Grilling Beef

An hour before grilling ribeye's are removed from the package dried with a paper towel, placed on a wire rack and put back into the fridge to dry a bit. Fire up some coals, 45min later make an even layer ashen coal under the grates. Close the lid and prepare the steaks. Get 4 cloves garlic, peel and smash. Remove ribeye's from the fridge and rub surface with garlic, one clove per side. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and place on the hot grill. Do not not touch for 3min!

 After 3min turn over and continue grilling for another 3min. Remove and place on a plate, season with black pepper and rest for 15min. This technique produced a rare warm interior that was tender, juicy and flavorful!!

These wonderful cuts came from Pleasant Valley Beef, a local farm that sells at the Vacaville farmers market Saturday mornings. I have to say these have been the best grass fed steaks I have had so far! 

Chocolate Salty Balls

1/2c shredded coconut

1/3c toasted shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil
2tbsp cacao powder or 1 square (1 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate chopped
1/4 cup coconut butter softened
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp ghost chili powder (optional)

Melt coconut oil with the chocolate. Add the coconut butter and stir until well incorporated. Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut and  (chili too if used), mix well and place in the freezer to cool and firm up. Meanwhile pour the toasted coconut on to a plate and add salt & mix together.

When the chocolate mixture is firm and scoopable, use a tablespoon to scoop it out and roll it into the coconut. Makes 12 balls

Claypot cookery

I've been wanting to try some Asian claypot recipes and instead of going to Chinatown to purchase I decided to make one. The contents of each pot will feed 2-3 people.

These are the pieces after throwing on the pottery wheel

After drying 24hrs the pieces are assembled

Next it has to dry completely and slowly so it does not crack. Then bisque fired, a glaze or stain applied then fired again.

"Arroz" a la Cubana

Came across this recipe for ground beef with peas and raisins and decided to make some alterations to the ingredients and form into a burger. This is a Filipino dish heavy influenced by the Spanish immigrants.

Arroz is Latin for rice or cereal grains which were replaced with cauli-rice. Typically served with Saba banana as well.

1lb ground beef

1 yellow onion chopped

1 tbsp garlic chopped

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp coconut amino or tamari

2 tbsp cooking sherry

2 tbsp fish sauce to taste

1 tbsp sriracha to taste

20 pimento stuffed green olives slice

salt to taste

Lard for frying

Combine all ingredients except lard and form into patties, refrigerate for at least one hour for flavors to meld. Cook over medium high heat for 3min per side, remove from heat. While burgers are resting fry some eggs  and enjoy.

Grilled pig liver

Time to get a new chimney

I know...I know...it looks gross but I like my liver on the rare side.

Fire up some brichettes and let get glowing red.

Slice 1lb liver into 1/2in thick slices. Melted some lard and slathered each piece with a good coating and season with salt and pepper. When coals are hot spread under grill. Close lid for 10min to build up heat. Place liver on grill and sear 3min per side and remove. Close lid if you get flames. Also grilled a few serrano chilies.

Served on a bed of cilantro cauli-rice

Liver and bacon fried "rice"

Had some left pig liver from the Ake recipe and didn't want to go to waste. Got home late and not of lot of cooking time. Poked around the fridge and found some bacon, cauliflower and eggs...some cauli fried rice came to mind.

Placed the bacon in the oven at 375deg for about 25min turning a couple of times for even browning. Chopped the bacon and scallions. Scrambled a two eggs, seared the liver to a nice medium rare and set aside. Processed the cauliflower and stir fried in some bacon fat. Added the rest of the ingredients and seasoned with tamari, fish sauce, garlic and salt/pepper.

Hawaiian Ake Poke

Searching through old Hawaiian recipes and came across a raw liver recipe called Ake poke. Preperation is similar to Ahi poke except the liver is rinsed after chopping to remove some of the blood.

Not as flavorful as Ahi but still pretty good. Will probably be an acquired taste/textural thing for most as raw liver is crunchy and slimy.

1lb liver (pork or beef) 1/2" dice
.5oz ogo seaweed
1tbsp hawaiian slat
1tsp chili flakes or to taste
1tsp toasted seasame oil
1/4c chopped scallions

Combine all ingredients and let marinate in fridge for 30min for flavors to meld.