The Vesperado Cocktail

Continuing with the Fresno infused gin idea, I thought modifying the Versper with a little heat was worth a try. I'm pleased with the results. I just Googled "Verspado" today and there were no cocktail entries with that name, so you heard it here first. I began writing a description of how this tastes, but I started sounding like Guy Fieri. Killed that idea. Suffice it to say, "That's not half-bad."
Music for making this one: Desperado performed by Linda Ronstadt.

Ingredients
1/2 to 3/4 oz Fresno infused gin
2 3/4 oz Beefeater gin
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano Aperitivo
Lemon peel, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir, stir, and stir some more.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Express lemon peel into the drink, and garnish with it.
This is probably enough for two people. Sharing is caring!

The Hot and Briny Cocktail or The Dusty Fresno

Wanting to kick up my martini a notch, I thought a little heat might be desirable. Came up with this after sampling a Cobra Verde at LOLO in Hudson, WI.  This might also be called a Dusty Fresno since rather than dirty, we're adding a scant 1/4 oz olive brine. HUGE thanks to Rich for the sign and Keri for getting me to post this.
Music for making this: Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield

Ingredients
1 3/4 oz Beefeater gin
1/4 oz Fresno pepper infused gin* (see below)
1/4 oz olive brine or to taste (varies by olives used)

Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Stir, stir, and stir some more.
Strain it a chilled martini glass. Garnish with 2-3 olives.

*Fresno pepper gin
Add 2-3 slices of Fresno pepper to a small mason jar. Seeds and ribs removed.
Add about 6 oz of Beefeater gin.
Let sit overnight, remove peppers and leave in jar or transfer to a stoppered bottle.

Texas Chipotle-Cinnamon Spiced Pecans

Another great recipe from The Homesick Texan Cookbook. These are great, super easy, and most folks like 'em. I usually add a couple of pinches of kosher salt to the spice mix, then add  a little more if need be.
Music for making: Excitable Boy by Warren Zevon

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups raw pecan halves
1 tbsp brown sugar (maybe a titch more)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
While the butter is melting and the oven is preheating, mix up the brown sugar, cinnamon, chipotle power, and cumin.
Once the butter is melted, add the pecans and stir to coat. Add the spice mixture 1/3's stirring to coat completely.
Pour pecans out onto parchment lined baking sheet. Spread into an even later (it will be tight fit, but do your best).
Bake for 15 minutes or so until they are dark in color and fragrant. Taste while warm and salt as needed. Allow to cool.

Sous Vide Egg Bites

I was having trouble maintaining loft in my egg cups baked in muffin tins or silicone cups, so I thought I'd give my sous vide rig a run at it. I am very pleased with the results. I can recommend this recipe after one go. Looking forward to future mods on this recipe.

Ingredients
12 eggs
1 c grated gruyere (or other grated cheese)
1/2 c cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
6 slices cooked bacon, cut in half (see my recipe for baked bacon)
Spray on oil like PAM (optional)

Extra Equipment: 6 4oz canning jars with 2-part screw-on lids, sous vide setup.

Set your sous vide cooker to 172 F. (Tip: Start with very hot water from your tap.) I needed to stack my jars two high, so I filled the container about 50% above the height of one jar. Maybe a bit more. The displaced water was enough to cover the second tier.

Spray the jars with PAM to aid in releasing egg bites after cooking. Alternatively, you could probably brush some of the bacon fat around inside. Just sayin'.  Place a 1/2 bacon slice into each jar on its side. It will be bent into a "V" so it will stand up.

Into a blender add the eggs, grated cheese, cream cheese, and salt. Blend for about 30 seconds or until well combined.  Distribute the mixture evenly into the 12 jars. Secure the lids fingertip tight. You don't want water seeping in, but you also want expanding air to release.

Once water reaches 172 F, lower the jars into the bath. I used tongs to lower them gently. Cook at 172 F for one (1) hour. You will see air bubbles escape as they warm up.

Remove after one hour and set on a towel on counter. Unscrew lids. These can be eaten from inside the jar or removed and set on a plate. I removed them and refrigerated for later. Warmed up wonderfully after 30 seconds in a microwave.

   

I wound up only filling 10 of them. I wanted to fill a bit more to have less air in each jar thinking they might float. I think my fears were unfounded.

Tortellini Soup With Spinach

I love this insanely easy and quick soup recipe. There are a multitude of variations out on there and it begs for experimentation. Start here then make it your own.  I prefer dried tortellini but refrigerated (fresh) can also work. You can double the amount of Parmesan (use Reggiano if possible,  the good stuff) but cut back on salt or amount of chicken base. Pull any large stems off the spinach.
Music selection: Big Night Soundtrack  "The knowledge of God is the bread of angels." -Primo

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced or run through a garlic press
6 cups chicken broth or 4 tsp chicken base w/ 6 cups water heated in microwave
1 tablespoon soy sauce
6 ounces cheese tortellini
3 ounces (3 cups) baby spinach
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth and soy sauce and bring to boil over high heat. Stir in pasta and cook until al dente. Off heat, stir in spinach and Parmesan. Buon appetito!

Shrimp With White Bean Stew

Not sure why I haven't added this before. Make it all the time for weekday dinner. Fast and easy. I like using Better than Bouillon for the clam juice/fish stock ingredient. Easy to keep on hand and relatively inexpensive. It can be hard to find. Thinking of trying Minor's fish stock base from Amazon.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed if canned
One 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups clam broth or fish stock (I use clam base from better than bouillon)
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Heat oil in a dutch oven.
Saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.
Add cannellini beans, tomatoes, salt, rosemary and pepper.
Add clam broth and bring everything to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add shrimp and simmer till just done, about 2 minutes.
Add chopped parsley when you serve in bowl.

Dry Vermouth for Summer Sipping

The first good dry vermouth I tasted was Dolin Dry Vermouth. With a healthy squeeze of lemon wedge into a smallish tumbler on the rocks it was just what the doctor ordered for a hot summer day. At around 17% alcohol, it drinks like a potent wine. You will want to refrigerate this and all vermouth once opened. They oxidize like wine.
Another dry vermouth worth mentioning is Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth from Oregon. It is pretty wonderful, though a tad spendy. You can go with Martini or Noilly Prat to dip your toe in the pond.

So go on, give it a try. "Be Somebody!".