Appetizer

Holiday Tips and Recipes from ‘Tis the Season Class

November 24, 2014 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

Pecan Cheese Wafers from Saveur Magazine. These were the BOMB!

I was a goofy, disjointed mess at Friday’s ‘Tis the Season event at Central Baptist Church in North Little Rock, and that made it more fun. At least for me. I’m blaming my lingering cold, so there.

This annual women’s event includes a potluck the likes of which you’ve never seen (including some Burge hams provided by the church), door prizes, and the highlight: choosing three of nine available classes on topics from hair braiding and games to cake decorating and my class, holiday cooking.

I learned from the event flyer that I was sharing tips and tricks (ha), so I came up with these:

Buy one good chef’s knife and learn how to use it. No need for a huge knife set! Maybe add a paring knife, and you’re set. I showed everyone my favorite santoku knife and said a regular chef’s knife is just peachy as well. Look for one in the $30-50 range for everyday use. I also demonstrated the very basics of knife work and how to cut things up safely.
Take advantage of small appliances when tackling holiday cooking. For this class, we focused on the food processor and the magical things it can accomplish.
Don’t be afraid to make a recipe your own! Take an old family favorite or something new you found online. Look in your cupboards for new ingredients you can use. Or just go crazy and make something up! Once you learn the basics of how ingredients go together (and I can help if you need it), the sky’s the limit.

The first item I made is a cranberry relish I’ve served at several Thanksgiving and Christmas events over recent years, from the Simply Recipes blog. Since it’s not my recipe, just click the link to check it out! This relish is super simple, with just four ingredients, and it freezes beautifully.

At the class I demonstrated in real time what happens if you overload your food processor with this recipe…you get perfectly-sized relish, with huge chunks of apple and orange throughout. Even if you have a big processor like mine, do half of the recipe at a time to ensure better uniformity, pulsing the processor until it’s just right. And if you have a meat grinder, use that instead for a PERFECT texture!

The next item was a pecan cheese wafer from Saveur magazine’s website. This is an innovative twist on the spicy cheese cracker I’ve made before (as here in culinary school), adding a pecan half with an egg white as “glue.” The pecan’s sweetness perfectly balances the salty, spicy cracker. This recipe is easily made gluten-free, too, since there is very little flour used and the low-protein GF flour keeps the crackers light. I used Cup for Cup for mine.

My only complaint about the Saveur recipe as published is the quantity listed. The recipe claims a yield of 2 1/2 dozen, rolling the crackers to 1/8 inch thick. This is actually pretty thick for a cracker, but I went with it since it’s easier to cut and transfer to a baking sheet that way. I QUADRUPLED the recipe and got just around 3 dozen. I imagine the Saveur folks actually rolled them much thinner in their test kitchens, likely 1/16″ or so. If you want to roll it that thin, try rolling it directly onto some parchment paper on the back of a baking sheet, baking it as a solid sheet. Once it’s crisp, break the sheet into “rustic” uneven pieces. (If you were at the class, you’ll get the joke about “rustic.”)

The final recipe was my own invention, a “Thanksgiving Dinner in a Bite” canapé (see below). This is the demonstration of tip #3 above, creating something completely different on your own. Using a few simple ingredients and fun techniques, I inventioneered this while planning the class. I couldn’t taste-test due to my gluten problem, but class visitors said it was pretty good! Somehow I managed to not take a photo both times I made it, so you’ll have to trust me. It’s pretty cute.

If you attended, thanks for coming by, and sorry I was a little crazy! But as I said, life is more fun that way, right? Let me know if you make any of these, and let me know if I can help!

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“Thanksgiving in a Bite” Canapé
Makes 24 pieces

One box of frozen puff pastry
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 thick slice of deli turkey or about 1 cup leftover roasted turkey
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a standard box)
1/2 cup cranberry relish
Optional: 2 T. sour cream or plain yogurt
Optional: 2 chives, cut into several 1-inch pieces

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and move the puff pastry and the cream cheese to the countertop about 30 minutes before starting the recipe.

The puff pastry should still be cool when you’re ready to cut out your circles. Dust a smooth working surface with flour and unfold the puff pastry onto it, then dust the top of the pastry with flour as well. Using a rolling pin or similar device, roll the pastry out just slightly to smooth it out.

Press straight down into the puff pastry with a 1 1/2″ round or scalloped cutter and move the cut rounds onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. The sharper the cutter is, the easier this step will be and the higher the rounds will puff.

Bake the rounds for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and punch down in the middle with the round end of a wooden spoon or similar utensil. Place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the rounds are slightly browned on the bottom. Allow the baked rounds to cool before filling.

If you would like to lighten up the cream cheese, mix it thoroughly with the sour cream or plain yogurt. (It’s fine without it, just a bit heavier.) Place the cream cheese or the mixture into a piping bag or a freezer bag (don’t use a standard sandwich bag or the seams will burst). Cut off a corner and pipe a small amount, maybe a half teaspoon, into each baked puff pastry round.

Place a small piece of turkey into each round on top of the cream cheese. If you purchased the turkey at the deli, cut it into cubes and smash it a bit so it won’t look so “manufactured.”

Scoop a 1/2 teaspoon or so of the cranberry relish on top of the turkey, and garnish with the chives if you want. Pretty and delish!

Fattoush: The garlicky salad that’s as awesome as it sounds

October 17, 2014 by arfoodie 1 Comment

We pulled over at a ratty gas station somewhere in North Carolina, and I went promptly to the dank restroom to lose my breakfast.

The day before, the husband and I had witnessed the lovely wedding of our dear friends’ daughter (who is also a friend and super awesome) in Tennessee, and he talked me into the additional day’s excursion to Asheville. On the way further east, farther away from my kids and all the things I needed to be doing, I made the mistake of taking vitamins too long after the Holiday Inn Express just-passable breakfast of eggs and bacon and such.

The extra day of travel was to visit the Overland Expo East — think Jeeps, Range Rovers and such all decked out for serious long-distance travel, but with wine and cheese rather than meager rations. This is a trade show of sorts, where equipment providers can hawk their spendy wares. But overlanders also camped out, trading stories and tips, making it sort of a Woodstock of high-end adventurers.

I agreed to the excursion. I wasn’t crazy about the extra day away from home, since that would mean my mother having to take kids to school bright and early that Monday. But I knew that overlanders are often gourmet foodies, so I was on a quest to find them.

First, we looked for Overland Gourmet. Although I have but a passing interest in the overlanding experience, I’ve read this blog over my husband’s shoulder (and when he requested one of their recipes) many a time. Turns out they were on the original map of participants but didn’t quite get there. Gah!

I have to say, the travel rigs at the event were pretty cool. I mean, if you’re gonna go driving in the middle of nowhere, why not take along a gourmet kitchen?

Finally, we met the person who made the trip worthwhile (besides my awesome hubs, of course). My overland imzadi.

Allan Karl. This dude is legit. He motorcycled through countries all over the world over the course of three years, breaking bread with folks on five continents. And he wrote a book about it. Readers follow him along as he is led into a jungle, wondering if he is going to be killed (turns out they just wanted to show him something); awaits entry into not-so-friendly countries while border agents deny him and menacingly adjust their guns; and at every turn, finds friendly people who just want to share their food with him.

When we met Allan, he was selling copies of his book, Forks: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine and Connection. The book in front of him fell open to the recipe page from his travels in Syria, a colorful salad with cucumber, olives and feta called fattoush. We were hooked. He said a worker at a gas station there offered it to him, and he wondered if this was going to be a good idea. Turns out it was just the refreshing, nourishing bit of hospitality he needed to move along on his journey.

Not long after we got home, we made our own batch. I don’t have enough adjectives to describe it…garlicky, crisp, refreshing. As the recipe is written, it might be a little strong for some, but you can cut back on the garlic and/or feta if you like. (We dig it.) You could also use black olives in place of the pungent kalamatas, which is what my kids did. We also had to cut out the pita bread, obviously, for lack of time to make a gluten-free version. But next time I’ll use this GF naan recipe and go all the way. I also added some lemon zest, because, why not?

My recommendations?

Make this salad. With a quickness. Double the recipe. We did, and the tiny bit that survived was even better the next day.
Buy Allan Karl’s book, Forks: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine and Connection. I don’t have any financial benefit in telling you to do so. It’s just really good writing about an amazing adventure, with recipes for every single country he visited, over 35.
Share something with someone from a different cultural background. The whole book is about that very thing. Even within our own country, there are opportunities to break down borders, which is one thing food is really awesome at doing.

Oh, and when you’re traveling in a weird place, whether it be Syria or the wooded outskirts of Ashville, North Carolina, make sure you eat before taking your vitamins. And keep your eyes open…you never know what you’ll discover in a ratty gas station.

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Fattoush
(Recipe courtesy of Allan Karl)

Ingredients:

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded (if necessary), and cut into 1/4″ dice
2 large pitas (preferably pocketless, Mediterranian-style), cut into 3/4″ square pieces
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, premium quality
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4″ dice
1 vine-ripened tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons stemmed and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons stemmed and finely chopped mint leaves (save a few sprigs for garnish)
Hearts of romaine, hand torn, rinsed and spun dry, for garnish
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably from sheep’s milk (optional)
1/8 cup pitted kalamata olives (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Place the diced cucumber into a strainer, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the pita pieces on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven until crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan 2 or 3 times as they toast. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. (Note from Christie: Gluten free folks can use my GF naan recipe in place of the pita.)
Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. (Christie again: I used a food processor; a blender would be great, too.)
Continue whisking until the dressing is emulsified, then stir in the bell pepper, tomato, green onions, parsley, cilantro, mint, pita strips, and cucumber. Season to taste with more salt and pepper and toss well to coat.
Gently toss in feta and olives, if using, and transfer to a large platter garnished with the romaine and the mint sprigs. Serve immediately.
(One last Christie note: I added lemon zest to garnish.)

Poblano Quinoa Cucumber Bites with Cumin Vinaigrette

March 2, 2014 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

Attendees at the North Little Rock Vitamin Shoppe’s Share the Health event loved these Poblano Quinoa Cucumber Bites with Cumin Vinaigrette.

An aside…

This title reminds me of a silly page I want to do someday on this website. I want to have a “fancy food name generator.” It will have a series of food words that go something like this: adjective noun noun noun with a(n) adjective noun noun. Refresh the page and you’ll get something like this:

Crispy Tomato Kumquat Compote with a Creamy Asparagus Sorbet
or
Savory Watermelon Kimchi Pizza with a Chilled Habañero Reduction

Anyways.

This weekend I participated in the national “Share the Health” expo held at Vitamin Shoppes nationwide, setting up camp at my local store in North Little Rock. While others demonstrated taekwondo and sold bikes, I whipped up samples of this tasty quinoa salad. Even the healthy-food averse were converted. Hallelujah!

I served the salad cold atop tiny rounds of fresh cucumber, but it could be served as a meal component or salad all by itself, warm or chilled.

Here’s the recipe, as promised to those in attendance. I think you’ll love it!

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Poblano Quinoa Cucumber Bites with Cumin Vinaigrette
Serves 30 as an appetizer, 8 as a main dish or salad

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
2 Poblano peppers
1 Red bell pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 T. dried parsley (or 1/4 c. fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped fine)
2 tsp. ground cumin, plus extra for garnish
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 cucumbers
Optional: Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

If the package states to do so, rinse and drain the quinoa. In a medium pot, heat the quinoa by itself over medium-high heat a minute or two, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted, then add the broth and the garlic clove. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook according to package directions, probably about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is done and all the liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, roast the poblano peppers. If you have a gas cooktop, this can be done there. Place one or both peppers directly on a burner and turn on the flame. When one side is charred, turn carefully with heat-resistant tongs. (Turn on the vent if you have one!) If you do not have a gas cooktop, you can do this under the broiler of your oven. Place the peppers on a baking sheet just under the broiler. Stand nearby and watch, turning with tongs when the top is charred. With either method, when all sides are charred, place the peppers in an airtight container such as a plastic storage bag or rigid container with a lid. Allow the peppers to steam while you continue.

Chop the bell pepper, which we’ll use raw, into small dice. You can do this by cutting the pepper in half, carefully removing the white membranes and seeds with the tip of your knife, and slicing the pepper halves into very thin strips, about 1/8″ thick. Line the strips up and cut into small cubes. Place in a large bowl.

By now your poblanos are ready to peel. Hold them under running cool water and scrub off the charred skin. If some skin wasn’t charred and doesn’t want to come off, don’t worry about it. Now dry the poblanos and cut the flesh into small pieces with the same method as the bell pepper. (Yeah, it will be more floppy, but it’s floppy deliciousness.) Add to the large bowl.

In a jar, add together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, herbs and cumin. Shake to combine, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep it in the jar for now.

When the quinoa is done and still warm, turn it out into the large bowl and gently mix it with the peppers, being careful to not crush the quinoa. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and fold it in gently. If possible, let this stand, covered, in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using.

When you’re ready to serve, slice the cucumbers about 1/4″ thick. Sprinkle sparingly with kosher salt. (Skip the salt here if these will sit out a while, or they’ll weep.) Find the garlic in the salad and remove it. Using a small spoon or melon baller, place a small amount of the salad on top of the slices. Sprinkle with another bit of kosher salt and a dash of cumin. Add a small sprig of parsley or cilantro if you like.

Prettied-up option that I skipped during my show: Before slicing the cucumber, use a vegetable peeler to make four or five stripes evenly around it. When you cut the slices, they’ll have a cool pattern and they’ll be easier to eat if the peel is tough.

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I so enjoyed making new friends at this show, especially those of you who had questions about how food changes can affect your health. I hope I can be of service to you. Stay in touch!

Panic and Gluten Free Turkey Potstickers

February 10, 2014 by arfoodie 4 Comments

My glorious plate of too-few GF turkey potstickers.

Most of the time, I don’t really mind being gluten-free.

I’ve gotten used to GF bread (don’t eat much anyways). I’m better off skipping the cupcakes and such at the bakery anyways (with a notable exception). But there are two siren calls that still wail to me: doughnuts and Asian dumplings.

Not much I can do about the doughnuts right now, but I saw a post recently on Brokea** Gourmet that rekindled my hankering for potstickers, the close cousin of traditional steamed dumplings.

I’d found myself on the aforementioned site because I’m bootstrapping a new spinoff business, one that you’ll hear all about very soon. Things are going well, but the fancy food budget has been, well, constrained. The recipe fit right in, using small amounts of inexpensive ground pork or turkey and some other bits that I mostly happened to have around.

I probably would have rather used pork, although I usually don’t eat much of the stuff, but my local Kroger didn’t have any ground pork on hand. I picked up the turkey instead, remembering that the recipe said it would be fine with the addition of an egg yolk for added moisture.

It took me a while to find the rice paper, but when I did, I realized what a great deal it was. For a little over $2, I had like a bazillion wrappers for my little packets of Asian awesome. I couldn’t wait.

I made the mistake of coming home to cook dinner right after a major shopping trip. Hungry. Panicked. Must. Have. Dumplings. NOOWWWW.

In a move of total desperation, I put the husband on rice duty. Just cook some white rice, sauté the veggies and throw them together, I said. He looked at me like I was speaking Korean. “You did cook before we got married, right?” More blank stare. He ended up doing pretty well, despite charring the zucchini a bit — the daughter asked how I made it because it was so good. Heh.

Meanwhile, I got after the cumbersome task of the dumplings. The filling was easy enough, if you’re comfy with your knife skills; just some mincing and a quick stir. The wrappers, however, were a little more tricky.

In this recipe, you wet two large pieces of rice paper and stick them together, then cut smaller circles out of that using a cup or small bowl as a guide. A little cumbersome and time-consuming, but I got one sheet done, resulting in four small circles. Yay! Oh wait…I want to make more than four dumplings. Fill those, struggle with sticky edges, smoosh closed however they’ll smoosh. Repeat. Cook those, and repeat again.

Since you really can’t cook more than eight at a time anyways, the process was very staggered. After the second batch of eight, I was done. I could have eaten twenty more of them, but I was tired of it. And hungry. Darned shopping!

Everything said, these were delicious. If I do it again (and I probably will), I’ll start early, when I’m NOT HUNGRY, and make a bazillion dumplings all at once. To do this, I’ll have to keep them on a non-stick surface, maybe a Silpat or wax paper, covered with a wet towel to keep the wet rice paper from drying out and getting crunchy. Doable.

Also, I think I’ll fry them a bit more on each side before the steaming step. The linked recipe didn’t suggest this, but the rice paper did often taste a bit gummy on the side that didn’t meet the pan directly. A bit of oil and a little flip before steaming wouldn’t kill anyone.

Now that this subject is broached, maybe I’ll try a more authentic pastry-style dumpling next time, like this one by Gluten Free on a Shoestring. Or, I’ll just make a bazillion of the rice paper ones.

Either way, honey, you’re on rice and veggie duty. Fair warning.

Easy Olive Tapenade for Holiday Entertaining (or, Ode to the Kroger Olive Bar)

November 21, 2013 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

This recipe, if you can call it that, was part of the recent ‘Tis the Season event at Central Baptist Church in North Little Rock. I shared some appetizer ideas for holiday entertaining, along with some crazy stories and examples of ways to share love with people through food. If you were there, the ganache recipe is here (well, roughly…I’ll update soon with the exact one we made), and the bacon-wrapped dates from my friend Delta Moxie are in this issue of Farm Bureau’s Front Porch magazine.

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Tapenade, if you’re new to the stuff, is a lovely, briny olive mixture that can be a gorgeous and easy appetizer for holiday entertaining. I’ve mentioned it before, but this one is different. And actually yummier. It’s great on little toasted rounds of bread, rice crackers (they don’t get soggy), or just about anything, really.

This is the fairly-fancy-but-no-time-to-waste version. It does require a food processor, at least for the super-fast version, although you could definitely use a knife or even one of those slap-chop kinda things if that’s your speed. The recipe is also born of inspiration based on a super-crazy week, which I’m sure I’ll see again come Christmas entertaining time.

The crazy, that is. The inspiration will have to carry over.

You may have figured out by now that I am a huge Kroger fan. They don’t pay me to say that (although, to borrow a phrase from Alton Brown, they could if they wanted to); it’s just true. One store in particular here in North Little Rock is my happy place: the Indian Hills store on JFK Boulevard. (Cue angels singing.) I shop there like most ladies shop for shoes at the mall, or wherever it is that trendy ladies shop for shoes.

At this particular store, they have a great olive bar, or Mediterranean bar, or whatever. It brims with yummies like fresh hummus (usually a couple kinds), marinated mushrooms, even some dolmas. They have three sizes of containers to choose from, one roughly double the next. (Sorry, I don’t know the exact volume, but you’ll see that it doesn’t matter.)

Tapenade in process, armed only with containers from the olive bar and a food processor.

If you live near this Kroger, or any store with a similar olive bar, here are the steps to an amazing, multi-tasking tapenade that will wow any party.

Pick up one large container (the biggest of the three), one medium, and two of the smallest ones, which are about a quarter of the size of the big one.
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Fill the largest container with the roasted red bell peppers from the bar. If you don’t see any, ask the attendant or someone at the deli and he/she will probably be glad to open a container for you. (At my store, she even offered to open one just so I’d have the very freshest, although the ones on the bar were perfectly fine.) Avoid getting large amounts of the packing oil in the container.
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Fill the medium container with pitted kalamata olives. They’re the purple ones. Drain out as much liquid as possible.
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Fill a small container with green olives stuffed with garlic. This will save you the step of peeling garlic later. Bonus! And yes, avoid the liquid. You don’t want to have to pay for that.
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Fill another small one with sun-dried or roasted tomatoes. They are packed in olive oil, which you should mostly drain off.
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Run by the produce section and get a container of Simple Truth organic fresh basil. (I’m digging on this new Kroger brand of additive-free foods.) They’re in little plastic packages, usually hanging above the mushrooms and baby potatoes and such.

The green olives stuffed with garlic, now a lovely paste with minimal effort.

The green olives stuffed with garlic, now a lovely nearly-paste with minimal effort.

Back home, put the green olives with garlic in the food processor first. This is because you want the garlic to be pretty fine. Nobody wants to bite down into that! Buzz the green olives and garlic until they are teeny, almost a paste. Remove into a large bowl but don’t worry about the processor being completely clean yet.

Put a handful of basil in the last batch of stuff you process.

Now, put the other ingredients in the processor and buzz them until they’re in tiny pieces. Work in batches depending on the size and power of your machine; it’s all going the same place, so no matter. As you finish each batch, just dump everything into the same large bowl that already has the green olives and garlic. Add a handful of basil to the last batch you process and let it get minced along with everything else. Stir it all together.

Kalamata olives about to get the grind.

What, no olive oil? No extra salt? Nope. The oil that the peppers and tomatoes were packed in is plenty. And you can surely add salt if you like, but the olives are super salty, so try the finished product first.

Guess what? You’re done.

This is best the day after it’s made, so put that bowl in the fridge and let it get happy the day before your party. The next day, drain off any excess liquid, stir, and put it in a pretty bowl. Garnish with a bit of fresh basil. Boom.

In our class, we sliced a baguette, brushed the slices with olive oil and toasted them in the oven before topping with the tapenade. To make things even easier, buy a container of rice crackers (in the Asian section of this particular Kroger) and call it done. They hold up beautifully under toppings, and your gluten-free friends (like myself) can enjoy them.

And isn’t that what food is about, sharing love with all your people? I think so. I hope your people love it.

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This “recipe” makes a metric ton of tapenade, like enough for 20+ folks. So, if you don’t need that much, just get the ingredients in similar proportions. (I know, gag, math.) Four parts peppers, two parts kalamata olives, one part green olives with garlic, one part tomatoes. If you liked the container method of measurement, this could be one medium container of peppers, one small container kalamata, and one shared small container of green olives/garlic and tomatoes.

However…

You may want a metric ton. I’m just saying.

Up next…an amazing pasta recipe that uses the remaining tapenade, should you have made a metric ton and have a bunch left after your party. Actually, it’s good enough to make the stuff for.

Doing the Funky Ophelia: Cheese Soufflé for #VirtualDinnerParty

August 15, 2013 by arfoodie 13 Comments

Funky Ophelia cheese soufflé with poached pears, toasted walnuts, honey and basil.

NOTE: Don’t miss the giveaway! Click the link way down below the article to enter.

It sounds like a crazy wedding dance, but Funky Ophelia is what I’m calling the cheese soufflé we’ll share for today’s side dish course of the Southern Summer Nights Virtual Dinner Party. I’m glad you came by! If you’re new to these parts, I hope you’ll subscribe (see right column), follow me on Twitter and “like” the blog page on Facebook.

The cheese we’re using today, called Ophelia, is by Kent Walker Artisan Cheese (see previous post). It’s a really funky washed-rind variation of feta. Reaaaally funky. In fact, I wondered how it was going to go up until the last minute and first bite. In case you’re wondering, the final flavor is amazing, mellowed by the magic of béchamel and egg whites. Kent, you were right; the Ophelia nailed it.

Kent Walker’s Ophelia cheese, before I washed off the super-funky rind. Wow.

I was going to use a more traditional Maytag blue, but I decided to find an Arkansas product instead. The result, I hope, celebrates the often surprising culinary wealth that our state provides. Pull up a chair and dive in!

Want to make some of your own when you get back home? Just pick up some Ophelia (or his white cheddar, if you’re scurred) at one of Kent’s retail partners, or at his own upcoming retail location, and follow along.

Poorly lit walnut coating in the ramekin, awaiting the soufflé filling.

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare the coating for four small ramekins. I had a mishmash collection of different ramekins, including some squatty brûlée ones, which turned out to be my favorite.

Being gluten-free and all, I chose finely ground walnuts as the base rather than bread crumbs (about a 1/2 cup), adding a couple tablespoons of parmesan and a dash or two of cayenne for added flavor. And of course, I used my Microplane grater to create those snowy wisps of fresh parm. Brush the inside of each ramekin with melted butter, and place a handful of the mixture inside. Turn the ramekin until it’s well coated, then pour out the excess into the next buttered ramekin. Wipe any excess from the rim.

I put a handful of whole walnuts on a sheet pan in the oven to toast while working on the next step. Miraculously, I didn’t burn them. I think it’s a first. Remove them from the oven when just fragrant, about six minutes, and hold them for the garnish.

Pears poaching in apple juice, honey, lemon and peppercorns.

Next, I poached some pear slices for the garnish. Peel one Bosc pear and cut it into slices, being sure to trim out any tough core or seeds. In a small saucepan, cover the pear slices with about a cup of apple juice, a tablespoon of honey, a splash of lemon juice and a few whole peppercorns. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting the pear soften while you work on the soufflé.

Know how to make a béchamel? Because that’s next. It’s the base of many great dishes, from soups to macaroni and cheese. For this, just heat three tablespoons of butter (the real thing, please) and three tablespoons of flour, my gluten-free blend in this case, in a medium pot over moderate heat. Whisk a couple minutes until it becomes a solid paste, cooked through but not browned. All at once, add a cup of whole milk (or in my emergency case, heavy cream…I worried, but it worked) and whisk like crazy. Add more if it’s really thick.

Whisk in about two ounces of the Ophelia, crumbled finely (or shredded cheddar, if you chickened out), until it’s mostly melted. A few lumps are okay. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste; it can take a good amount of salt, but taste as you go. Grate in a bit of fresh nutmeg, again with a Microplane.

Wait, what? You’ve never grated fresh nutmeg? It’s pretty much life-changing. Microplane even makes a special little grater that’s perfect for it. I have one…somewhere. For now, this.

A well-loved nutmeg nut gets another hit from the Microplane grater.

Separate the yolks and whites of four eggs, putting the yolks in a small bowl and the whites in the work bowl of your stand mixer or in a large bowl for an electric mixer. Be sure the bowl is clean, as the whites may not firm up otherwise. I used eggs from my niece’s yard chickens. You wouldn’t believe the difference. If you have access to free-range chickens, whether from family or the farmers’ market, it will give this recipe a richer flavor (the yolks) and greater height (the whites).

Put a bit of the warm sauce (now technically a Mornay) into the yolks, whisk them like crazy, then whisk them back into the pot of sauce. This process is called tempering, keeping the yolks from scrambling when they hit the sauce.

These egg whites could hold up the Empire State Building. Fresh eggs for the win!

Using a stand or electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they are very stiff. If you like, you can add a dash of cream of tartar before whipping to make the end product more stable. When done, take a good spoonful of the whipped whites and stir them thoroughly into the sauce. Here, it’s okay to deflate them. The rest of the whites, not so much.

Here’s where you have to be very careful not to stir, but to fold. Plop the remaining egg whites on top of the sauce, and using a rubber spatula, carefully turn the sauce up and over the whites again and again. Get it mostly combined, but don’t overdo it — the more you mix, the less it will rise. A few white clumps are totally okay.

At this point, you better have your ducks in a row. (And of course, this is where World War III broke out between the kids. I had to let it go.) Oven ready. Prepared ramekins on a sheet pan ready.

Fill the ramekins. Load the oven. Hold your breath.

The soufflés begin their rise to stardom in the oven.

Now really, I’m making it sound difficult, and it’s really not. But soufflés are known to be persnickety, and they’re gonna fall pretty soon after coming out of the oven no matter what. Don’t tempt fate by slamming the oven door or doing cardio in the kitchen.

While the soufflés bake, prepare your garnish. Remove the pears from the liquid, discard the peppercorns, then turn up the heat to reduce the liquid to a syrup. Pour this back over the pears. Garnish your presentation plate with the pears and toasted walnuts, hitting them with a bit of cracked pepper if you wish. If you’re really feeling industrious, chiffonade some basil or mint (remarkably, either one works).

The instant the soufflés are done (about 15 minutes for a standard ramekin, slightly browned and not wet looking in the middle), remove one VERY carefully without touching the soufflé and place it on your presentation plate. I used a combination of metal and rubber spatulas, one to scoot under and one to grab. Quickly garnish with honey and basil or mint.

Funky Ophelia cheese soufflé in the brûlée ramekin. I like the way it turned out.

Serve immediately to your amazed guests.

Excuse me, but I’m gonna take a nap now. Y’all can see yourselves out, right?

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GIVEAWAY!!

You know I was kidding about seeing yourself out, right? You just can’t go until you get yourself a chance for a prize.

Please click here to enter our drawing for a HUGE prize pack including $85 of product from Microplane and a $75 all-Arkansas gift basket from Argenta Market! Like I’ve said before, I adore both of these companies (in fact, I’ve wanted to do a giveaway with Microplane for ages!) and would say so whether or not they let us give stuff away. All opinions are my own.

Remember, visit each #VirtualDinnerParty blogger on her highlighted day for more chances to enter.

Tacos with Heirloom Tomato Beef, Coriander Rice and Avocado

May 14, 2013 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

Finished tacos, poorly lit, shortly before rapid consumption.

Sometimes the vague idea of dinner presents itself, without a clear inclination of what it wants to be when it grows up. I like those times, because it usually ends up like an episode of Chopped.

Tonight, I wanted something sort of Mexican, but not spicy Tex-Mex. Strict adherence to cultural accuracy not required.

The basket: An avocado. An heirloom tomato. A large package of corn tortillas. A pound of ground beef.

Go.

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Appetizer:

The baked tortilla chips were dusted with kosher salt and a tiny sprinkling of garlic powder and pepper.

Baked tortilla chips from the Cooking Matters workbook.

When I have taught this class in the evenings, we started one of the sessions with these chips and a bean dip that was also listed in the workbook.

Tonight, I had intended to make guacamole but only had the one avocado. Kept simple, that little green orb could reach higher levels of greatness in the main course.

For the chips, store-bought salsa it was.

Want to make some of these chips? No recipe to it, really. Just cut some tortillas (corn or flour if not GF) into triangles. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the triangles on the tray. Spray the tops of the triangles and sprinkle with salt — not too much! — and any other seasonings you might like to use. Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just turning brown here and there. Let sit for a few minutes before eating to let them crisp up.

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Main course:

I couldn’t really figure out what to call this, so I just added ingredient names together until it sounded as delicious as it was. How about Tacos with Heirloom Tomato Beef, Coriander Rice and Avocado? Sure, sounds good.

And be sure to capitalize all the words; that makes it even better.

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Tacos with Heirloom Tomato Beef, Coriander Rice and Avocado
Serves 4

8 corn tortillas
Pure lard (non-hydrogenated) or cooking spray

For the rice:

1 c. brown rice
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
4 T. chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley

For the beef:

1 lb. ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 c. tomato sauce
3/4 of a large heirloom tomato, diced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp. cornstarch

For garnish:

One firm avocado
One lime
1/4 of the heirloom tomato, sliced
More cilantro or parsley (opt.)

In a medium pot, combine all ingredients for the rice except the fresh cilantro or parsley. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Brown rice takes about an hour to cook, so start this first. When the rice is done (probably after you’ve completed the other steps), fluff with a fork and fold in the fresh herb. Cover and keep warm.

Over high heat in a heavy-bottom skilled or pot (I used a Dutch oven), brown the ground beef. Add the garlic when the beef is almost done. When the beef is cooked through and the garlic is fragrant, drain fat and return to medium heat. Add the tomato sauce and cook until slightly darkened. Stir in the diced heirloom tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chili powder and salt.

Place the cornstarch in a small bowl or mug and add a couple tablespoons of cold water. Add an ice cube if it’s not very cold. Stir a bit until dissolved, remove the ice cube and pour the slurry into the beef mixture. Stir over heat until thickened. Cover and keep warm.

Using a sharp knife, cut the avocado lengthwise in half, cutting around the large seed in the middle. Using a butter knife, cut slices completely through each half with the skin still intact. With a large spoon, lift the slices out into a bowl. Repeat with the other half. Squeeze the juice of half the lime onto the slices and toss.

In a heavy cast iron skillet or griddle, heat a very small amount of lard until melted and hot, or spray with cooking spray. Heat corn tortillas (one at a time in the skillet; more if using a griddle and its size allows) until small brown spots appear. Flip and cook on the other side.

When the tortillas are ready, you can assemble the tacos. Spoon a bit of the meat mixture and then the rice into each taco. Top with an avocado slice and a slice of tomato. Squeeze a bit of lime juice on top or serve with lime wedges. If you like, garnish with more cilantro or parsley.

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Indian Spice Heats Up Vegetarian Night at Eggshells (with Recipes)

February 21, 2013 by arfoodie 4 Comments

Usha Mittal displays her personal stash of amazing Indian spices she used in her dishes at Eggshells.

All the foodies in town know, hopefully, that Eggshells Kitchen Co. in the Heights has some of the best cooking classes in Little Rock.

I’ve hated it that I had never made it to a class. You know, two little kids, busy schedule, blah blah blah. Tonight, I finally made it to one, at the suggestion of my friend Meenakshi Budhraja. She assisted her friend, Usha Mittal, in demonstrating vegetarian food from an Indian perspective.

Hours later, my clothes still smell awesome.

My daughter Morgan and I walked into Eggshells and immediately swooned at the smell of toasting cumin (and other things we couldn’t identify). If nothing else, one thing that really sets Indian cooking apart is their use of spices. Usha later showed me her tin of spices, which could be framed as a work of art itself.

Meenakshi Budhraja and Usha Mittal prepare the Indian vegetarian meal for the hungry onlookers.

Some of them, like the cumin and cayenne, were familiar, while others were new to me. The ladies tell me that the local Indian food stores (I know of one on Rodney Parham) can supply all the spices I didn’t already have in my arsenal, such as fenugreek and carom. (Here’s a handy chart of Indian spices for reference.)

Usha chatted with another guest about Indian culture: the importance of food and cooking, and how they frequently got together among their own community in central Arkansas. Food is a celebration, and cooking is a joy. The vibrant colors and flavors of the dishes certainly reflected that.

Guests, staff, and even staff of surrounding businesses stopped by for a plate.

I promised the good folks at Eggshells (shoutout to Heather and crew!) I’d post the recipes, which turned out to be quite the task when gathering them from two ladies who pretty much cook by feel. Following please find and enjoy the fruit of our collective labor.

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Aaloo Tiki (Potato Cakes)

Equal parts red (waxy) and Russet (starchy) potatoes
Salt and pepper
Cilantro leaves, chopped
Fenugreek leaves
Breadcrumbs

Boil potatoes whole until soft. Peel and mash with a potato masher. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in a small handful of cilantro and fenugreek leaves and work in by hand, mashing the mix together.

Heat a small amount of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Create small patties of the potato mixture and coat lightly with bread crumbs. (This is optional if you want the cakes to be gluten-free, but helps keep the potato mixture from spreading.) Place patties in the oil and cook until browned on each side. Serve with cilantro chutney.

Cilantro Chutney

1 bunch fresh cilantro
1/2 bunch fresh mint
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1-2 green chili peppers
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. salt
Pinch of sugar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and combine. Add a bit of water if you desire a looser consistency.

Suvir Saran‘s Spicy Indian Slaw
Serves 12 (obviously, cut it in half it you need to, or don’t…it gets better as it sits.)

1 piece of ginger, 1/2-inch, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon citrus vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon chaat masala (a spice mixture)
1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
18 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and veined for less heat, finely chopped (optional)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint leaves, fresh, finely chopped
1 head green cabbage, halved, cored and finely sliced
1/2 cup peanuts, roasted chopped

My friend Meenakshi started by toasting some whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet. My daughter marveled that she would pat them flat with her bare hand, not touching the hot pan. When the seeds were just fragrant, she then ground them in a mortar and pestle, but a spice grinder would work fine if you have that. (If all that is scaring you off, just start with plain ground cumin, but know that you’re really missing out on some depth of flavor.)

To make the dressing, whisk together the ginger, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, chaat masala, toasted cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and cracked pepper in a bowl large enough to toss the entire slaw. Next, add the scallions, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro and mint leaves, tossing them a bit. Add the cabbage and toss with your hands, making sure to coat it thoroughly with the other ingredients. Garnish with the peanuts and maybe some more cilantro leaves.

Note: Suvir Saran is an accomplished Indian-American chef who owns the restaurant Devi in New York City, the only Indian restaurant in the U.S. to receive a Michelin star. Saran appeared on the third season of Bravo network’s Top Chef Masters.

Usha’s Butternut Squash, Indian Style
Serves 4-6

1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp. fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp. carom powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1-14oz. can whole tomatoes
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
Cayenne powder to taste

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the mustard, fenugreek, carom and cumin. When the mustard powder starts to sputter, add the garlic, ginger and onion. Sauté until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the turmeric, coriander and cayenne.

Add the tomatoes, breaking them up a bit, then add the squash. Mix all the ingredients together, then cover over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir, check doneness of the squash, and continue to cook if necessary. When the squash is done, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Ibérico de Bellota at Hillcrest Artisan Meats (or, Meet the #HermanosJamones)

September 29, 2012 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

Ibérico de Bellota ham, atop gluten-free cracker bread I brought in from Dempsey Bakery.

This time of year, an exorbitant amount of my posts revolve around the fall food shows: Wildwood, Arkansas Hospitality, North Little Rock Taste of the Town. While I haven’t even had time to write the latter of these, I was invited to an impromptu food blogger gathering today that had to trump that writing.

Fancy ham. From Spain.

The kind many of us have lusted over in the glowing digital pages of Gilt Taste or some such.

Who even knew that Hillcrest Artisan Meats carried Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, one of the finest, rarest delicacies of the cured meat world?

Apparently, Michael Roberts of Arkansas Foodies / Eat Arkansas did, and he invited several of us who happened upon the Twitter conversation to join him today for a tasting.

This stuff was indeed pricey, at $89 / lb. We split it up five ways, though, and a half-pound was plenty to sufficiently experience the awesomeness. Just under $10 each wasn’t too bad, all considering.

The Ibérico hogs are a particular breed of black pig, found only in Spain. And, apparently, there is Ibérico ham (a lesser grade), and there’s Ibérico de Bellota, which is allowed to run free in Spain’s oak forests and feast on acorns in the last period of its life. This exercise and diet gives the meat its unique flavor and complexity.

Brandon Brown, proprietor of Hillcrest Artisan Meats (the locale often simply known as HAM), carefully sliced the precious product onto a tray for our group. We settled into the back room to survey our treasure. We all just stared at it and took photos for a little while. Finally, we jumped in.

Our trayful of Ibérico de Bellota ham, lovingly sliced by HAM’s Brandon.

“It really does melt in your mouth, even just from the heat of your fingers.”

“It tastes like acorns!”

“Ohhhmmmmmmmm.”

There may have even been a few more inappropriate comments.

It was sultry and decadent, yet light at the same time. It wasn’t as salty as you might think, considering it was cured for some time in sea salt. In fact, Brandon sprinkled it with coarse salt before serving the tray to us. It was just the right touch.

And yes, even without ever having tasted an acorn, I would venture that Ibérico de Bellota ham tastes like one. The deep smell of fall embedded each bite and even lingered on my skin for hours after.

Brandon brought us a small portion of American-raised proscuitto, for comparison. It was delicious, a little richer, but lacking the depth and delicacy of the Ibérico. This is one of those times you can really taste the extra money spent.

While the jamon was amazing, there are two real stories here: first, an ambitious local meat and sandwich shop bringing the world to Arkansas, and second, a growing, thriving group of local food writers who got to experience it.

I’m thankful to have experienced both.

The #HermanosJamones:

Joel DiPippa, Daniel Walker, Jess Miller, Michael Roberts, me, Kevin Shalin. Photo by Sara Shalin.

Joel DiPippa of Southern Ash
Daniel Walker of Eat Arkansas
Jess Miller and Michael Roberts of Arkansas Foodies
(Michael also writes for Eat Arkansas)
Me, Christie Ison of Fancy Pants Foodie
Kevin Shalin of The Mighty Rib

And we’re not an exclusive group, y’all! We just happened to be on Twitter at the same time and coordinated. Are you a blogger and want to join us for our next food outing? Make sure you’re a member of Arkansas Food Bloggers Network on Facebook and we’ll be more organized about it next time. I’m pretty sure it will include a play date with sous vide machines.

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Say Cheese (Recipe for Bocconcini Mozzarella Balls)

January 26, 2012 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

I just got around to finishing this post about making cheese last semester in Garde Manger class. In fact, I was supposed to post this as part of a make-up cook-at-home assignment. (I thought she had said my product was sufficient, but later mentioned she never saw the story. Oopsie! I still made an A despite the missed points, though.) A promise is a promise, albeit a late one. Here you go, Chef C.

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Awfully pretty, isn't it? Too bad it had some fatal errors...

Making cheese, I don’t think it too scandalous to say, is a bit of a glimpse into the mind of God. Or witchcraft, I guess, depending on whose side you take. (Vegans, make your joke here.)

You start with such a completely plain, innocuous substance as milk, throw some other stuff at it, wave your hands in a prescribed motion, and, poof, you have cheese.

Okay, so it’s not quite that simplistic. But it is quite amazing.

In Garde Manger class, we’ve spent a handful of weeks on fresh (unaged) cheeses, because they’re quick, useful, and a good starting point for learning the ropes.

I showed you earlier our fresh lemon cheese, which is somewhere between ricotta and cream cheese in consistency. It was amazingly delicious and made a lovely filling for the sweet applications we used that day.

The next week, I was awfully sick with one of those might-as-well-be-the-flu-but-it’s-not sort of things. I went to class and powered through the lecture, but the chef knew better than to put my snotty, contagious self in the kitchen. I guess since I bothered to show up, she felt sorry for me and let me take some lab work home.

The project: Mozzarella.

I remember passing through the kitchen once last year when this class was doing this same project. Nibbly bliss!

Here’s the process, for those wishing to try at home. It’s awfully fun:

Bocconcini (Mozzarella balls)
(Adapted from Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen by Culinary Institute of America)

5 1/2 oz. salt
1 gallon water
2 lbs. cheese curd, cut into 1/2″ cubes

Right off the bat, I know you’re asking yourself, where in the world do I buy cheese curd?

Cheese curds courtesy of Ben E. Keith and Pulaski Tech.

Honestly, we were just given the curds, purchased from Ben E. Keith (a restaurant/foodservice supplier), to save time. But the awesome folks over at Fermentables, who offer supplies to make beer, wine and cheese at home, sell an inexpensive cheesemaking kit with the goods (rennet, for example) to make your own. Easy peasy.

But I’m leaving it to you to read those instructions on the package.

Properly diced cheese curds.

Add salt to your water, and bring it to 160 degrees. Then take the pot off the heat.

And here’s where I made a BIG ol’ mess.

The instructions in our book say to put the curds in a colander and lower it into the water so the cheese is covered. Thinking myself clever, I used a wire colander. Not so smart. Let’s just say that half the cheese stayed with the device, which had to go in the trash.

See that wire colander? I miss it.

Then I dumped the curds directly in the water. We were instructed to use chopsticks to pull the cheese into the smooth strings that make this cheese what it is. Turns out I overcooked my curds, and I ended up with something more like rubber bands than delicious cheese.

I carried on anyway, laying the stretched curds out into a long log atop some plastic wrap. This is supposed to be only 1 inch in diameter, but since they were so rubbery, mine were about 1 1/2″ or 2″. Oh well.

Twist the ends of the plastic wrap so the entire log is wrapped well, then get out some thin twine or, as I used, dental floss. You’d probably be better off to not use mint flavored, though. Cut 5″ pieces and tie off the log into uniform spheres. The curd strands will have enough pressure now to form solid balls.

Put your strand of cheesy pearl goodness into a large bowl and place it in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight. Unwrap, cut between the balls if necessary, and enjoy.

Honesty time: Mine wasn’t that great. It was a little too much the consistency of one of those hi-bounce balls you get in a grocery store vending machine. But other than that, it was fantastic. :/

If they’d turned out better, they would have done well in my marinade, the juices from some spicy roasted grapes (you read that right) I made the same evening. That would have all come together into something fab, even if I don’t know just what.

Despite my difficulties, the process was actually pretty fun. As with most cooking experiences, you may have to screw it up at least once before you can make it really fantastic. I’ll definitely do it again.