weekend. Basically I just won't do it. It's cah-razy. So I was left this weekend with what was in my fridge and pantry. It was slim pickins. I didn't even have an onion.

I hopped on Tastespotting (good-bye productivity) for some inspiration and shamelessly typed into the search bar: chicken breast.

Yep.

Here I am, one of three food bloggers and I'm basically googling 'what to do with a chicken breast.' Not my finest moment admittedly, but after scrolling few a few recipes I was struck with inspiration by an at-home take-out recipe. Perfect. I foraged in my fridge and cabinets and came up with the following: a chicken breast, jasmine rice (almost a full cup!), some wrinkly (but still good) mini bell peppers and almost wilted Swiss chard. It was time to make some Chinese take-out.

[honey sriracha chicken w/chard and peppers]

Here is my go-to quick marinade for any meat for a fake take-out meal (per pound of meat):

• one egg white
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine

Then, I mixed, in a separate bowl:

• 1/3- 1/2 corn starch
• 1-2 tbsp salt (depending on how salty you like your food. I am heavy handed with the salt.)
• dash or two of pepper

Then in oneeee more bowl, I mixed the following:

• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp honey



Chop your chicken into 1 inch pieces and add them to the bowl with the egg-white marinade. Let all those ingredients become friends while you julienne your bell peppers and chard and while you mix your cornstarch and salt batter.

After about 15 minutes, drain the egg whites off the chicken, but don't rinse it. If it's a little runny, it's OK. I mean, we're kinda scrapping here anyway, right? Add your chunks of chicken to the corn starch mixture and stir to coat evenly.  

Put a tbsp of canola oil or grapeseed oil in a wok or deep non-stick pan and turn to high. Once the oil is hot enough (test with a piece of chicken- does it sizzle and start to fry? Good. If not, wait.) add your chicken. I did mine in two batches for even, quick cooking. Your chicken will fry up quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir when needed so there's no sticking to the pan. You don't want to stir so much that you knock all the batter off, but you don't want anything sticking, either.

Place done chicken on a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease and add the rest of the chicken. Once this is almost done, add your peppers and chard, stirring to cook. After about 5 minutes, add the rest of the chicken and the honey-sriracha sauce, reducing the heat to low and stirring so that everything is evenly coated.

Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

Until next time,

 

Is it Pimm's o'clock yet?

It's been raining all night and day here in Atlanta and I can't help but echo Amanda's yearning for warmer weather. 

My most favorite drink of all time is a Pimm's Cup. Most people say this is a summer drink, probably because it's the official drink of Wimbledon, but I think it's just too good to only drink in the summer. 

[doing a little research at Leon's Full Service in Decatur. So good.] 

Pimm's No. 1 is a gin-based liquor made in England. 

The best part is - it's super easy to make at home! 

Traditionally, the English put 1 part Pimm's No. 1 and 3 parts chilled lemonade. Then throw in some cut fruit (strawberries, cucumbers, lemon) and mint leaves. 

If sparkling lemonade doesn't strike you, you can do an easy swap for ginger ale. (Although technically, this would make your beverage a Pimm's Ginger.) 

[does this look like a little happy family or what?] 

I recently learned that Pimm's was first made by James Pimm in 1823, an owner of an oyster bar in London, to aid in digestion. So, it's healthy to drink. Or whatever you need to justify this deliciousness.

[For more recipes, check out Pimm's website.]

So what are you waiting for? Throw all that goodness into a glass and look at your watch -- "It's Pimm's o'clock!" 

Pimm's Original:
1 part Pimm's No. 1
3 parts chilled lemonade
Add mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry

Pimm's Ginger:
1 part Pimm's No. 1
3 parts ginger ale 
Add a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint


That does it for drink week! Did you try any of these? Beer? Hot Toddy's? What's your go-to beverage? 

One last (hopefully) cold weather post

[preppin']

Happy Spring, eaters!

This March has certainly come in like a lion and I'm hoping the old saying is true and by next week, it will go out like a lamb. A warm, sunshine-y, breezy, gin and tonic wielding, chaco-wearing lamb. 

Right now I am in the lion's den, eaters. It's a cold, dark, headache-y, used tissue filled, antibiotic ridden place- and during drink week, no less! I had such high hopes for drink week. The silver lining is that I'm sharing a classic drink perfect for cold weather or, better yet for me, when you're under the weather during the cold weather.  

[lesbian yellow sour fruit...anyone? anyone?]

Hot Toddy

1 oz (2 tablespoons) bourbon
1 tablespoon mild honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup boiling-hot water

 

Here's a standard recipe for a Hot Toddy. This one is from Epicurious, but a quick Google will show this is a kind of base recipe for a Hot Toddy and they have varied accoutrements. I decided to add a bag of lemon and ginger tea to mine for the extra vitamin C from the lemon and for the amazing healing powers of ginger, which aids in digestion and settles your stomach, among other things. Honey is a natural antibiotic, good specifically for topical ailments, so it's good for an irritated throat. And the bourbon is really just to numb. And for funsies. Because let's be real- alcohol dehydrates you so technically the American Lung Association does not recommend drinking these to help your cold. So there. A disclaimer so that I can post this in good conscience. Just drink one alongside several glasses of water... so the ALA doesn't come after you. And so my Protestant guilt doesn't get out of hand. 

So here goes. It's real simple: Coat the bottom of your mug/glass with honey, add your lemon juice and bourbon (and tea bag if you choose) and pour the boiling water on top, stirring to dissolve the honey.

[Hot Toddy w/lemon ginger tea]

Bam. Hot Toddy. Not to be confused with Hotty Toddy (they lost that game, btw. Go Dawgs!). Sorry Ole Miss, ain't nobody got time for that.

Until next time,

 

 

You know you're a beer snob if...

[The 3 Happy Eaters in NYC a few years ago, enjoying a brew in line for Shake Shack.]

I have a reputation among my friends as the beer snob. I won't let anything with the word "ultra," "lite" or "ice" in it pass my lips. I probably won't drink it unless it's darker in color than lemonade (or another famously yellow liquid). And few things offend me more than a potentially delicious beer ruined by a frosted mug.

I blame my snobbery on my dad. He raised me with a healthy attitude about alcohol. I don't remember my parents drinking it, but I also didn't receive the impression that it was taboo. Chalk one up for "all things in moderation."

[Like father, like daughter.]

When I became of consuming age, he taught me important things like that Bass Ale is bottom-of-the-line standard and that wheat beer isn't really beer (ahem Blue Moon) and that drinking out of the bottle is sooo middle class.

The all-time biggest offense to a well-cultured beer drinker is the frosted mug. My dad and I are both known to order an unfrosted glass while dining at lesser-informed establishments. And here's why:

Most bottles of beer (worth drinking, anyway) have the correct temperature at which the beer should be served printed on the label. It is never ever ever going to marked slushie-cold. No. You should only drink BAD beer at sub-arctic temperatures, because the colder the beer the less you can actually taste it. You shouldn't be drinking bad beer in the first place, so let's just stop it all together with the frosted glasses thing.

Speaking of glasses, despite the creation of more dishes to clean, I suggest you don't drink out of the bottle whenever possible. Much like wine, beer has a "nose" and crafters perfect their beers based on the assumption of that additional sense. It's a more forgivable offense, however, and I'd always pick a bottle over a frosted glass (are you getting the seriousness of that one yet?).

[A suite of beers to taste at The Brick Store Pub in Decatur.]

When you go to bars or pubs that have an extensive beer menu, you'll notice that different types of beers are served in different shaped glasses. This poster hangs above our bar cart and is a fun way of seeing which type of beer should be served in which glass (depending on the "nose" of the beer, as mentioned above).

[Sweetwater Motor Boat: here for a good time, not a long time.]

Now for some beer recommendations! I tend to go for the ambers, browns, and reds. My favorite beer of all time is a Sweetwater seasonal, Motor Boat, an ESB that usually hits Atlanta-area stores around October. As I mentioned before, Bass Ale is a great go-to when you're somewhere with a smaller beer selection. Another of my favorites is Rogue's Dead Guy Ale, an Amber that's very drinkable. 

[Eye Patch IPA by Monday Night Brewing that I snagged at The Beer Growler in Brookhaven.]

I encourage you to explore the local brews from your area--craft breweries are popping up all over! Also be sure to find your local growler--these are storefronts where you purchase a jug for around $5 and then choose from 20-30 different beers on draft (prices depend on the beer). They bottle it for you, seal it up so you're legit, and you get to have on-draft beer at home! (Atlanta Eaters: ScoutMob has tons of deals for growlers all over the city, even OTP!) 

Cheers!

    

     

[In a pinch] Moving Day

This weekend marked the beginning of a week-long transition from the two-bedroom apartment that my roommate and I share, to a three-bedroom in the same complex so that our friend could join us as a third roommate. It's been pretty chaotic living half in the old apartment and half in the new.

I found myself at the old apartment at dinnertime, and I needed to scrape together something to eat while I finished packing up the kitchen. Everything had been packed and moved except my cast iron skillet and the food in the fridge. and the end of a loaf of bread.

It's times like these, when you're in a pinch, that it's good to have some "shortcuts" around. Something quick and easy that doesn't require many pans or much fuss.

I threw my skillet on the stove at medium and grabbed a can of Wolfgang Puck's Organic Creamy Tomato soup. Yes, soup from a can. Hear me out: this soup is so, so good. I don't even like tomato soup for the most part. But this is a really delicious shortcut that doesn't have any terrifying chemicals like most canned products. They're 2 for $5 at my Publix, so I keep a couple on hand for when I don't have the capacity to cook. And yes, I heat it in the microwave. No apologies. also no pots to clean.

[Turns out the can opener had already been packed, too. But I was already committed.

So I used a knife. Desperate times, folks. Do not attempt this at home.]

Back to the skillet. I buttered up a couple slices of bread and grabbed some Havarti cheese from the fridge (if I eat it, then I don't have to pack it!) and made myself a grilled cheese. The Havarti is so creamy and melt-able, once you try it you won't be able to go back to boring old cheddar. Having nicer cheese on hand is another great shortcut to a delicious but easy meal. My favorite combo as of late is Havarti and Muenster (props to my roommate's mom for introducing me!) on thick-sliced bread.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is a classic, and probably brings back childhood memories of the comfort-food combo. Keep some fancier cheese and a can of this creamy tomato soup on hand for when you're in a pinch but still want to eat well!

     

    

Monday, Shmonday. Make this soup!

This weekend we Atlantans had a nice reprieve from the rain and the late winter cold. Friday evening Laura and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather. It was just warm enough to eat outside and just cold enough for butternut squash soup- what a perfect end to the week. Did we mention beer? There was a little bit of beer. But just a little. Really. We sat outside and enjoyed each others' company, a superb warm meal and the cool breeze of one season turning into another...

Il était doux, non?

Well. That was Friday. Now it is Monday. Now it is cold and rainy again. Now, as I write this, I am soaking wet from standing outside in the rain while my new puppy finds the courage to do her business outside-yes, Mae- even when it's raining.

O mon dieu. D'accord...

What I wouldn't give for another bowl of butternut squash (or squatternut bosh if everything in your life is also a Friends reference) soup. It's quick, easy, full of flavor but impressive enough to serve any guest any time... as long as they don't know how quick and easy it really is...

 

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash 2-3lbs, peeled and roughly chopped (it's getting blended, so just make sure your chunks are uniform in size to make for quick, even cooking)

1 medium sized apple, peeled and chopped

1 small to medium sized onion, chopped

3-4 cups vegetable stock (or 3-4 cups water and 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon paste)

1-2 slices bacon, chopped (I love getting Broadbent bacon from the Farmer's Market)

1 small apple, diced (optional)

croutons

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)

You can do this entire soup in one pot. This is another reason I love this recipe.

Heat medium-low to medium (I wouldn't go above a 6 if you like to play the numbers game) a tablespoon or so of olive oil in an 8-quart or so pot.

Add your bacon and fry until almost crispy. Remove and set on a paper towel. And save for later. Do not drain the bacon grease. This will add loads of delicious flavor.

Add your butternut squash, apple and onion to the pot. Give 'em a good stir to make sure they're evenly coated with the olive oil/bacon grease. It should take about 10-15 minutes for these guys to get soft enough to blend. Just remember to stir often and adjust your heat (down) if they're getting too brown. These aren't supposed to get dark and they shouldn't stick to the pan. Keeping a lid on the pot will help them soften up, too.

Once the squash and apple are tender (can you cut through a piece of squash easily using a wooden spoon?), add your stock. Take the pot off the heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then take your immersion blender to it. You'll have to kind of mash some of the chunks as you puree, but you'll see it gets smooth quickly. This should take about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Add back on the heat if you need to, keeping your burner on low.

When you're ready to serve this, typically 2-3 ladels will do. Top with croutons (if you're making them fresh- cut up stale bread into 1/2 inch chunks, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes, watching to make sure they don't burn), bacon, jalapeno, and, if I'm feeling crazy, a little bit of fresh apple.

[almost naked soup...put some clothes on, soup!]

[fully dressed soup. perfection.]

Until next time...

DIY Buttermilk. Thank me later.

We 3 Happy Eaters kind of stumbled upon Breakfast Week. You might say it was fate, but whatever you call it, we all separately had our minds on the most important thing of the things you eat. Katie with French toast, Amanda with a fresh herb omelet, and me with pancakes.

While my fellow Happy Eaters ate their aforementioned breakfast foods at the appropriate time of day, I whipped mine up for a weekday dinner. Pancakes are great for when you're just too lazy to go to the store, because the ingredients are all things you normally have on hand anyway! It's like a free meal!

 

[Read on to find out how easy homemade whipped cream is! Really!]

I used this recipe for the pancakes. Obviously the key ingredient in buttermilk pancakes is the buttermilk. Let me stop you before you run to the store because I said the ingredients were all things you have on hand and I stand by that.

Buttermilk is expensive and you rarely need the entire half-gallon you're required to purchase when all you need is 1/4 cup (so the rest rots in your fridge). So allow me to change your life with this simple kitchen trick.

When recipes call for buttermilk, more specifically baking recipes, what they are really calling for is the chemical part of buttermilk (baking is a science, folks!). By adding regular vinegar to milk you've already got on hand, you can re-create this chemical state. It's really that easy! Never buy buttermilk again!

DIY Buttermilk

3/4 cup regular milk

1/4 cup vinegar

Before you start your recipe, combine the milk and vinegar and give it a little stir. You'll see that the milk is already becoming thick, like buttermilk. Let it sit while you're preparing the other ingredients, then add whatever amount the recipe calls for. I always make the above proportions even if the recipe calls for less than a cup.

I really like this pancake recipe because they have a slight crisp to them and they aren't too sweet. That means you can heap loads of sugary things on them without hesitation!

 

[An homage to Paris's Nutella-banan crêpes. Sigh.]

I layered mine with Nutella and sliced bananas and topped the stack with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Speaking of awesome kitchen tricks, homemade whipped cream is so easy there's no excuse to buy the hydrogenated stuff ever again. And it tastes so much better. And your friends will be so impressed. I dare you to try it.

Easiest-ever Homemade Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs white granulated sugar (not powered!)

Beat the cream until it's a little bit frothy, so it'll hold the sugar without it all falling to the bottom of the bowl. While beating, slowly add the sugar. Then beat until peaks form that don't fall. (Don't over beat though.) Put. on. everything.

                  

                

    

What have we always said is the most important thing?

[fresh herb omelet]

 
After talking with the other two happy eaters, it turns out we all had the same thing on our minds this week: Breakfast.
 
Katie and Laura have the sweet stuff covered, but I've got a savory tooth that would only be satisfied by something salty, eggy and sans a lot of carbs. Enter: the omelet. Or, as Jacques Pepin and the rest of ze French call it, ze omelette.
 
Omelets are super easy. And super easy to screw up. I was inspired to learn how to make the perfect omelet after I saw Wolfgang Puck instruct the latest contestants on Top Chef how he makes an omelet- and then they were to replicate it. My husband and I watched as the contestants struggled, for various reasons, to replicate his simple recipe with their own added twist. After the verdicts were handed down, my husband and I were silent for a long time. I knew what he was thinking. After what seemed like forever, he finally asked me the question I was dreading, "Do you know how to make an omelet?" I'm sure I defensively replied, "Pshyeah! Do you?!" I'm also sure I stayed away from making him eggs of any type for a couple of weeks (a difficult task for us- we go through about a dozen a week). I couldn't admit that I just wasn't sure.

As it turns out my omelet-how-to knowledge was hovering at around 60%, if you want to try to quantify it. Which I do. I was overstuffing. I was cooking it at too high a temperature. I was just letting it sit there. I was using Pam instead of butter. I was ashamed. Ashamed, I tell you. But then I watched a short video tutorial and gave it a go. And it was good.

Here are some easy, basic tips I took away from Jacques Pepin's video:
 

• Eggs, salt and pepper. That's it for the base.
• Make sure you've beaten your eggs enough so that you don't have pieces of egg whites in your pan.
• Use a non-stick pan and just a little bit of butter (1/2 tbsp) to coat.
• Pour your eggs into a low-medium hot pan. You don't want to cook your eggs too quickly.
• Add your fillings as soon as you put your eggs in the pan.  
• When your eggs start to cook (coagulate) around the edges, use your fork or a spatula to gently drag the cooked eggs towards the center (but don't scramble them). Then, let a 'crust' begin to form again. Repeat this process again. And again, if necessary.
• Gently fold your omelet in half while it is still fairly wet in the center. This keeps it from getting too cooked and breaking in half. I did this slowly using a spatula- a fork tends to tear.
• Let your omelet brown on one side and then flip it onto the plate (browned side up).

 
For my omelet, I wanted to do something simple, light and flavorful, so I went with what I had on hand: fresh basil, parsley, chives and thyme (about 1 1/2 tbsp chopped) with some grape tomatoes to garnish. I used 3 eggs, a little salt and pepper, butter in the pan and that's it.
 
 

[aww, look how those pre-birds are nestled in those fresh herbs]

 
 

[eggs, salt, pepper, fresh herbs]
 



[almost ready to flip]


*At this point I thought I was going to switch to a post about scrambled eggs with fresh herbs. But have faith in yourself and in Jacques Pepin. He won't lead you astray.   
 




[perfect]

 Until next time...




Wishing it was Saturday morning again

Happy Monday, Eaters! 

Has your day been as weird as mine? I find myself just wanting to go back to Saturday morning again... mainly because I made French Toast and it was awesome. 




You should totally try this next weekend (or tomorrow if you allow yourself more time for breakfast than I do in the morning). 

This makes 4 slices of French toast. Adjust accordingly...

1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 
zest of 1 orange (I was too hungry to waste time zesting... it doesn't make or break the recipe, but I have a feeling I'd be happier with the amount of orange-ness if I had zested.) 
4 thick slices of bread
2 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, milk, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour onto a rimmed plate.

Soak each slice of bread in the milk mixture for 30 seconds per side. Don't leave them in too long or they'll fall apart. Yes, this happened.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium low heat. Fry the soaked slices in the melted butter until golden.  

Serve warm, topped with whatever your heart desires. For me, that meant strawberries and syrup. Yum. 

5&10 and 26

First and foremost I must wish one of my partners in crime a happy birthday! Twenty-five years ago today a sweet, naive, beautiful, sophisticated newborn baby was born in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm so,so glad our paths crossed. Happy Birthday, Katie!

Now, Katie and I are almost birthday twins(ies). And last weekend my husband and I celebrated my 26th birthday with an amazing dinner at 5&10 in Athens, GA. Chef Hugh Acheson is known for, among other things, his unibrow, his affectionate but biting wit as a judge on Bravo's Top Chef and his modern take on traditional Southern cuisine- all things that have made me eager to dine at his restaurants for quite some time now. Acheson won the James Beard award for Best Chef Southeast for his work at 5&10 last year, and this year 5&10 is nominated for its outstanding wine program. He's also the owner of The National in Athens and Empire State South in Atlanta.

[Bubbly]

My dining experience began with a bottle of champagne at our table and a first course- a perfect Caesar salad with Nueske bacon. I know, I know- a Caesar salad. There were so many beautiful looking first courses, but I have several unfortunate (but not life-stopping!) food allergies- nuts, mostly- that drove me towards that delicious Caesar salad. I am also a bit of a purist and don't like requesting that nuts be left off a dish. It just wouldn't be the dish it was supposed to be without that ingredient. Besides, did I mention it was perfect? I could and would eat it every day.

In between our first and second courses, the executive chef, Kyle, came out to our table to introduce himself and brought additional appetizers- foraged mushrooms with a fried quail egg on top of a slice of brioche with balsamic. Delightful. As it turns out, Kyle works with my husband's boss (hence the awesome, totally lucky, I'll-claim-it-as-a-birthday-miracle special treatment) at which point I couldn't help but think..



[you doooo? you know the ownerrrr?]
 

I digress. What I enjoyed most about 5&10 was that it was down to earth and inviting while still being creative and surprising. Obviously this is important and intentional- the decor, the service, the menu- all make you feel at home and excited to be there. If I could sum it up in a word it would be accessible... Understated. Classic. Delicious. Cozy. Unpretentious... You know what? Why do we impose so many rules on ourselves?  I'll use as many words as I'd like. Scrumptralescent.

I digress again. Acheson's desire to make good, updated Southern cuisine prominent and accessible extends beyond his restaurants and into his cookbook and to online magazines, where he gladly shares recipes for some of his menu's staple entrees like his Frogmore Stew, a take on the traditional low country boil. This is what I chose for my entree at 5&10 and I was delighted to later find this recipe on Food and Wine's website. I happily recreated it last night...

[ingredients, obviously]

I halved the recipe and my only substitutions were cherry tomatoes for plum (ahem- Dekalb Farmer's Market) and vegetable stock for fish stock. This was the biggest difference I noticed in taste- the absence of that briney, sea fishiness. However, fish stock and I don't mix thaaaaaaaat well. Vegetable stock it is.

[stewing away, almost done]
 

My re-creation and what I was served at 5&10 were very similar but not identical. As I mentioned earlier, mine was missing that extra flavor from the fish stock, but they were both extremely bright with a big hit of acidity from the tomatoes and the fresh lemons that simmer in the stew for the last five minutes. Neither had the strong cajun flavor I was expecting from a low country boil. The version I was served at 5&10 was served in a 'tomato and leek broth,' and what I made last night definitely had the consistency of a stew rather than a broth. I would love to make this again in the summer when corn is in season and sweeter- I think that would make a huge difference. All in all, it was pretty close and the recipe was not only easy to follow, but only took about 30 minutes. It doesn't get much better than that.

[Frogmore Stew]
 

Until next time...