Garlic Oil

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Garlic Oil

This is one that couldn’t be any easier. I use this garlic oil in everything, from frying eggs to salad dressings. Wonderful to start off a basic marinara sauce. It’s great with some dried or fresh herbs sprinkled in, and dipping chunks of crusty bread. Or, even as a finishing drizzle on some hot oven fries. Basically, anything you wish to impart a little extra garlic flavor into!

I like to use a good quality olive oil – don’t go spending a bunch of money on the fancy extra-virgin stuff, though. I just glug it right into a saucepan with a handful of garlic cloves, get them bubbling a bit, then turn down the heat to low to let the flavor infusion happen. Sometimes, if I’m feelin’ frisky, I’ll add a few sprigs of fresh herbs…but it’s not necessary.

Keeps forever (at least a month or so – if it lasts that long!) as well. I just keep it right on the counter with all my other oils, so it’s right at hand when I need it. It also makes a wonderful homemade gift when presented in a pretty oil dispenser with a ribbon! If you’re worried about it spoiling, it also keeps fine in the refrigerator. This is definitely one to have around, guys!

Garlic Oil

2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup garlic cloves

Place 1/4 olive oil in a saucepan with the garlic cloves. Cook over medium-high heat, until the garlic starts to sizzle and turn golden – mixture should reach at least 180 degrees.

Carefully add the remaining olive oil, and reduce temperature to low. Cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Let garlic steep in oil for about 1 hour, then strain garlic from the oil and pour into a air-tight container for storage.

Boardwalk Fries

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Boardwalk Fries

I was kind of shocked when I realized I didn’t have a recipe for good, old-fashioned boardwalk fries here on the site. It’s shameful really. Sure, I have oven fries (which employ the same soaking technique I’ll touch on later) and fish & chips…but I needed to have an entire post devoted to these crispy, salty favorites.

My first taste of boardwalk fries was of course at Thrasher’s in Ocean City, MD…notorious among Marylanders, Eastern Shore folks, and really the entire nation in some cases. That’s because they’re the best. Their first trick is a soak for the cut potatoes in hot saltwater. It helps to remove some of the starch, and softens them up a bit for cooking.

The second key step is the twice-fried technique. The potatoes are cooked in hot oil for one round, basically to par-cook them. They’re then removed from the oil, set aside to drain, and then added back to the oil to attain that beautiful golden brown and crunchy exterior.

Immediately season with salt, and apple cider or malt vinegar. Never ketchup! It’s actually a rule at Thrasher’s…they don’t have it available. The place  next store has a racket selling containers of it at exorbitant prices. We don’t have boardwalks here on Chincoteague, which is just fine by me – but it’s nice to have a little taste of it here at home!

Boardwalk Fries

5 large Russet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
4 cups warm water
vegetable or peanut oil
apple cider or malt vinegar
Make the soaking mixture for the cut potatoes by combining hot water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt in large bowl. Mix to dissolve salt. Set aside.

To prepare the potatoes, peel the sides of the potato with a vegetable peeler, leaving some skin at the top and bottom. Slice potatoes length-wise, in 1/2? slices. Then, slice 1/4? inch strips from those slices. A mandoline or french fry cutter is very handy here!

Place cut potatoes in the bowl of salt water and soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and place the potatoes on a clean kitchen towel to dry for a few minutes. Dry well to avoid splattering when frying.

Fill a dutch oven with vegetable oil, so that oil comes up a little less than halfway up the pot. Bring to 375 degrees. Once oil is up to temperature, fry the potatoes in batches, taking care not to overcrowd. Fry until edges are starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined cookie sheet. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.

Once all potatoes have been fried, bring the oil back up to 375 degrees, and refry them. The “twice-fry” is the key to a crispy french fry. Just another minute or two in the hot oil is all you need.

Once golden brown, remove to a paper towel lined platter to drain. Season with kosher salt and vinegar, if you like.

Perfect Stovetop White Rice

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Perfect White Rice

I’m ashamed to admit that up until about 5 years ago, I was cooking rice in the microwave. Or, worse…relying on those pre-cooked rice packets that you just microwave. I was cooking all kinds of wonderful things in my kitchen, but still nuking my rice. *hangs head in shame*.

Finally I gave cooking rice on the stovetop a whirl, and the resulting rice was unparalled to the rice that had been produced in the microwave. Tender, yet firm grains that actually tasted like something! Before I’d just been getting gooey balls of mush. The key is a good, heavy bottomed pan – as well as giving the rice quick saute in a bit of butter. It really helps to keep the grains individual, so you don’t get that massive clumping issue.

OXO was kind enough to send me a pan from their new line to review. I chose the 3.5 quart stainless steel saucepan, just because the size is so handy to have in the kitchen. I love the fact that it has a glass lid, which makes keeping an eye on things like rice or beans very easy. And also the measurements on the side, and round bottom are very helpful for things like making homemade caramel sauce. Plenty of room for a nice big batch!perfect white riceAt any rate, if you’re still relying on neanderthal methods for preparing your rice, try this. It’s super easy, and so much better and economical than the prepackaged stuff. I’ve also got a couple great rice pilaf recipes, if you wanted a twist on a classic. Have a great weekend everyone!

Perfect White Rice

Perfect White Rice

2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup white rice
1 3/4 cups water
1 tsp kosher salt

In large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the rice, and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to toast the rice.

Slowly add in the water, as well as the salt. Stir and cover.

Bring to a boil, stir once more, and recover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 18-20 minutes. Check rice, if it still looks wet, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, and fluff rice with fork. Serve immediately.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good folks at OXO. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

Did you guys know that such a wonderful thing even existed? They do indeed, and they’re as wonderful as you’d imagine. They are pretty much a food group here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and it is where I was first introduced to them. After years of enjoying them, I thought it was high time I passed the recipe along to you guys!

It’s your basic biscuit dough with the usual suspects – flour, buttermilk, flour. But then you invite some pureed, roasted sweet potatoes to the party. It adds great flavor and color, and also some additional moisture. Which is always welcome in a biscuit!

They aren’t quite as fluffy as your standard buttermilk biscuit, just because the addition of the sweet potato adds some density too… but, what they lack for in fluffiness they more than make up for in deliciousness.

I like to serve them with a bowl of soup, or just plain with some jam or pumpkin butter. But, our favorite way to enjoy them is sandwiching a few pieces of ham. Very thinly sliced country ham is a treat, but more often than not it’s just plain deli ham. It makes for one delicious and easy meal – for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 cup sweet potato puree, chilled*
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
6 Tbsp butter, cubed
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the sweet potato puree and the buttermilk. Whisk to combine, set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Pulse several times to combine well. Add the butter, and continue to pulse in 2-second increments, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces (about 5 pulses). This can also be done using a pastry blender or 2 forks if you don’t have a food processor.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, pour the sweet potato mixture over it, and use a fork to mix for about 1 minute, or until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead with floured hands, and pat into a rectangle about 6×10 inches and 1-inch thick.

Fold the dough like a business letter (the rightmost third over the center third, then the left third on top). Turn the dough a quarter of a turn, pat it into another 6×10 inch rectangle, and fold it upon itself in thirds again. Repeat one more time, then pat the dough into a 6×10 inch rectangle a final time.

Using a floured 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits from the dough and place them about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Pat the scraps into a 1-inch thick rectangle and cut more biscuits.

Brush the tops with half the melted butter, and bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are just beginning to brown. Brush the tops again with the remaining butter and serve warm.

* To make the sweet potato puree: Pierce one 12-ounce sweet potato in a few spots with a fork and microwave at high power for about 10 minutes or roast at 350° for about 1 hour, until tender. Let the sweet potato cool slightly, then peel and puree in a food processor.

Source: adapted from The Lee Bros Southern Cookbook and Food & Wine, Nov 2013