The Hash

One thing that I love about cooking is the freedom that you have to do whatever you want. You can make things outside of the proverbial box and they can still be delicious and creative. Since I have made a vow to extremely limit my carbs for the month I have been forced to try new things. My breakfasts always consist of eggs in one way or another, but the other accompanying items have varied dramatically. In addition, I have had this eggplant in my fridge that I have been trying to decide how to prepare. This morning I was frustrated when I really wanted some hash browns or breakfast potatoes to go with my eggs. Alas, I shall make a veggie hash to go with my eggs. I can try out this funny looking purple vegetable and get a similar sensation to eating country potatoes.



I chopped up the egg plant with some asparagus, onion, green onion, red pepper, and julienned carrots. I felt as though this would give me a great combination of salty and sweet, along with crunchy and soft textures. The eggs would act as the foundation to bring it all together and the bacon would be that something extra to make it great. I sauteed up the veggies with some extra virgin olive oil. In a separate pan I cooked up two slices of bacon that I had cut down into one inch segments. After the bacon was done I cooked my two eggs in a little of the fat to pick up a little extra flavor.


For construction I simply placed a large portion of the hash in an 8 oz ramekin and pressed it down slightly to bind it all together. I placed my plate on top of the ramekin and flipped it over to dislodge the hash and provide a nice bed for the eggs. The bacon was added to the top with a few veggies. A dash of salt and pepper to finish and I was set. I encourage you to think about some items in your fridge or produce isle that you have always wanted to try, but never had the guts to take the leap. Hash is a great way to bring a number of items together and have them all produce a flavorful symphony in your mouth.

So simple and yet so complex

Coffee is something that I have become become very passionate about over the past six years. From learning to roast coffee on the most basic level, to really studying the science behind roasting the perfect bean. (I am not sure if that will ever be achieved, but here is to trying!) Roasting coffee is extremely simple at its core. Apply high heat to a green bean and agitate the beans until they have reached the desired temperature. Some choose to use electric heat and an electric fan to circulate the heat. Others opt for wood or gas to produce the optimum level of heat. The coffee ceremony is a key component of Ethiopian culture and has the participants roast their beans at their table over a flame. Although the basic premise of roasting is simple, the nuances of producing the right roast level and the changes that take place in the bean are complex. A green coffee bean will have hundreds of chemical reactions that take place within the bean during the roasting process. A roasted will choose to add extra heat at times and reduce it at others throughout the process to allow the desired flavors in the bean to be accentuated once they reach your palate. All of this says nothing about the growing and milling practices that play crucial roles in the end flavors that are in the bean profile.

One thing that I love about coffee is that producing a great cup in your home is extremely easy. You do not need an expensive pot or the latest technology to have outstanding coffee every time. What you really need is high quality fresh beans, a consistent grind, steaming (NOT BOILING)water, a vessel in which to combine both of them, and a way to leave the grounds behind so that you are not chewing your coffee. (Insert French Press here!) Many people have told me that they are either intimidated by the French Press (plunger pot) or that they just don't like to clean up the grounds. As I just mentioned, the French Press is not complicated. Here is how you can have success with your French Press:

1. Start heating enough water on your stove to fill your press and about a cup more.
2. Once you see the steam start to rise out of your kettle or pot grind your beans.
-You want a semi coarse grind. (Sand like)
3. Once the water is steaming (but not boiling) add it to your grounds in the press.
-You usually want to fill it up to the metal band or neck of the press.
(I like to pour the extra hot water into my carafe to begin to heat it up.)
4. Set timer for five minutes and walk away, but not too far.
5. When you hear the timer plunge down your beans and pour off your great coffee.
-It is essential to pour it off because the beans in the bottom will continue
to leech over extracted coffee into your pot.
6. The carafe or thermos will allow you keep your remaining coffee hot while not allowing it to become over extracted.
7. When the pot has cooled you can simply use a spatula to scoop the beans into a container for composting or the garbage. Coffee beans make great compost for the garden.

Certainly many of you will argue that the electric pot is far easier and produces less of a mess. This may be true, but it produces inferior coffee. The oil in the coffee beans are where the great flavors are and by using a paper filter you lose a lot of those flavors. Why buy high quality coffee and then do it a disservice by brewing it in a less than quality fashion? Also, the brewing time and water temperatures in most counter top coffee pots are too quick and too cool. The French Press is not complex, and I think that once you use it a few times you will realize how quick and easy it is to use. Sure you can't set a timer for your Press, but most things that are great in life take a little effort. If you make the change you will not be sorry.

Appropriate Start...Southwest Breakfast Sandwich

This is clearly a brand new blog that is just getting off the ground. I have to say that I am not trying to be Julie and Julia here, but I would be lying if I said that it did not influence the construction of this blog. I have a deep passion for food, and not just any kind of food but high quality gourmet food that anyone can make at home. Life is too short to eat marginal food and as our lives become busier I think that we tend to settle for average food that simply fills the grumbling space behind their belly buttons. After talking with multiple friends about the food I make and how they too can be making the same food at home I am jumping into this project with both feet. My goal is to post at least one picture a day of something that I have prepared and eaten throughout the day. It may be one of the three main meals of the day, a snack, dessert, or beverage. If I make it and it is edible it is fair game for the blog. I am not sure where this blog will go or what it will do for me or anyone who reads it, but my hope is that it will inspire and challenge you to get creative in the kitchen. Stop settling for the quick and easy fix to your hunger pains and start creating. Start enhancing your life with great food that has come straight out of your kitchen.

Since this is the first post of the blog I thought it would be great to start with a breakfast item. This morning I decided to make a deluxe egg sandwich after spending two hours at the YMCA. I needed a balanced meal that would meat my post workout needs and leave me satisfied for the morning. Having just made fajitas the night before I thought that it would be great to use some of the ingredients still on hand to make this sandwich. I placed one slice of bacon on my cast iron pan and began to cook it over medium-high heat. Once some of the fat had rendered off I placed a quarter of a red pepper, skin side out, on the pan to cook. I then added some sliced mushrooms around the rest of the pan to begin to brown. Once the bacon was ready to be flipped I flipped the pepper and mushrooms with it. When the bacon and veggies were almost done I hit them with a little salt and pepper and moved them to the edge of the pan so that I had room to cook the egg. I cracked the one egg onto the pan where some of the bacon grease remained. As the egg cooked I added some diced green onion to the pan to start to heat. Right before flipping the egg I popped the English muffin in the toaster to brown. I have found that the time that it takes to toast your bread is equal to the amount of time that your egg needs on it's second side. After flipping the egg I sprinkled it with some salt and pepper and turned off the burner. While the muffin finished I sliced up one half of an avocado. When the toaster popped I knew the egg was ready and I began to assemble the sandwich: bottom of muffin, pepper, mushrooms, egg, bacon, avocado, green onion, salsa, and top of the muffin. I used the salsa for a little extra flavor and color. I opted to not use cheese for the extra fat and calories, but a little pepper jack would have been great on top. I would have placed it on top of the egg and slid it under the broiler to melt it slightly.

This blog is not about bragging about the things that I eat or make on a daily basis. It is my attempt to share with you what I think about when I cook and how you too can be doing the same things at home. I would appreciate any comments or questions that you might have for me and look forward to this culinary journey. Will you join me?

-Dedicated to my dear friend Matt and his New Years Resolution!!